SPFL

15th May 2024

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
15th May 2024
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 2-2 Hearts

SCOTT 7
Tawaga 20
BOLTON 65
Shankland 73

ATT: 7,222 (1,100 Away fans)
Referee: J Beaton
VAR:

  • After confirming a European place the night before when Dundee lost at Ibrox, Saints played out an entertaining match at home to 3rd place Hearts.
  • Saints dominated most of the match and took the lead after only seven minutes when James Scott volleyed home his first goal for the club following heavy pressure from the first whistle.
  • Hearts equalised with their first attack of the match on the 20th minute, taking advantage of a slip by Bolton to break down Saints right, eventually allowing Tawaga to shoot through Hemmings legs.
  • Despite being on top afterwards, it took 45 minutes for Saints to regain the lead when James Bolton headed in his first goal for the club from a brilliant Boyd-Munce cross.
  • Eight minutes later however, a speculative lob from Shankland caught Hemming out at his far post and the ball dropped in for an unexpected equaliser.
  • Despite applying more pressure with the remainder of the match, Saints couldn’t snatch a deserved winner, however the draw means the team eclipse the points total of last season and confirms the best total since 1984/85 once points per game is adjusted to 3 points for a win.

NO.PLAYERRATING
1Zach Hemming6
2James Bolton 84 7
3Scott Tanser 707
5Richard Taylor 706
21Jaden Brown 596
6Mark O’Hara8
17Keanu Baccus8
13Alex Gogic7
10Conor McMenamin8
9Mikael Mandron8
14James Scott 59 7
SUBS 
15Caolan Boyd-Munce 598
20Toyosi Olusanya 597
22Marcus Fraser 706
18Charles Dunne 846
42Elvis Bwomono 706
27Peter Urminsky 
24Lewis Jamieson 
33Evan Mooney 
23Ryan Strain 

11/05/2024 – KILMARNOCK (H)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
11th May 2024
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 0-1 Kilmarnock

Vassell 37

ATT: 7,654


Referee: E Anderson
VAR: G Aitken

  • The home side miss out on a chance to qualify automatically for European football after losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock, however with Dundee going down 3-0 at Tynecastle and only 2 matches remaining, Saints actually strengthen their hold on 5th place as the goal difference is now 2 better off than at the start of the day.
  • In what was a scrappy and error strewn match, Kilmarnock seize on poor play between Fraser and Tanser to break quickly on Saints and score the only goal, with Vassell smashing home Watkins cutback after 37 minutes.
  • Saints give plenty of effort get back into the match, with Olusnaya the main threat and he cracks a shot from the edge of the box off the bar, but in general Saints attacking play is predictable and laborious and Killie see off the threat fairly comfortable.
  • This defeat extends Saints absurd record against Derek McInnes as a manager, with just 1 league win in 32 matches over 3 clubs, and no wins in 7 against Kilmarnock since he became boss at the Ayrshire club.

No,PlayerRating
1Zach Hemming7
23Ryan Strain 676
2James Bolton 837
13Alex Gogic6
22Marcus Fraser6
3Scott Tanser 676
6Mark O’Hara7
15Caolan Boyd-Munce 676
10Conor McMenamin7
20Toyosi Olusanya7
SUBS
9Mikael Mandron6
17Keanu Baccus 677
14James Scott 676
24Lewis Jamieson 676
5Richard Taylor 836

04/05/2024 – Dundee (A)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
4th May 2024
Dens Park, Dundee

Dundee 1-3 St. Mirren

GOGIC 37
TANSER 59
OLUSANYA 72
Mellon 76

ATT: 6,877 (2,056 Saints fans)
Referee: M McDermid
VAR: A Muir

  • European football is now just 2 points away for Saints after a comprehensive win over their only challengers for 5th place, Dundee.
  • Toyosi Olusanya almost nips in to score after only 10 seconds, and this sets the tone for the afternoon as the away side dominate for long periods and win with ease.
  • Saints finally open the scoring after 37 minutes when the imperious Alex Gogic reacts quickest to a loose ball and gives the keeper no chance.
  • Scott Tanser doubles the lead 22 minutes later with a unerring finish on the volley after he had chipped the ball over a Dundee defender, as the home side repeatdly failed to deal with Saints superior attacking play.
  • This was evident again after 72 minutes when Baccus drives into the box and finds Mandron, who dances through challenges before laying off to Olusanya who fires under the keeper to give Saints an unassailable 3 goal lead, which could have been double this number had Saints been more ruthless.
  • Mickey Mellon notched a late goal for the Dee, but by then most of their supporters had left and Saints comfortably negotiated the rest of the match.

