Saints edge out of danger zone

Apr 20 2009 Paisley Daily Express

MOTHERWELL................ 0

ST MIRREN......................2

SAINTS put one foot on SPL safe ground with their first league victory since December as they fired themselves six points clear of the drop zone.

Stevie Thomson grabbed his first goal for the club from close range after 76 minutes, before Andy Dorman’s spectacular strike three minutes from time wrapped up three very welcome points for Gus MacPherson’s side and sent them into ninth spot.

As expected there were two changes to the St Mirren starting 11.

Will Haining returned to defensive duties at the expense of suspended skipper John Potter, while Jim Hamilton replaced injured striker Billy Mehmet up front.

Skipper on Saturday was right-back Jack Ross.

After two minutes, Saints won a free-kick when ’Well’s Jim O’Brien nudged Stephen McGinn to the ground but Dorman’s cross flew out into touch before Craig Dargo could connect at the back post.

Mark Howard was called into action after 12 minutes when David Clarkson fired a low angled effort at goal and it came off the body of the Saints goalie but former Saint John Sutton slipped at the vital moment and could not bury the rebound.

Then Sutton saw a header from a cross on the left slip narrowly wide of the left-hand post as Mark McGhee’s team increased the pressure.

Motherwell forced a corner on the left after 17 minutes and, while Hugh Murray partially cleared it, the second cross from Maros Klimpl deceived Howard on his goal line and Mo Camara had to hurriedly knock it out of play.

The home side tightened their grip on the game and Sutton’s backward header from a throw-in was easily gathered by Howard in goal.

Haining blocked a powerful effort on goal by Stephen Hughes after 22 minutes, before McGinn picked up a Murray pass and had a sniff of goal but his low drive from distance was no trouble for Graeme Smith.

Midfielder McGinn forced a Saints corner on the left off the boot of Brian McLean, and when Dorman swung it to goal, Mark Reynolds was there to head it clear from the near post.

Then, at the other end, Motherwell forced two corners in succession but the Saints defence dealt with the danger adequately.

Murray conceded a corner under pressure from Stephen Hughes after 34 minutes and, when Steven Hammell’s cross eventually came out to O’Brien, his speculative effort from 17 yards was well taken by the unsighted Howard.

Dorman won a free-kick for the visitors 30 yards out but the midfielder could only fire it straight into the grateful arms of Smith.

At the other end, Camara had to clear possession behind for a corner to deny O’Brien as the home team swept forward in numbers.

Hamilton picked up a lecture from referee Mike McCurry for putting himself about illegally but he did escape a caution.

Three minutes before the break, the Buddies won a corner on the left that Dorman swung in but again Smith came out confidently to make the catch.

After 42 minutes, Saints squandered a great chance to open the scoring.

Dorman punted it long and it fell nicely for Dargo, who raced on to it under pressure from Craigan and Reynolds, but the best he could do was to strike it towards the outrushing keeper from the edge of the box.

Then Murray and Clarkson got involved in some ‘afters’, prompting a stern warning from match official McCurry.

McGinn won a controversial free-kick 30 yards out at the expense of a furious Klimpl after 48 minutes, but Haining’s shot cannoned off the five-man wall.

At the other end, Clarkson got away from Haining to fire in a low right-foot drive from 18 yards that Howard easily saved at his right.

Clarkson won a corner off Ross on the 50-minute mark and Reynolds was the man to send it in but Thomson managed to hoof it clear.

Hughes got away from Murray and Thomson in midfield but his resultant shot was nowhere near the target.

Towards the hour mark, a cross from the right by Paul Quinn saw Sutton rise above Haining in a good position but thankfully he was unable to connect with a header.

Then Hammell forced a corner on the left but Quinn could only knock his header away from target.

The unpredictable bounce of the Fir Park turf almost caught out Howard after 63 minutes when Haining played a headed passback under pressure but the goalie did well to ensure he got both hands to the ball.

Dorman saw a cross-cum-shot saved by Smith at his near post, then Sutton brought out a great save from Howard when he headed on O’Brien’s cross, the Saints keeper diving to his left to reach the effort. Murray picked up a caution after 71 minutes for a foul on Clarkson, before Dennis Wyness replaced Hamilton up front.

Haining was cautioned after 73 minutes for a bad challenge on O’Brien and, from the free-kick, McLean’s backward header zipped over the target.

But Thomson put Saints in the lead after 76 minutes when Haining sent a curving cross into the box and Murray prodded it on to Dargo.

Striker Dargo knocked it goalbound and Reynolds was unable to clear properly, allowing Thomson to prod it home from close range.

Ross picked up a bout of cramp after 82 minutes and Saints were down to 10 men but the right-back returned to the fray moments later.

And Dorman made it 2-0 with three minutes remaining with a super, vicious strike. Dargo knocked possession to Wyness and the former Caley striker picked out Dorman with a crossfield pass.

The midfielder had no-one in support so decided to have a pop at goal, smashing a swerving right-foot shot up and over Smith from way out.

Late on, Hughes saw a header come off the left-hand post as Motherwell tried to reduce the deficit but the Saints goal remained intact as they posted a crucial win.