Why can't we play St Mirren every week? Another hard shift from Billy's young team earns three valuable points and leaves us just a couple of points off the top six. There's still hope for a top six finish yet!
This week's surprise was the omission of John Spencer from the squad. (He had tweaked a hamstring on Thursday but should be fit for his last game on Sunday). Leitch's injury prompted the second change from the last outing at Parkhead. In came Keith Lasley and Kevin Twaddle and a rough calculation produced an average age for the squad of twenty four (average age of the subs was twenty).
We set off in 5-3-2 with Studs again sweeping and McCulloch and Twaddle up front. The half produced no goals and only a few chances at either end.
After eleven minutes a good cross from Adams found Lasley at the far post and his header was not far away. Then Twaddle found himself in the box with an awkward ball to control. He was surrounded by the goalie and a couple of defenders. The goal was empty and his attempted lob was clasped the Roy. McCulloch had a shot from just outside the box but he missed the target.
We had a let off in thirty six minutes when Fenton had an easy chance from six yards! It was half cleared on the line but fell to Walker who managed to clear the bar with it.
One feature worth mentioning was Lee's harrying of Roy in the Saints goal. On several occasions he chased a 'lost cause' ball causing the keeper to make a poor clearance. Each time we recovered the ball and were able to set up another attack. Good work.
Ten minutes after the break Billy made a change to try to break the deadlock. He took off Corrigan and replaced him with Elliott and switched to an attacking 4-3-3 and in seventy four minutes it paid off.
Elliott took a pass on the left and passed to Townsley at the edge of the box. He ran in and passed the ball through the legs of Roy.
One up and three points secured. Saints main goal threat came from Quitongo and when he was subbed their hopes of a goal disappeared.
Further subs of Ramsay for Lasley and Nicholas for McCulloch meant that we finished the game with a very young side and the win must give them a huge confidence boost.
Goram
Corrigan(S57 Elliott) Strong McMillan Kemble Hammell
Lasley (S66 Ramsey) Townsley Adams
Twaddle McCulloch (S76 Nicholas)
Subs unused: Connolly
Referee D McDonald
Attendance 4034
St Mirren 0 Motherwell 1
24 February 2001#
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