BUSTER KEATINGS
James is crocked but it fails to spoil glory day
A victory, two assists and a wonder goal to win it.
So even a foot injury couldn’t spoil James Keatings’ day after he inspired Hamilton Accies to a win over 10-man Saints.
His brace of set-pieces which teed up goals for Dougie Imrie and Ziggy Gordon put Martin Canning’s men in front.
And after Stephen McGinn had pulled one back for the Buddies, Keatings produced a moment of magic to seal three crucial points.
The 26-year-old limped off injured after 65 minutes but had already done enough damage to the Paisley outfit.
Fellow goal hero Gordon hailed his team-mate’s performance and claimed if they can keep Keatings firing he’ll be a vital player for Accies.
He said: “Keatsy provided the bit of magic we needed to give us a two-goal cushion in the game.
“That’s what he’s capable of doing. If we can get more displays like that from him then we’re in business.”
St Mirren felt Gordon was lucky to stay on the pitch for a foul on Simeon Jackson, who was later sent off himself.
But the defender said: “I knew Matt Kilgallon was covering me. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.
“I’m experienced enough to know what I was doing.”
Buddies boss Oran Kearney disagreed and said: “He should have been sent off. We were on the front foot and that wa s ou r big moment.
“I was pretty much celebrat i n g . It ’ s a cynical challenge outside the box so it’s a red. That’s the rules.
“If they go down to 10 men it gives us a chance of k icking on. It ’ s a baffling decision.”
The result was so
typical of Hamilton under Canning. Everyone had started to write them off again after a poor run of results. We should have known better.
They dominated the middle of the park but the key to it all was the movement and guile of Keatings in the hole.
An away goal was coming and Keatings was the architect. His whipped corner found Imrie whose header beat Danny Rogers and nestled in the top corner.
Reacting to Accies’ grip on the game, Kearney made a change.
But Ian McShane wasn’t happy to be hooked after just 30 minutes and made his feelings known.
Unfortunately, just as the change looked like helping St Mirren, they were two down from another set-play.
This time Keatings’ free- kick met Gordon who had the freedom of Paisley to prod into the net from close range.
But skipper McGinn gave St Mirren a lifeline just before the break. When Adam Hammill’s corner was cleared, young Ethan Erhahon kept it alive.
He knocked it back into the box and McGinn managed to hook the ball into the bottom corner.
St Mirren were then angered whenGordon stayed on after upending Jackson.
Keatings again proved the di f ference as his curl ing lef t- foot shot sailed past Rogers into the top corner.
Jackson was then sent off for a second booking.
And despite Danny Mullen hitting the bar late on for the Buddies, Keatings’ quality had won his team the game.