Highlanders’ opening goal killed us off

Apr 6 2009 Paisley Daily Express

GUS MacPherson admitted his Buddies failed to provide a good enough second half performance and a killer instinct up front to take anything away from Saturday’s trip to the Highlands.

The St Mirren manager was left frustrated and very disappointed with the manner of his side’s 2-1 defeat to Inverness Caley Thistle at the Tulloch Stadium.

But MacPherson revealed the equalising goal, scored by Filipe Morais, proved to be the catalyst for his side’s downfall.

He said: “We’re disappointed. I thought we started the game really well, we look the lead and looked pretty comfortable until Inverness scored.

“And losing that goal completely changed it, so we got them in at half-time and stressed to them the importance of starting the second half properly – but we didn’t do that.

“We then gave a very soft goal away and it gave Inverness a fantastic lift. We made changes to try to get back into the game and we were gambling a wee bit at that stage.

“But we did create opportunities for ourselves, although we didn’t take them.

“That’s what’s going to cost you, especially away from home. If you create chances you have to take them.”

Saints threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Caley goal in the second 45 as they chased the game and even went with three strikers – Jim Hamilton, Craig Dargo and Billy Mehmet – to try to salvage something.

But despite a few near things, the Caley goal held firm and they now leapfrog Saints in the SPL table.

MacPherson said: “There were three or four good chances in that last 20 minutes which we were hoping we could take but when you don’t take them, you don’t take anything from the game."

Saturday’s defeat has put a dent into St Mirren’s SPL survival fight and fans are beginning to fear that relegation is now a very realistic possibility.

MacPherson said: “Any defeat is damaging. It doesn’t matter what stage of the season it’s at but when you come away from home and you take the lead, then go on to take nothing from the game, it’s disappointing.

“We have done that on, I think, three occasions this season when we have taken the lead and not been able to take anything from those games. That’s disappointing.”