SAINTS END THEIR LOSING STREAK
Second half goal blitz against Jags
ST MIRREN ................................................4 PARTICK THISTLE.....................................1 BEN RAMAGE
St Mirren finally ended their losing streak with a second half blitz that sucked the sting out of the Jags.
Going into the Betfred Cup opener on the back of six consecutive losses, the Buddies were below par in the first half with the League One visitors seeing two goalbound efforts cleared off the line.
They were fortunate to go in at the break in front, with Richard Tait’s superb diving header on the stroke of half-time giving the hosts a welcome if a little undeserved lead.
Jamie McGrath’s sweet strike rattled the woodwork as the Buddies almost doubled their lead on the hour mark before Blair Spittal marked his debut with a superb leveller just seconds later.
The Saints were riding their luck but retook the lead in excellent fashion.
Kyle McAllister’s fantastic through ball released Jon Obika, who fired low past the Jags keeper.
A defensive mix-up saw Joe Shaughnessy capitalise to make it three, before Dylan Connolly’s sweet long range curler sealed the Paisley side’s first win in eight games.
St Mirren named a strong starting XI despite their opponents new League One status, with Richard Tait the only change from an excellent performance against Aberdeen last Friday.
The left back returned from suspension, with Conor McCarthy the only change with the young centre back away on international duty with Ireland’s under-21 team.
Jim Goodwin kept faith with a threeman backline despite their losing run, Lee Erwin again partnering Jon Obika up front with Jamie McGrath and Junior Morias playing wide.
Obika produced the game’s first chance, sending a low skidding effort goalwards which was well saved by Jags keeper James Sneddon.
Just shy of the ten minute mark the visitors gave the Saints an early scare. Conor Murray released Shea Gordon in on goal with a terrific pass, but his shot was at a good height for Jak Alnwick who palmed away to safety.
Despite last night’s clash being Thistle’s first competitive game in over half a year, they were producing the better football early on and thought they had the opener when Brian Graham poked past Alnwick after 15 minutes.
His goalbound shot was mercifully hacked clear off the line by Marcus Fraser.
Murray was next to test Alnwick with a long range hit as the hosts continued to struggle to create any chances of note, with Graham rustling the side netting from a corner as the visitors continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock.
Morias sent Fraser tearing in on goal just after as the Saints threatened to hit their stride, but the defender’s shot from inside the box was straight at Sneddon and comfortably held.
Thistle were still looking the more dangerous outfit and only a terrific Tait tackle stopped Stuart Bannigan bagging the opener after a pinpoint pass sent him in on goal.
The Saints goal continued to lead a charmed life when a Graham header was desperately saved off the line from a corner, as the Jags continued to dominate proceedings.
The game swung from end to end as the first half progressed, with Erwin’s close range blast shot blocked away to safety by defender Darren Brownlie after some nice wing work by Obika.
Graham saw a long range effort blocked by Joe Shaughnessy, before Jamie McGrath’s strike from a similar range was deflected over the bar.
The visitors were unfortunate to find themselves behind at the break, but Goodwin wasn’t caring a jot as the hosts fired home the opener on the stroke of half-time.
Jamie McGrath’s sweetly struck corner found Tait in space, who dived low to power home a header which was almost a carbon copy of his opening day winner against Livingston.
Gordon was inches away from connecting with a dangerous cross as the Jags started the second half in the same way they dominated the first.
Bannigan saw a shot deflected away for a corner, before Goodwin sent on wingers Kyle McAllister and Dylan Connolly for Nathan Sheron and Morias to inject a bit of pace and creativity into his side.
The Jags sent on new recruit Blair Spittal for Joe Cardle as they refused to lie down to the hosts, with Murray’s header well saved by Alnwick after being picked out perfectly by Ryan Williamson.
McGrath smashed a low strike off the post as the Buddies threatened to double their lead, and the woodwork made all the difference as the Jags raced up the other end before Spittal curled home a sweet strike into the bottom corner to equalise.
It was no more than the visitors deserved, having dominated for large spells of the game.
Substitute Kyle McAllister produced a telling moment of class, unlocking the Thistle defence with a superb through ball to find Obika who held his nerve to slam low past Sneddon and retake the lead.
The Buddies made it three as Joe Shaughnessy battled with two defenders, with the ball eventually finding the back of the net.
The third seemed to take the legs away from the Jags, with substitute Dylan Connolly bagging the fourth after racing onto a slack pass and curling a long ranger past Sneddon to seal the welcome win.