St Mirren

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St Mirren have sold more than 7,000 tickets for their Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden against Motherwell.

The Buddies have an allocation of 10,000 for their visit to the national stadium on Saturday 1 November.

St Mirren fans will be in sections of the North, South and West stands, but they have sold out their South and West stand singing sections for their last-four meeting.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

How do you solve a problem like league-based profligacy?

On Saturday, the two lowest scorers in Scotland's top four divisions face-off in Paisley.

Aberdeen, lowest of forty two, have four goals and it's worth noting that all four arrived in a glut last time out against Dundee. St Mirren are joint 40th with Cove Rangers on five.

The glaring difference between the two Premiership clubs is that the Saints have crowbarred nine points and a place in the top half from their five successful attempts on goal.

The Saints haven't looked like a side incapable of scoring in the same way their weekend opponents have done.

Saves from Falkirk's Scott Bain in particular, denying Killian Phillips and Richard King, are evidence that St Mirren's goal tally could easily be elevated into the realms of merely unremarkable.

The solution to this lighter than optimal goal return would appear to be in the correct partnering of Mikael Mandron.

Plan A, this season, has generally looked like Mandron beside Jonah Ayunga in a front two. This pairing finished the season off in scintillating form, key to the Buddies' superb post-split showing. However, this campaign has not seen quite the same output.

The most obvious switch would be to replace Ayunga with new signing Dan Nlundulu, a recruit from Bolton Wanderers at the final hour of the transfer window.

Nlundulu, like so many before him, arrives in Paisley in need of consistent games and motivation in order to show the talent of which he's clearly capable. A solid cameo in Falkirk aside, his main contribution thus far has been the casual rolling home of a quarter-final penalty at Rugby Park.

Roland Idowu has deputised in midfield recently, covering in the absence of Mark O'Hara and Keanu Baccus. Though certainly capable here in his own right, losing David Watson before Killie's opener last time out perhaps shows that central midfield expects an all-action role that might not best suit his talents.

Towards the end of last season, the Irishman showed plenty of guile and creativity as a partner for Mandron and must be in consideration for this again.

Another option open to Stephen Robinson, though one requiring full commitment to change, would be the return to a front three.

Fit-again Conor McMenamin is most at home as an inside forward, cutting in from the right in to his preferred left foot.

Summer acquisition Malik Dijksteel has yet to have a sustained opportunity to show that he can be the counterpart to this from the opposite flank. Currently reserved for a late gear change when chasing a deficit, this change of shape from the start might well be what the manager calls on in order to shake things up.

Or, because he knows far more and far better than I do; Robinson may well ignore the above, keep a consistent team sheet, and beat the Dons on Saturday to go eight points above them and cement the Buddies' top-five place. In fact, I think that's exactly what will happen.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

St Mirren and Celtic will meet at 20:00 GMT on Saturday 22 November.

The unusual start time at the SMISA Stadium in Paisley is to accommodate live coverage by Sky Sports.

Champions Celtic are to feature in seven of the 12 Scottish Premiership fixtures added to the Sky Sports schedule.

A late goal from Luke McCowan earned Celtic a 1-0 home win against St Mirren on the opening weekend of the season.

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St Mirren vice-captain Marcus Fraser hopes his "smooth-sailing" recovery will mean he will soon return following the ankle injury that has ruled out for almost a month.

The defender was forced off just before the break during St Mirren's 2-1 victory over Falkirk but insists his rehabilitation has been good.

The 31-year-old, who has made 231 appearances for the Buddies across five seasons, has missed the past three matches but could provide a boost to Stephen Robinson's side in time for the League Cup semi-final against Kilmarnock at Hampden next month.

"It's been hard watching from the side," said Fraser. "You prefer to be out there with the boys but when you play football, that's part and parcel of it.

"I've been quite lucky in my time at St Mirren so far to stay injury free and play a lot of games early on in my career.

"You just need to reset and I've done that over the past four weeks. It gives you a chance to do rehab and work on things off of the pitch.

