PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

The preparations for the final run-in to the end of the season continued yesterday when the entire squad all took part in various stages of a closed door game against Hamilton.

Goals from Collin Samuel, Peter MacDonald and a rarity from Gary Irvine saw the team battle back from being 2-0 down against a young Accies side to win 3-2.

Derek McInnes said of the game “It was a worthwhile excercise as it gave the players who needed 90 minutes a good run out and also a smaller amount of game minutes into some of the others. Martin Hardie played 45 minutes on top of the 90 he got in the reserve game on Monday.”

With Saints unable to extend Richie Byrne’s stay with the club, the manager is searching for a new left back and has irons in the fire to that end.

Photo: Gary Irvine has never managed a goal for Saints in competitive action but scored in yesterday’s closed door game.