Murray’s Saints go marching on for first victory of season

ST MIRREN are not exactly strolling through life in the Championship, but they finally have a reason to cheer after sealing their first win of the season.

The victory Saints manager Ian Murray wanted arrived at Palmerston Park thanks to Sean Kelly and Steven Thompson’s first-half goals.

It was a much more promising display from the Paisley men compared to recent weeks, but they were helped along the way thanks to some suspect defending by Queen of the South.

Murray admitted he was delighted to seal his first three points and praised recent signing Andy Webster after a solid defensive display.

‘I thought our performance was excellent,’ said Murray. ‘We looked really dangerous from the first minute. To be brutally honest, we could have scored a few more.

‘But we’re delighted to come here, play like that and get the points. It is a very difficult place to come.

‘Andy has been excellent for us. I’m astonished no team at a higher level took a look at him. He reads the game exceptionally well.’

Striker Derek Lyle, playing his 200th game for Queens, was available after the club lodged an appeal against the red card he picked up against Rangers last week.

Saints took an early lead after six minutes. Stephen Mallan’s corner was met by Webster, who headed the ball down to Kelly and he finished from close range.

The visitors continued to press forward and captain Thompson should have doubled his side’s advantage. Scott Agnew’s ball found the forward and, after his first shot was saved by Queens keeper Robbie Thomson, his second effort was deflected behind.

Calamitous defending by the hosts gifted Saints a second goal after half an hour. St Mirren’s Jim Goodwin blasted what appeared to be an aimless ball forward. However, Andy Dowie let the ball bounce, allowing Thompson to nip in and slip the ball into the net.

Saints kept up the pressure after the interval, when Agnew’s pass found Calum Gallagher but his shot from inside the box was saved by Thomson.

At the other end, Dowie’s header went narrowly wide and Kyle Jacobs fired a shot off target.

Gallagher and Goodwin tested Thomson with shots, but the keeper was equal to both efforts.

Afterwards, Queens boss James Fowler said: ‘The first half was not up to our usual standards. To give teams a two-goal lead, it is very difficult in this league to come back.

‘We huffed and puffed as best we could in the second half, but St Mirren were quite content to sit in and hit us on the break.’