"Recovery has been brilliant. We've ticked off every checkpoint and we're happy with my progress.

"At the start it was about getting the swelling down and doing some balance work in the gym.

"Every day, I've picked that up into biometrics, then out on the pitch and heavier weights in the gym. Last week I started jogging around the pitch and I've picked it up again this week.

"It's been smooth sailing.

"I've always said that I would like to get back to Hampden and we're there so we need to make sure we go into that game in good form."

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

That's life. That's what all the people say. You're riding high in late September, then Kilmarnock give you a bit of a doing in early October.

Not my words, the words of Francis Albert Sinatra.

Recent cup progress (and a ruthless 5-1 shellacking in Paisley back in March) may have fooled you into thinking St Mirren's Killie curse was a thing of the past. I'll concede it had fooled me.

However, Saturday's clinical home performance by Stuart Kettlewell and Co will haunt Stephen Robinson long beyond Halloween.

Saturday, as painful as this is to admit, was a reminder the Saints can be played and beaten at their own game.

In blustery conditions, Kilmarnock baited the visitors into taking majority custody of the ball and posting a dangerously high defensive line.

In 90 minutes of battling both Storm Amy and a deep Killie backline, St Mirren failed to muster much more than a string of passes and the occasional corner. Killie, however, seized their opportunities for two preventable yet seemingly inevitable goals.

We're supposed to be the ones who win the ball in the centre circle and send a pacy forward rushing behind static defenders, and we're the ones supposed to flash crosses across to waiting target men at the back post.

On Saturday, David Watson and Marcus Dackers took the spoils that Killian Phillips and Mikael Mandron might reasonably have expected to have feasted on.

Robinson, characteristically honest and self-critical after such a performance, summed the game up as: "We passed without purpose, didn't deliver balls. They did the opposite to us and thoroughly deserved to win."

It's hard to argue with that assessment and so it's perhaps best to leave it at that.

The Buddies remain in a reasonable league position and should retain a positive outlook on the season thus far.

Saturday's defeat was painful but dejection should only be fleeting, blustering through for the weekend like a named storm and then fizzling out in time for Sunday dinner. If that can be managed without chucking a bit of patio furniture around the back garden or tipping over your wheelie bins, all the better.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Watch all the highlights from Kilmarnock's 2-0 victory against St Mirren at Rugby Park in the Scottish Premiership.

Stephen Robinson reveals his "biggest regret" was winning just seven caps for Northern Ireland as the St Mirren boss repeats that he has ambitions to manage his country one day. (Daily Record), external

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "We were poor today, a shadow of ourselves. Everything we're good at, we didn't do.

"We made it clear before the game - the weather was horrendous, the pitch is not great - and we didn't play to the conditions. They got the ball, landed on second balls. We were in possession and gave it away.

"We played without purpose. We had 63% possession and I'd imagine 60% of it was in our own half. We didn't create anything, open anyone up. You earn the right to play football and we didn't earn it today.

"We passed without purpose, didn't deliver balls. They did the opposite to us, and they thoroughly deserved to win.

"I wasn't angry [at the break], more frustrated. I know what we are, I know what we're good at. All the things we get plaudits for, we refused to that in the first half.

"We have three key players missing and that showed today. It showed in leadership, running power, and knowing how to win a game here.

"I made early changes, rightly or wrongly, to try and get a response. We didn't, so I'm as much to blame as the players. It's very rare they have an off day like that."

Kilmarnock made it two consecutive victories in the Scottish Premiership as they overcame St Mirren at Rugby Park to rise to third.

Read the match report.

Have your say here.

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Kilmarnock have lost Marley Watkins to a heel injury. Scott Tiffoney is closing in on a comeback from a calf injury while Jamie Brandon, Matty Kennedy and Tom Lowery remain out.

St Mirren midfielder Keanu Baccus has a chance of shaking off a groin injury but skipper Mark O'Hara (foot) remains out.

Marcus Fraser is back training after an ankle problem but is not ready to play.