No,PlayerRating
1Zach Hemming8
23Ryan Strain 878
2James Bolton8
13Alex Gogic9
22Marcus Fraser8
3Scott Tanser8
6Mark O’Hara8
15Caolan Boyd-Munce8
10Conor McMenamin 617
20Toyosi Olusanya8
9Mikael Mandron 778
17Keanu Baccus 617
14James Scott 777
18Charles Dunne 877

16/03/2024 (Kilmarnock A)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
16th March 2024
Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock 5-2 St. Mirren

DUNNE 20
MANDRON 39
Vassell 61
Armstrong 65 (pen)
Watkins 68
Vassell 73
Watson 79

ATT: 8,460 (2,481 Saints fans)
Referee: R Hardie
VAR:

  • In what was a crucial pre-split match between 4th and 5th position in the league, Saints travelled to Kilmarnock determined to build on their 1 point lead over the Ayrshire side, backed by 2,500 fans who had made the trip.
  • Stephen Robinson makes several changes from the previous match, with in-form midfielder Kwon curiously missing out and replaced with skipper Mark O’Hara for his first start since December.
  • Injuries had denied both James Bolton and Elvis Bwomono a place in the squad, with Ryan Flynn and Charles Dunne surprisingly chosen over Brown and Taylor for rare starting places. Conor McMenamin was the final change, replacing Lewis Jamieson.
  • Despite these changes, Saints were utterly dominant in the first half, scoring twice and looking extremely comfortable as the home side struggled to cope the visitors, in particular from cross balls and set pieces, with the latter providing both goals, one for Dunne who netted his first goal for the club and a 10th of the season for Mikael Mandron.
  • Saints looked to have weathered any Kilmarnock onslaught in the opening period of the 2nd half, in fact Mandron missed the best chance of this period when he scuffed wide from 8 yards with the goal at this mercy, and this was to prove crucial as a short period of complacency followed which was ruthlessly punished by Kilmarnock.
  • Darius Vassell pulled one back for the home side after 61 minutes following some poor and indecisive defending, and within 18 minutes, Kilmarnock scored a further 4 times to win a match Saints seemed to have comfortably already won after an hour.
  • As well as being arguably the poorest 18 minutes ever played in the history of the club, this capitulation denied Saints a guaranteed top 6 place with 3 matches to spare, and dropped the side to 5th.

30/12/2023 (Aberdeen A)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
30th December 2023
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Aberdeen 0-3 St. Mirren

O’Hara 12
Ayunga 78
Kiltie (PEN) 90+3

ATT: 17,029
Referee: G Irvine
VAR:


• Saints bounce back from a difficult run of results with a comprehensive 3-0 victory against struggling Aberdeen, their biggest at Pittodrie since the 5th September 1953.
• The victory keeps Saints in 5th position, as they close the gap with Kilmarnock to only 2 points.
• Mark O’Hara opens the scoring, his fifth of the season, perfectly answering the murmurings from within the support regarding his poor form, however he misses a penalty shortly after, his second miss in a row which will lose him spot kick duties for the time being.
• Jonah Ayunga scores once more as he attempts to regain full match fitness, slotting home a perfect Scott Tanser cross with 12 minutes remaining.
• Greg Kiltie completes the scoring with a penalty in stoppage time and is now the designated taker.

16/12/2023 (Motherwell H)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
16th December 2023
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 0-0 Mothewell

ATT: 5,837
Referee: C Napier
VAR:


• Saints drop 2 home points to relegation threatened Motherwell as they miss out on the opportunity to put further pressure on Hearts for the third-place spot.
• The match is defined by the poor weather, with the wind making the game almost farcical at times.
• The key moment in the match is a penalty kick awarded to Saints early in the second half after handball by Steven O’Donnell, however Mark O’Hara misses his second penalty of the season as Liam Kelly saves his effort and the rebound is caught in the wind, denying O’Hara an easy tap in.
• After offering little threat for over an hour, Motherwell spring into action in the last quarter missing multiple chances to steal a win, but poor finishing and Zach Hemming denies the Lanarkshire side.

25/11/2023 (Livingston H)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
25th November 2023
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 1-0 Livingston

KELLY OG 37

ATT: 5,632 (203 Away fans)

Referee: D Munro

VAR: A Dallas

  • Saints return to winning ways with a narrow but deserved victory over bottom club Livingston to keep the side 3rd in the league.
  • The home side are boosted by the return of Jonah Ayunga, appearing for for the first time since being injured against Motherwell in January and the forward almost had a dream return when his header first half header hit the crossbar.
  • The match is settled by an own goal from former Saints defender Sean Kelly, the third time this campaign an ex-Buddies player scored into his net in favour of his old club, with Joe Shaughnessy and Kyle Magennis also guilty.
  • Victory is secured thanks to a brilliant stoppage time save from Zach Hemming, who turns away a crisp Nouble volley low at his near post.

