Saints 1-1 St Mirren

The first half was a tight affair as both sides struggled to take a hold of the game. Then just before half time Saints were reduced to ten men after Dan Phillips was sent off. The midfielder had originally been booked after he caught Ryan Flynn on the ankle but it was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review.

Saints took the lead on 75 minutes when Rudden saw his glancing header from a Cammy MacPherson free kick go in off the back post.

However, St Mirren rescued a point with 4 minutes remaining as Alex Gogić powered home from close range.

Today’s draw sees Saints move onto 31 points in the cinch Premiership as they remain in eighth place.

Next up for Saints is a trip to Edinburgh next weekend to take on Hearts at Tynecastle Park, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

Saints welcomed St Mirren to McDiarmid Park this afternoon for a cinch Premiership match. Saints won 2-1 at Dundee United last weekend and Callum Davidson made one change to his starting eleven as Jamie Brown dropped to the bench and he was replaced by Andy Considine, who missed out on the match at Tannadice due to suspension. St Mirren defeated Ross County 1-0 at the SMiSA Stadium last weekend and manager Stephen Robinson also made one change to his starting eleven as Alex Gogić came in to replace Declan Gallagher.

Stevie May got the match underway and the Perth side created the first chance of the match after 23 seconds. May crossed the ball into the box from the right however, Melker Hallberg couldn’t make a clean connection with the delivery. The ball then broke to Nicky Clark on the edge of the box and he unleashed a left footed strike which went narrowly over.

St Mirren created their first chance of the match on 6 minutes as Tony Watt played in Thierry Small who unleashed a strike from the edge of the box which went wide. The visitors created another chance on 12 minutes as Alex Gogić’s cross from the right was met by Mark O’Hara at the back post however, the header from the Buddies captain didn’t trouble Remi Matthews.

The first half was a tight affair as both sides were struggling to create any clear-cut chances. On 27 minutes a corner from the right by Small eventually broke to Greg Kiltie however, the former Kilmarnock midfielder blasted over.

PHOTO: Nicky Clark shoots over the bar

The visitors came close to the breakthrough on 34 minutes as Kiltie played in Curtis Main and the forward looked to cross the ball across the face of the Saints goal however, the ball took a deflection off Liam Gordon to deflect it goal wards but Remi Matthews made a good block with his foot to clear the danger.

A quick counter attack by Saints 3 minutes later saw May pass the ball to Nicky Clark who released Adam Montgomery down the left channel. The on-loan wing-back did well to evade the challenge from Ryan Flynn as he broke into the box before crossing the ball into the danger area. It was met by May at the back post who directed a header towards goal however, Carson made a brilliant one-handed saved as he turned the ball behind for a corner.

The game started to open up a bit and on 39 minutes Watt was setup by Small however, the curling effort from the former Saints forward didn’t trouble Matthews.

Then on 44 minutes Saints were reduced to ten men. Montgomery played the ball into Dan Phillips who turned with the ball but as he did the midfielder caught Flynn on the ankle and was booked by referee Craig Napier. However, Napier was then asked to review the incident on the monitor and he took a quick look before upgrading Phillips booking from a yellow to a red card.

PHOTO: Andy Considine and Stevie May react as referee Craig Napier changes Dan Phillips yellow card to a red card after a VAR review.

St Mirren got one final chance before half time however, Ryan Strain’s free kick was straight at Matthews who comfortably gathered.

On 55 minutes Saints created a chance as Melker Hallberg crossed the ball into the box and it was met by Drey Wright whose low header was deflected behind for a corner by Small.

St Mirren though started to dominate possession as they took advantage of the extra man. On 60 minutes Small saw his low strike from the edge of the box saved by Matthews. Then 3 minutes later O’Hara’s cross from the left was met by Watt at the back post but his header clipped the bar before going behind for a goal kick.

PHOTO: Adam Montgomery gets away from Greg Kiltie

Saints made a double change on 72 minutes as Stevie May and Nicky Clark were replaced by Zak Rudden and Theo Bair.

Rudden would make an almost immediate impact as 2 minutes later he won Saints a free kick out wide on the right after he had been fouled by Charles Dunne. Cammy MacPherson took the free kick and he floated the ball into the box which Rudden got on the end of as the forward got above the Buddies defence to flick the ball towards goal and it went in off the back post before nestling in the net.

The visitors then made a triple change as Lewis Jamieson, Keiran Offord and Joe Shaughnessy were all introduced into the action, replacing Tony Watt, Ryan Flynn and Marcus Fraser.

The changes by the Buddies worked and they were level with 4 minutes remaining. Shaughnessy delivered a good cross from the right and Gogić got on the end of it to head home from close range.

PHOTO: Zak Rudden celebrates his goal with Cammy MacPherson, Theo Bair and Liam Gordon

3 minutes were added on at the end and the visitors went in search of a winner. Firstly, Kiltie played in Gogić however the left footed strike from the Cypriot was well saved by Matthews. Then Main crossed the ball into box from the right which was met by Jamieson whose left footed strike went narrowly over as ten-man Saints saw the game out to secure a valuable point.  

Saints: Matthews, Wright, Mitchell, Gordon, Considine, Montgomery, MacPherson, Phillips, Hallberg, May (Rudden 72), Clark (Bair 72)

Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Brown, Gallacher, Wotherspoon, Carey, Murphy

Booked: Clark

Sent Off: Phillips

Scorer: Rudden (75)

St Mirren: Carson, O’Hara, Flynn (Offord 80), Watt (Jamieson 80), Main, Kiltie, Gogić, Small, Dunne, Fraser (Shaughnessy 80), Strain

Unused Substitutes: Urminský (GK), R. Taylor, F. Taylor, Kenny, Campbell, Gilmartin  

Booked: None

Scorer: Gogić (86)

Referee: Craig Napier

VAR: Grant Irvine

Attendance: 3,828

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Zak Rudden celebrates his goal with Adam Montgomery