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Stephen Robinson may think his new St Mirren defence has hit the ground running, but not everyone is happy.

The Buddies boss revealed that during a fans' forum this week, one supporter told him his side were "leaking goals" - despite the fact only Celtic have a better defensive record this season.

"I wish I had that statistic in front of me before I answered that question!" Robinson joked with journalists.

"Everything's built on solidity. If you're hard to break down and you're hard to beat, then it's a good starting point."

Robinson added a new goalkeeper, right wing-back and two centre-backs to his squad over the summer - and all have made an immediate impact.

"We've made numerous changes," he said. "The goalkeeper, Shamal [George], has come in and been fantastic for us.

"We've created real assets in Jayden Richardson, Richard King – who'll go to the World Cup – Miguel Freckleton, added with the guys who were already there. The new players have settled in really well.

"I believe there's so much more to come from them. They're just getting their confidence."

Robinson has developed a reputation for nurturing talent, and that was to St Mirren's gain last season as they sold striker Toyosi Olusanya to Houston Dynamo in the MLS.

"Confidence is everything, an arm around people," Robinson added. "I treat people like human beings instead of pieces of meat that everybody sees them as.

"They never lose ability. Sometimes they lose confidence, they lose their way, they make bad decisions and I try and look for boys with lots of ability, lots of athleticism and you just tell them straight, this is how you can show your talent.

"You get them as fit and strong as you can and believe in people and encourage them, give them the platform and then it's up to the players to take that on.

"And certainly the three, four boys that we've brought in and spoken about previously have taken that opportunity."

Richard Taylor was a stand-out for St Mirren last season and has since moved on to Bolton, while Caolan Boyd-Munce departed for Wycombe.

Ryan Alebiosu, who was on loan at St Mirren last season from Kortrijk, has now moved to Blackburn in the Championship.

"The coaching staff do a brilliant job with them in terms of the small individual detail, but it's the players," the manager said. "The players don't lose their talent. It's about how can we get them back to express that.

"People in life always look at the negatives. They find the negatives in every situation, in every player.

"I try and look at the positives and how we can make their positive attributes be a success for them and put them on to the right track and give them bigger and better opportunities, hopefully."

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• Kilmarnock remain unbeaten in 12 top-flight home games against St Mirren (W8 D4) since a 3-1 defeat in May 2013 under Kenny Shiels.

• After their 5-1 win in March, St Mirren are looking for successive top-flight victories over Kilmarnock for the first time since May 2012 under Danny Lennon.

• Kilmarnock are yet to win a home league game in three attempts this season (D2 L1); Stuart Kettlewell could become the first manager to fail to win each of his first four home top-flight matches in charge of the club since Lee McCulloch didn't win any of his first six from February to May 2017.

• St Mirren have won their past two league games and could win three in a row for only the second time since the start of 2023, after doing so in December 2024.

• Since his debut for the club in August 2023, Mikael Mandron has more goals (16) and more assists (seven) than any other player for St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership. Mandron has scored (one) or assisted (two) in three of his past four league games.

Claire Thomson
BBC Sport Scotland

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St Mirren are one of only two teams - along with Celtic - not to have conceded a first-half goal in the Premiership this season.

In fact, Saints' earliest concession in their six matches came against Hibs in the 70th minute.

The other three goals shipped by Stephen Robinson's men all arrived in the final 15 minutes, hinting at fatigue being a factor as the hard-working Paisley side's relentlessness dips in the closing stages.

Despite that, the Buddies' defensive stats are impressive. They have conceded seven fewer goals than at the same stage last season and only Celtic have a better defensive record this campaign.

And Saints stalwart Alex Gogic has been the heart of the sturdiness, with the Cyprus international ranking sixth of all Premiership players for clearances (47) and is also in the top 10 for interceptions (9).

With Saints occupying third place in the table, solidity is the bedrock of their success. The Buddies are tied with Rangers as the Premiership's second-lowest scorers, netting five in six games. At the same stage last season, Robinson's side were on 10 goals.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

On Saturday in East Ayrshire, all things going well, Killian Phillips will make his 50th competitive appearance for St Mirren.

