"FORTRESS Love Street" might be stretching it, but St Mirren are finding home comfort. Gus MacPherson's team took the match to Motherwell and put it beyond them. This was St Mirren's third Paisley win since New Year, eclipsing their meagre total for
2007, and making it a profitable January so far.
Victory was no less than St Mirren deserved. They worked hard. They played well. They received the applause which their performance merited. And, in Ian Maxwell, whose primary responsibility it is to defend (which he also did), St Mirren have unearthed an unlikely poacher. The left back pounced either side of the interval, after Mark Corcoran had handed St Mirren the early lead and David Clarkson had briefly put an out-of-sorts Motherwell back on level terms.
"This game's all about confidence," said St Mirren manager MacPherson. "We had a fantastic start and it's pleasing that when we lose a goal the reaction is there. It was a team effort from my players. They were all there."
Contrast that with the words of Motherwell manager Mark McGhee who sensed beforehand that this might not be Motherwell's day. "We were quiet in that dressing room. I was worried we'd be a little bit flat and that's the way it turned out. It's just a bad day at the office."
Of the Scotland job, McGhee had this to say. "I told them I'd be required to stay (at Motherwell] till the end of the season. So, if they do want me, that's how it is." What had the SFA last said to him? "Don't phone us, we'll phone you."
Andy Dorman, the Welshman, here from America, received his first start for St Mirren, Hugh Murray lining up with him at the heart of the home midfield. The only Motherwell change was Mark Fitzpatrick at left back for a suspended Jim Paterson.
Both sets of fans displayed banner tributes to Phil O'Donnell as Motherwell participated in their first league game since his death. At kick-off the visiting supporters sang loud and some threw claret and amber ribbon on to the pitch.
As for the matter of the game, St Mirren got off to a flying start. Motherwell were not far behind them – and not long behind. After Dorman forced an early save from Graeme Smith, the St Mirren signing smartly found Corcoran who rifled a shot through the legs of Smith, the ball smashing the back of the net.
It took Motherwell two minutes to respond with Clarkson lashing an impressive angled drive past the St Mirren keeper Chris Smith and high into the far corner. There were handball claims as Steven McGarry controlled the ball before he cut it back to Clarkson, but the goal stood. Asked how scoring felt, Clarkson found it hard to explain, but tried. "It's never going to be the same but it's good for me to get on the scoresheet."
The match was barely ten minutes old with both teams fired up. The influential Dorman saw a neat volley saved by Motherwell's keeper. "He'll be an asset to us, no doubt," said MacPherson of his recent recruit from Stateside.
St Mirren restored their lead following a Corcoran corner. Maxwell rose at the back post for the header. It was not an emphatic header but the ball squeezed past the Motherwell defenders and over the line. Moments later another Dorman effort – at the end of a fine home move – was blocked by Smith.
Within four minutes of the restart, the picture was looking brighter still for St Mirren. There was a scramble for possession in the Motherwell penalty box as their defence desperately tried to clear the threat. But the ball reached Corcoran who swept it back into the path of Maxwell. He stretched to plant it past Smith.
The last time Maxwell scored two goals in a match was for Queens Park against East Stirlingshire, more than a decade ago. "I'm not far away from being top scorer," mused a bemused Maxwell. "I did say to Billy Mehmet I'm closing in on him. But when you're a defender up for set-pieces, it can just fall for you."
Motherwell, trying to find a foothold in this encounter which was slipping away from them, won a corner kick. Ross McCormack sent it in and Stephen Hughes' header flashed wide of the target. McCormack himself then had a shot stopped.
There was no holding back from either fighter, as Well attempted to claw their way back into this. Then St Mirren almost finished the job when Corcoran did well to keep the ball in play and feed Dorman who shot but it was deflected for a corner kick to the ravenous hosts, who knew they were ahead but also that the task was not complete, especially when we are talking Motherwell.
St Mirren keeper Smith was reasonably busy in the latter stages. Catching here, intervening there, tipping the ball over his crossbar. Other than that his defence protected him.
Motherwell were refusing to give up, but eventually they had to concede defeat.
The full article contains 862 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
