Kearney wants more from new boys

Nazon 77 notched his first goal against United with a deflected strike.

However, it merely reduced the lead given to the Terrors by Pavol Safranko and Nicky Clark and, despite playing the last half-hour or so with ten men, Robbie Neilson’s side held out to go into the draw for the quarter-finals.

St Mirren are bottom of the Premiership and Kearney is looking for his new boys to start making more of an impact. He said: “I was happy enough with Duckens’ contribution and it was better than it was during the week [in defeat by Motherwell].

“What we have had to do is go outside the league to bring in players because of our inability to attract players from inside the league due to financial constraints or whatever.

“With that you are bringing in players of good quality but, at the same stretch, Duckens has sat on the bench for quite a bit of this season in Belgium and looks rusty.

“There is a story with each of the players we have brought in, in that it will take a bit of time. Mihai Popescu is the best one for me because, in the first couple of games, I would have said the jury was still out possibly. “He has had six performances and I look at the last two or three and they have gone up a notch. He has been exceptional and you are hoping for that from the other guys as well.”