Jackson’s winner drags woeful Well back down towards the drop zone
Oran Kearney wants to blow the relegation battle wide open after Simeon Jackson’s winner helped to drag Motherwell into the drop-zone mix.
Jackson struck the only goal at Fir Park to earn the Buddies their first away victory since they beat Brechin City in the Championship eight months ago.
It was a massive win for Kearney and the travelling fans and the Saints boss says they deserved their early Christmas present after suffering so much misery on the road.
Motherwell would have gone a dozen points clear of the Paisley side with a victory but the Buddies kept them within range.
Kearney said: “I am sure their mentality this week revolved around trying to put distance between us and them. Our aim was the opposite.
“It was about trying to put a hook in them and reeling them back in.
“It’s important that we keep as many teams in the mix for as long as possible. When things become nervy and edgy it’s important we have company down there.
“The fans were fantastic and to travel in the week of Christmas, considering some of the away displays we’ve put up over the last couple of months, was just reward for them.
“The mentality all week was to get our f irst away win and get the monkey off our backs.
“We’ve underperformed against the teams around us. We’ve been disappointed with performances and the most pleasing aspect was that we put that right.”
St Mirren host St Johnstone on Boxing Day and travel to Kilmarnock in the final game before the winter break so Jackson’s winner was a huge boost going into those games.
It was a bitter blow for Well boss Stephen Robinson on a day when he served the first of a three-match touchline ban.
He recal led Allan Campbel l, Curtis Main, Christian Mbulu, Danny Johnson and David Turnbull after all were rested for the midweek defeat by champions Celtic .
Half hour had gone before either keeper was called into action and even then it was Mark Gillespie
GILLESPIE 6 MBULU 5
cutting out a cross fizzed across goal by Paul McGinn.
When Curtis Main took a fresh air swipe as the ball bobbled in the box at the other end it summed up a dire opening 45 minutes.
It didn’t improve much after the break with Johnson firing over from a good position.
One goal was always likely to be enough to win it and it arrived in the 68th minute for the Buddies.
Well sub Gael Bigirimana failed to deal with a routine punt upfield and when Cammy Smith’s initial shot was saved Jackson was on hand to confidently knock home the rebound.
The Steelmen did have a chance to level when Main got on the end of Turnbull’s corner but his header was brilliantly saved by Dean Lyness.