Ross, Haining may miss 'Gers clash

Sep 29 2008 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

SAINTS could be facing a defensive headache ahead of Sunday’s important SPL game with Rangers at Love Street.

Right-back Jack Ross picked up a hamstring injury during St Mirren’s 2-1 defeat at Fir Park on Saturday and was forced out of action after 57 minutes.

And with left-sided centre back Will Haining still nursing a calf knock, Gus MacPherson’s side could be missing two key defenders when the Old Firm giants come to Paisley.

Fellow right-back David Barron is still trying to recover from a medial ligament strain in his left knee and it seems unlikely he could fill the void should Ross be unable to shrug off his injury.

However, MacPherson does have options as youngster Marc McAusland took over the right-back position when he replaced Ross on Saturday.

And Scott Cuthbert can also operate in that role as it’s a position he’s familiar with having played there with the Scotland Under-21’s.

MacPherson said: “It looks like a hamstring injury at the moment for Jack but we don't know how serious it is. We won’t know that for 48 hours.”

MacPherson, meanwhile, reckoned it was a case of “little against large” when his troops came up against powerfully-built Motherwell opposition at the weekend.

Saints lost both goals to set pieces and the Buddies boss admitted his team didn’t have the physical prowess the Steelmen had.

He said: “In the first half, although we were trying to match up height for height, we still had Steven Robb picking up Bob Malcolm and that was a mis-match, so we changed it and put Dennis Wyness onto Bob in the second half.

“But taking Steven off the back post cost us because if we had left him there maybe we could have cleared the goal off the line.”

l Match report – Page 19.