WE WON IT THE HARD WAY – GUS

Aug 20 2007 Paisley Daily Express

BEAMING Gus MacPherson boss Gus MacPherson hailed his side for posting their first league win of the season on Saturday – but then admitted they made a meal of it.

MacPherson's side got their Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign off the mark with three precious points thanks to their 2-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle.

However, the Saints gaffer thought his side could have taken a much easier route to victory.

MacPherson said: “We’re delighted, but we could have made it a lot easier for ourselves.

“After we got the goal, I said to them at half-time that the next one could have made it comfortable for us, but low and behold, we conceded one within two of three minutes and we made the job very difficult for ourselves.”

Argentine leftback Franco Miranda made a dream start to his Saints career, scoring the opening goal after 19 minutes in his competitive debut.

And MacPherson was raving about the former River Plate and Helsingborgs starlet afterwards.

He said: “He’s settled in well and there are obviously aspects of his game to work on, but it was a fantastic ball from Hugh Murray to switch the play and Franco took a fantastic touch and on his weaker foot and show the composure to hit the target.”

Mark Corcoran extended the lead early in the second half when he drilled home a Stewart Kean cross.

But Saints were made to sweat it out three minutes later when Don Cowie reduced the scoreline following a defensive slip.

Nevertheless, MacPherson was glad his side registered their first points of the season and reckons it’s time to stop putting his players under so much early season pressure.

He explained: “There are other managers out there who have mentioned this and it’s becoming ridiculous.

“Some people were taking about pressure games and panic situations after we played only one game – never mind three.

“But at this stage of the season players are still finding their feet and it takes a while for them to settle down, but hopefully, the so-called pressure and panic can be relieved somewhat.

“We know it’s going to be a difficult season and we’ll never ever try to kid anyone on over that.

“But everyone thought ‘it’s only Inverness and we are playing at home,’ but that’s a team who have consolidated in the SPL for the last four seasons, so it was always going to be a difficult game.”