First-half goals seal Buddies' fate

Nov 2 2009 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

ST MIRREN 0

HAMILTON ACCIES 2

ST Mirren’s four-game unbeaten run came to a disappointing end on Saturday after first-half goals from Marco Paixao and Martin Canning secured the points for Billy Reid’s Hamilton Accies.

Paixao scored the opener after just three minutes of play, before Canning put the visitors on Easy Street four minutes from the break.

Buddies defender Lee Mair was sent off 24 minutes from the end when he denied Michael Antoine-Curier a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Saints boss Gus MacPherson made just the one change to the side that defeated Motherwell in the Co-operative Insurance Cup four days earlier.

Out went Allan Johnston and in came Stephen O’Donnell to midfield for his first start of the season.

David Barron was forced to concede a corner on the right after three minutes, following pressure from Mensing.

When the ball came in, Mair partially cleared it but James Wesolowski picked up possession 16 yards out and, while his shot was blocked, it deflected into the path of Paixao – and the Accies man was on hand to slot home the opener from the six-yard box.

Michael Higdon won a foul after Canning impeded the Saints striker 35 yards out but Tomas Cerny easily took Andy Dorman’s free-kick.

Then Hugh Murray picked up a Dorman pass on the inside right channel and his cross to the back post took a touch off Higdon and deflected agonisingly wide of the far post.

O’Donnell saw an effort blocked by the Hamilton defence and the home support screamed for handball but referee Stephen Finnie saw nothing illegal.

Wesolowski was cautioned after 20 minutes when he caught Stephen McGinn late inside the centre circle, before James McArthur’s powerful right-foot effort from distance was brilliantly punched away by Gallacher.

At the other end, McGinn sent a right-foot effort from 28 yards high and wide of Cerny’s goal.

After 27 minutes, Accies centre half Mark McLaughlin was on hand to block a Mehmet turn and shot when McGinn picked out the striker on the edge of the penalty box.

Gallacher collected a Richard Hastings free-kick from 35 yards when O’Donnell was penalised for a foul, while, at the other end Cerny, had to watch Barron’s swirling cross into the box before the Czech Republic-born goalie made the catch.

Moments later, Mehmet’s flashing header from Barron’s centre was easily taken by the visiting goalie.

Murray was the second player cautioned after a foul on goalscorer Paixao after the half-hour mark.

But the gifted midfield ace showed real composure shortly afterwards when he picked out Ross running on the right and he freed him with the pass.

Right-back Ross sent a diagonal ball into the box and it was knocked on by Mehmet to Higdon.

Striker Higdon touched it on for Dorman but the midfielder’s effort took a wicked deflection and Cerny was able to make a hurried save.

Saints continued to search for the equaliser and they won a corner on the left but, when it was played quickly, McGinn’s right-foot shot was blocked.

Wesolowski won a corner on the left off the body of John Potter after 41 minutes and, from the resultant set-piece, Accies scored again.

Paixao’s first delivery was poor but possession did come back to him and, this time, Canning was on hand to divert it home.

Before the break Barron had to turn possession behind for a corner on the right after Antoine-Curier was breathing down his neck.

Hastings sent it in, but Gallacher saved Canning’s header on the line.

At half-time there was a fire reported in the stadium and a repeated automated message came over the public address system.

After several moments, with still no update, it turned out there was no fire at all. The problem was down to a fault with the PA system, it was eventually announced.

After the break, Mehmet came in from the left, after Mair picked him out, and the Buddies striker unleashed a right-foot shot that drifted high and wide of Cerny’s left-hand post.

Saints carved out a decent scoring opportunity after 52 minutes when McArthur committed a foul on Murray and, from the resultant free-kick, Dorman’s cross from near the right touchline was agonisingly glanced wide of the far post by Higdon.

Dorman was yellow-carded after 60 minutes for one foul too many, before Mehmet watched in astonishment after 64 minutes when he saw an effort deflect just over target by O’Donnell, after great build-up play.

Makeshift left-back Barron sent a cross in from the left, Dorman could not make a connection, so Ross picked it up and sent it low and into Mehmet’s path.

However, Mehmet’s effort took a touch off O’Donnell en route to goal and flew just over.

Mair was in trouble after 67 minutes when he was adjudged to have impeded Antoine-Curier’s route to goal after McGinn lost possession in the centre circle.

Ref Finnie deemed that the centre half denied a clear goalscoring opportunity and flashed the red card.

Chris Innes came on after 67 minutes to shore up the defence and the man to come off was O’Donnell.

McGinn made way for Brady with 17 minutes remaining, before Canning’s lower body denied Mehmet a shot at goal from 12 yards.

Antoine-Curier combined with McArthur, with 14 minutes to go, and the latter send a low drive into the body of Gallacher, who was well positioned.

Saints desperately needed something special to conjure up a late fight-back but a Brady effort from the edge of the box flew wide of the mark.

McLaughlin conceded a corner on the right with two minutes to go but Flavio Paixao was on hand to head clear Dorman’s cross.

Late on, Wesolowski should have made it 3-0 but he blasted well over from 20 yards.