REPRIEVE FOR GREIVE AS LATECOMER FINDS THE PERFECT TIME TO HIT WINNER
ALEX GREIVE left it late. Of course he did. It was the only fitting conclusion to his week. After representing New Zealand in a 2-0 defeat to Australia in Auckland last Sunday, the St Mirren striker didn’t make it back into training with his club until Friday morning. Manager Stephen Robinson was less than impressed. Greive’s case wasn’t helped by playing against two of his Saints team-mates on international duty. Aussie duo Ryan Strain and Keanu Baccus managed to get back to work in Paisley some 48 hours earlier. Greive blamed difficulty in booking flights, a draining route and a degree of ‘miscommunication’ for the delay — but found the perfect way to smooth things over when his 90th-minute goal took Robinson’s side to third in the Premiership. Fresh from winning a first cap for Australia, Baccus had already shrugged off any lingering jet-leg by giving Saints a 69th-minute lead. It sent a jolt of electricity through a game previously absent of excitement. Home striker Jonah Ayunga then saw red for a goal-saving handball, only for Sean Kelly to sky the resulting penalty against his former club. David Martindale’s men did level through sub Bruce Anderson on 86 minutes, but the ten men responded magnificently. After a couple of corners caused uncertainly in the Livingston defence, Greive forced the ball home before sprinting off in sheer delight. ‘It’s been a long week,’ smiled the 23-year-old, introduced off the bench just before the hour mark. ‘I had a long travel back to Paisley. I was able to get in on Thursday and train fully on Friday and then obviously play my part today. The journey was a tough one. I had a 19-hour trip from Auckland to Dubai, but it stopped halfway at Kuala Lumpur. Then I had to get from Dubai to London and London to Glasgow.’ But why was he later than his Australian colleagues? ‘Yeah, I think it was difficult organising flights and stuff,’ said Greive. ‘There was maybe a bit of miscommunication as well. But we’ve talked about it and it’s all sorted out. ‘The travelling was all worth it in the end, though. I felt pretty good and I really wanted to get out there and play. I’m still young and the legs work okay, so I was fine. ‘The manager had sent me videos to prep for this game, so I was ready for whatever came along. ‘I don’t feel too bad — it’s easier flying back this way than the other way, plus I’m pretty good at sleeping on a plane. You definitely feel a whole lot better when you win.’ This gutsy triumph was a perfect follow-up to the epic 2-0 win over Celtic prior to the international break. With Rangers next up, St Mirren are currently high on confidence. Robinson deserves immense credit for such a positive start to the season. Sustaining it is the obvious challenge when better-resourced clubs are lurking just behind. Greive, though, feels they can make a top-six breakthrough. ‘We’re eight or nine games in now and that’s a fair wedge of the season,’There’s a long he said. ‘ way to go, but we’re feeling good. ‘We’ve kept our goals for the season within the dressing room until now, but if we kick on, there’s no reason why we can’t finish in the top half. ‘It’s fair to say we have the Buddies onside right now. ‘There were a lot of ups and downs in that second half and it meant a lot to get the win.’ Some in the 5,36
will have wished they’d gone shopping at Braehead during a miserably scrappy first half punctuated by blustery showers. Alex Gogic and Scott Pittman each missed opportunities. Their lack of composure was in keeping with the overall standard. Ayo Obileye headed a fine chance wide for Livingston early in the second half before the first of the defensive switchoffs that dismayed Martindale. With every visiting player expecting a long throw from Declan Gallagher, Ryan Flynn was left unattended. The Saints sub took possession in space outside the area and delivered a nice cross glanced in by the untracked Baccus. Ayunga’s hand then repelled a goal-bound Anderson strike to earn a red card from Craig Napier. The home crowd reacted with glee as Kelly’s spot-kick soared way too high. It looked like he would be reprieved when Anderson converted a Joel Nouble cross but Greive had the final say to drop Martindale’s men into the bottom half of the table. ‘I would have sacrificed that goal if it meant getting the three points,’ reflected Anderson. ‘But, on a personal note, it’s good to get off the mark. It’s been a frustrating start to the season for me, with my injury and stuff. ‘It’s great to score but it’s obviously been dampened by the result.’
ST MIRREN (3-5-2): Carson 6; Gogic 6 (Strain 59, Flynn 66), Gallagher 7, Dunne 7; Fraser 6, Baccus 7 (Shaughnessy 75), Erhahon 6, O’Hara 6, Tanser 6; Kiltie 6 (Greive 59), Ayunga 6. Subs not used: Urminsky, Brophy, Henderson, Reid, Taylor, Kenny. Booked: Gallagher, Baccus, Flynn. Sent off: Ayunga LIVINGSTON (3-5-2): George 6; Devlin 6, Obileye 6, Kelly 6 (Shinnie 81); Bahamboula 7, Omeonga 6 (Kelly 73), Pittman 6, Holt 6, Penrice 6 (Anderson 73); Nouble 6, Guthrie 6. Subs not used: Konovalov, Longridge, Brandon, Boyes, Cancar, Hamilton. Booked: Bahamboula Man of the match: Keanu Baccus. Referee: Craig Napier. Attendance: 5,366.