11/11/2023 (Dundee A)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
11th November 2023
Dens Park, Dundee

Dundee 4-0 St. Mirren

Bakayoko 16
Rudden 45+2 (Pen)
Bakayoko 57
Robinson 85

ATT: 5,496 (772 Saints fans)

Referee: M MacDermind

VAR: A Dallas

  • Saints fall to their biggest defeat of the season so far with a shock heavy loss to recently promoted Dundee.
  • On the eve of the match, Stephen Robinson reveals that a sickness bug has affected most of the first team and only a few players are at full fitness, with Mark O’Hara missing out completely.
  • This illness appears to be evident throughout the match, as an unusually lacklustre and lethargic Saints are well beaten by a rampant home side.
  • The Dens Park side score 2 in each half to inflict Saints biggest top flight defeat at the ground since 2000.

No.PLAYERRATING
1Zach HEMMING 5
23Ryan STRAIN6
5Richard TAYLOR  465
13Alex GOGIC5
22Marcus FRASER 5
3Scott TANSER  7
15Caolan BOYD-MUNCE   716
17Keanu BACCUS6
11Greg KILTIE  466
10Conor McMENAMIN  466
9Mikael MANDRON   466
20Toyosi OLUSANYA  466
21Alex GREIVE  466
24Lewis JAMIESON 466
18Charles DUNNE 466
16Thierry SMALL 716
8Ryan FLYNNUNUSED SUB
2James BOLTONUNUSED SUB
27Peter URMINSKYUNUSED SUB 
19Stav NAHMANIUNUSED SUB
6Mark O’HARA INJURED
7Jonah AYUNGAINJURED
34Ethan SUTHERLANDNOT SELECTED
 TEAM RATING5.8

08/11/2023 (Hibernian H)

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Premiership
8th November 2023
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 2-2 Hibernian

CAMPBELL12
O’HARA 53 (PEN)
NEWELL 69
JAMIESON 90+2

ATT: 5,963 (332 away)

Referee: D DICKENSON

VAR: A DALLAS

  • Saints snatch a point thanks to a late goal from substitute Lewis Jamieson, his first goal for the club.
  • Jamieson becomes the first forward player from the club youth system to score for Saints first team since David McKenna in 2004.
  • During a hard fought match, Saints twice came from behind to claim the point with Mark O’Hara scoring his first goal since the opening league match of the season, also against Hibs.
  • Josh Campbell had initially give the away side the lead early in the match, with Joe Newell re-establishing this with 21 minutes remaining after O’Hara had netted a penalty following a VAR decision that Richard Taylor had been fouled at a corner by Jordan Obita.

No.PLAYERRATING
1Zach HEMMING 7
23Ryan STRAIN6
5Richard TAYLOR 7
13Alex GOGIC7
22Marcus FRASER 7
3Scott TANSER  7
15Caolan BOYD-MUNCE  637
6Mark O’HARA  7
11Greg KILTIE  776
10Conor McMENAMIN 776
9Mikael MANDRON   636
20Toyosi OLUSANYA  636
17Keanu BACCUS 636
21Alex GREIVE  776
24Lewis JAMIESON 77 8
18Charles DUNNEUNUSED SUB
8Ryan FLYNNUNUSED SUB
2James BOLTONUNUSED SUB
27Peter URMINSKYUNUSED SUB 
16Thierry SMALLUNUSED SUB
19Stav NAHMANINOT SELECTED
7Jonah AYUNGAINJURED
34Ethan SUTHERLANDNOT SELECTED
 TEAM RATING6.7

01/11/2023 (CELTIC A)

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Premiership
1st November 2023
Celtic Park, Glasgow

Celtic 2-1 St. Mirren

McMENAMIN 7
TURNBULL18
OH 83

ATT: 58,168

  • Saints fall to defeat at Parkhead, eventually succumbing to late Celtic pressure after an inspired second half performance in goal from Zach Hemming.
  • After a bright start, Conor McMenamin heads in his first goal for the club after only seven minutes from a Greg Kiltie cross.
  • Saints held onto the lead for only 11 minutes however, when David Turnbull fired in a shot from the edge of the box high past Hemming.
  • Turnbull wasted an opportunity to give Celtic a first half lead though, when his penalty struck the post after VAR had decided the ball struck Gogic on the arm after he deflected a shot over the bar.
  • Despite some outstanding work from Hemming, substitute Oh scored the winner with just seven minutes left when he stabbed the ball past the Saints keeper.

No.PLAYERRATING
1Zach HEMMING 9
23Ryan STRAIN 817
5Richard TAYLOR 8
13Alex GOGIC7
22Marcus FRASER 7
3Scott TANSER  7
15Caolan BOYD-MUNCE  887
6Mark O’HARA 7
11Greg KILTIE  887
10Conor McMENAMIN   658
20Toyosi OLUSANYA  657
21Alex GREIVE  656
18Charles DUNNE  817
8Ryan FLYNN  886
9Mikael MANDRON  656
19Stav NAHMANI 886
2James BOLTONUNUSED SUB
27Peter URMINSKYUNUSED SUB 
16Thierry SMALLUNUSED SUB
24Lewis JAMIESONUNUSED SUB
17Keanu BACCUSINJURED
7Jonah AYUNGAINJURED
34Ethan SUTHERLANDNOT SELECTED
 TEAM RATING7.0