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GOODWIN’S MISFIRING SAINTS CREATE A ROD FOR THEIR OWN BACKS

GRAEME MACPHERSON at the SMiSA Stadium

PERHAPS Rod Stewart knew what he was talking about after all. He upset the good people of Paisley when he claimed on national radio yesterday morning that ‘nobody wants to see St Mirren play’. On recent evidence you can understand his thinking. This was a seventh match in succession without a victory for Jim Goodwin’s men, a fourth game in their last five in which they’ve failed to score. Dominant against a Ross County side who started promisingly then were content to sit in and take a point up the road, Saints never looked capable of breaking them down, despite being camped in the opposition half for much of the second period.

They have won just once at home this season and their hopes of a top-six finish are growing slimmer by the week. Their next four games — away to Aberdeen and then Hibs, Celtic and Rangers — don’t offer much in the way of respite. For County, this was another decent point away from home that keeps their mini-revival ticking along nicely, even if they remain bottom for now. They defended heroically, even if their job was made easier by the poverty of the home side’s finishing and crossing. An electric start — both teams had attacks within the opening 35 seconds — at least offered some promise. County looked initially keen to arrest a run of six games without a win and, within the opening 15 minutes, created three good scoring chances as a St Mirren defence — missing regulars Joe Shaughnessy and Conor McCarthy — took time to bed in. Blair Spittal’s shot deflected over the top and another effort from the same player was gathered by keeper Jak Alnwick. In between, Dominic Samuel was unlucky his skill wasn’t rewarded when he killed Charles Dunne’s hoist into the air, shifted to create an opening before firing in a

brilliant effort only matched by Alnwick’s diving stop.

Saints were winning a raft of corners and free-kicks but doing nothing with them despite fielding an line-up including strikers Eamonn Brophy and Kristian Dennis. When Scott Tanser did get a shot away it was way off target. St Mirren had scored only one goal in their last four matches and that was summed up when Tanser then Dennis both seemed reluctant to shoot from inside the County box.

It was little surprise when a smattering of fans booed their team off after a feckless first period. County would have been happier at that stage, the only negative note an injury to Alex Iacovitti that saw him replaced by Keith Watson. After the break the visitors sat in to thwart St Mirren, while looking to pounce on the counter.

But the home side did little with their possession. Dennis should have done better than head wide after being picked out by Ronan before dribbling another low effort into the keeper’s hands. It was one-way traffic now and Ash Maynard-Brewer made saves from first Ronan and then Tait.

Goodwin introduced Curtis Main for Brophy as St Mirren threw cross after cross into the box. On came Greg Kiltie, too who worked Maynard-Brewer with a shot from close range before Main failed to put his laces through a shot after being sent clear by Dennis. It could have been worse for St Mirren had Alnwick not made two late saves. County boss Malky Mackay said: ‘I thought in the first half we had two or three terrific chances and probably dominated the play, although to be fair to St Mirren they did that in the second half.

‘At the end of the day it’s another clean sheet and just one defeat in our last five.’ Disappointed Saints manager Goodwin said: ‘It’s incredibly frustrating — we’ve had 25 attempts on goal and I doubt if anyone who played tonight will have created as many chances. ‘But it’s our Achilles heel that we’re not taking enough of them. I’m not going to throw anyone under the bus here, because it’s not all about the strikers. ‘That’s 16 games now and eight draws, which tells its own story. I feel extremely disappointed that this is another game we could have won but didn’t.’

ST MIRREN (3-4-1-2): Alnwick 6; Fraser 7, Tait 6, Dunne 6; McAllister 5, Power 7, Ronan 6 (Kiltie 72), Tanser 6 (Millar 80); McGrath 6; Brophy 5 (Main 63), Dennis 6. Subs not used: Lyness, Flynn, Erhahon, Erwin. Booked: Power, Ronan, Dunne, Fraser, Tait. ROSS COUNTY (4-2-3-1): Maynard-Brewer 7; Randall 6, Baldwin 7, Iacovitti 5 (Watson 34), Vokins 5; Cancola 6, Paton 5; Hungbo 6, Callachan 5 (Tillson 80), Spittal 6; Samuel 6 (White 80). Subs not used: Laidlaw, Robertson, Charles-Cook, Burroughs. Booked: Watson, Vokins, Cancola, Paton. Man of the match: Marcus Fraser. Referee: David Dickinson. Attendance: 3806.

Football

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2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

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