Goodwin: I’ll take out wrath on Perth Saints

Oct 27 2011 by Andy Newport, Paisley Daily Express

FIRED-UP midfielder Jim Goodwin has warned St Johnstone he’s ready to take his temper out on them this weekend as he tries to put his League Cup heartache behind him.

St Mirren blew a great chance to clinch a glamour game at Hampden when they were sent spinning out of the cup by lowly Ayr United on Tuesday night.

That 1-0 Scottish Communities League Cup quarter-final defeat sparked angry protests from fed-up Saints supporters.

And there were further heated exchanges inside the home dressing room after the final whistle as Danny Lennon’s men vented their frustrations.

Now St Mirren skipper Goodwin has vowed to put those emotions to good use by taking out his wrath on Saturday’s opponents St Johnstone when they meet at McDiarmid Park on SPL business.

The Irishman told Express Sports: “We were all gutted in the dressing room after the game and emotions were running high.

“There were a few angry words said because everyone is so disappointed.

“It was a wonderful chance for us to get to a semi-final and now we have got to turn this disappointment into a positive and take it out on St Johnstone.

“None of us had a good night’s sleep after the game but it will be great now to go to McDiarmid Park with that anger in us and take it out on St Johnstone and, hopefully, maintain our place in the top six.”

St Mirren’s midweek nightmare followed a woeful weekend in which the Paisley side handed Hibs three soft goals as they slumped to a 3-2 defeat.

The Buddies had a number of chances to see off the Honest Men but couldn’t find a way past their resolute defence.

Gaffer Lennon later claimed that Ayr manager Brian Reid’s tactics involved parking a bus across their own goal-line.

Goodwin doesn’t disagree with that assessment but insists it was only a lack of good fortune which stopped Saints from motoring past their part-time opponents.

He said: “You’ve got to give credit to Ayr United as they came with a tactic to sit with 10 men behind the ball, stop us from playing and live off set-pieces. And, fair play to them, they got a good goal to win it.

“We just don’t seem to be getting the break of the ball in the box in the last couple of games. Even in the game against Hibs, the second half was like the Alamo. We were camped in their half for 45 minutes and created numerous chances but we just didn’t have that finishing touch.

“Right now, it seems that Lady Luck just isn’t shining on us.”