First Team
Saints 2-0 St. Mirren
27th October 2018
Saturday 27th October
Despite missing two second half penalties Saints came out on top in the battle of the Saints today as they defeated St Mirren 2-0 at McDiarmid Park.
After a goalless first half Saints took the lead on the hour mark when David Wotherspoon bundled home from close range.
Saints were then awarded a penalty 2 minutes later however, Tony Watt saw his effort saved by Buddies keeper Craig Samson.
Saints were dominating the second half and they were awarded another penalty on 73 minutes. This time Liam Craig stepped up to take it however, he ballooned his effort into the Ormand Stand.
Despite missing two penalties Saints wrapped up the 3 points with 6 minutes remaining as Matty Kennedy converted from close range after Jason Kerr’s header had been saved by Craig Samson.
Today’s win sees Saints move up to seventh in the Ladbrokes Premiership. Next up for Saints is a midweek trip to Livingston on Wednesday evening.
MATCH REPORT
Saints welcomed St Mirren to McDiarmid Park for a league this afternoon for the first time since the 2014/15 season, where Saints ran out 2-0 winners against the Paisley side. Tommy Wright made changes to the team who beat Motherwell with a stoppage time winner last Saturday. He brought in Matty Kennedy and David Wotherspoon for David McMillan and Liam Gordon who both drop to the bench.
It was the Perth Saints who got the game underway.
The game got off to a scrappy start but with 10 minutes gone Tony Watt was denied what seemed like a certain goal. Some great pressure from Saints saw Scott Tanser and Matty Kennedy combining down the left, Kennedy cut in on his right and played a fantastic ball right into the heart of the box. Watt connected well and his downward header was well saved by Craig Samson.
The half continued to be scrappy with neither team creating any clear-cut chances. With 5 minutes of the half remaining St Mirren created an opening for themselves. Paul McGinn broke down the right-hand side beat his man, he cut back to Simeon Jackson, who was in space, but he fired well over the bar.
Saints quickly went down the other end and tried to break the St Mirren defence. Tanser tried to wriggle some room, he found Richard Foster on his opposite side and he played in a great ball to the back post. David Wotherspoon was waiting and nodded it across goal where Kennedy was less than 6 yards out but again Samson was there to match and made a terrific save to keep it all square.
St Mirren got the second half underway.
With just 2 minutes of the second half gone the ball broke extremely kindly to Matty Kennedy, he played out to Scott Tanser who played a fantastic ball into the box and Tony Watt, in a lot of space, fired wide off the post, letting poor St Mirren defending off.
On the hour mark the Perth Saints broke the deadlock. Saints had been piling on pressure and a Richard Foster ball was just missed on the overhead kick by Tony Watt but it fell kindly to the Saints Wotherspoon and he made no mistake with a low finish into the corner. Only 2 minutes later the Perth Saints were awarded a penalty as Andrew Dallas had no option but to point to the spot when Murray Davidson was bundled over in the penalty area by Paul McGinn. Tony Watt stepped up to take and fired to his bottom left but Craig Samson again made an excellent save to prevent Saints from taking a two goal lead.
With less than 20 minutes to go Saints were awarded another penalty. Drey Wright showed his pace down the right bursting into the box and was bundled over by Lee Hodson. Liam Craig took the spot kick and this time gave Craig Samson an easy job as he blasted the ball well over the bar.
With 6 minutes remaining Saints finally doubled their lead. A free kick was floated into the back post and Jason Kerr running onto it made Samson come up with another great save but he put it back into the danger area and Kennedy was there to pounce and made it 2-0 and ensure the points were staying in Perth. Today’s win takes Saints up to seventh place in the Ladbrokes Premiership with 14 points. Saints next game is a midweek trip to Livingston.
Saints: Clark, Tanser, Shaughnessy, Wright, Davidson, Wotherspoon, Kerr, Foster, Craig, Watt (Kane 76), Kennedy (Nydam 87)
Unused Substitutes: Hurst (GK), McMillan, Scougall, Gordon, Callachan
Booked: Davidson, Kennedy
Scorers: Wotherspoon (60), Kennedy (84)
St Mirren: Samson, P. McGinn, Baird, Jones, Hodson, Flynn, S. McGinn, Willock (McShane 81), Hammill (Edwards 75), Jackson, Mullen (Smith 62)
Unused Substitutes: Lyness (GK), MacPherson, Erhahon, Kirkpatrick
Booked: Mullen, P. McGinn, Baird, S. McGinn
Referee: Andrew Dallas
Attendance: 2,716
Match report by Hannah Klatschak
Picture: Matty Kennedy scores Saints second goal of the afternoon