The 23-year-old will arrive in Kilmarnock having finally opened his league goal account for the season, and high on confidence that he'll be the difference maker yet again in black and white (or marbled black and red, probably).

The Paisley crowd are often credited with being boo-happy and quick to anger, but if they love you - you'll certainly know about it. Phillips, in his half century of appearances, can be in no doubt of the unanimous esteem he's held in by the Buddies faithful.

The San Diego-born midfield colossus has taken the scenic route to arriving in Paisley and announcing himself as a full Republic of Ireland international.

First starring for Drogheda United as a teenager, Phillips took the invitation of professional development at Crystal Palace shortly before his 20th birthday.

Although only briefly troubling the first-team picture in south London, Phillips did gain diverse experience across the English league system before opting for a loan to the opposite end of this island.

That shortlived spell at Aberdeen, coinciding with the drama and farce of their Robson/Warnock/Leven season, did little to hint at the starring role the boy from Kilbarrack would soon grow into.

Indeed, among a small number of league starts in the north east, the Saints number 88 played the full 90 (and change) of the Buddies' incredible last-minute turnaround against Aberdeen in Paisley. I can't imagine that's a fond memory, but it will certainly have implanted a seed of what to expect in PA3 when magic moments are delivered.

As has so often been the case with his recruitment, Stephen Robinson recognised a spark of something in Phillips and potential significantly outweighing the position he appeared to have found himself in.

I can't pretend to know what went on, but the negotiations that convinced the Eagles to part with the midfielder on loan for his final contracted year - and that convinced Phillips himself to commit to staying here permanently beyond that - should find their place in business textbooks next to Warren Buffett and Steve Jobs quotes.

Only denied himself in recent weeks by incredible Scott Bain and Max Stryjek goalkeeping, Phillips has gained attention for celebrating the goals of his team-mates as if they had left his own right foot from 30 yards and burst the net.

On Saturday, the moment was all his and nothing less than he deserved.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

St Mirren downed Dundee and moved third in the Scottish Premiership thanks to a first-half goal from the "infectious" Killian Phillips, and the goalscorer has made my team of the week.

He is all-action with boundless energy and enthusiasm. He has been a superb signing for St Mirren and was fully deserving of his match-winning goal against Dundee.

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Killian Phillips insists St Mirren would have not been able to secure three points against Dundee last year after his fifth goal of the season sealed a 1-0 win.

The 23-year-old diverted in Jonah Ayunga's low shot in the first half to give the Buddies their second Premiership win of the season and move them up to third in the table.

Phillips now hopes he can continue his scoring form as Stephen Robinson's side travel to Kilmarnock on Saturday, having won on penalties against the same opposition in the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup just two weeks prior.

"I've been unlucky the past two weeks with [Falkirk's] Scott Bain's unbelievable save and the Killie keeper's even better save but I'm delighted today," the Republic of Ireland international told club media.

"I was due a goal. Most of my goals have come away so I was delighted to finally get one in the front of the fans.

"It's a huge three points. We probably would have lost or drawn that game last year.

"You can see how much we've came on and they're the type of games we need to win if we want to be successful this year.

"We did excellent in defending set pieces, which has cost us some points. If we defended like that in some other games we would probably be higher up in the table which is mad to say when we're sitting third."

Watch Sportscene analysis as St Mirren beat Dundee to move up to third in the Scottish Premiership.

Watch all the highlights of St Mirren's 1-0 win over Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

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Manager Stephen Robinson is delighted with the quality in his ranks at St Mirren after they edged a 1-0 victory over Dundee while missing some key players.

Starting XI mainstay Keanu Baccus joined captain Mark O'Hara and Marcus Fraser on the injury list before the weekend.

As a result, Liam Donnelly was given his first start and joined Roland Idowu as replacements in the starting line-up.

But Robinson is hoping he can avoid more bad injury news.

"With Mark, we don't know," The Buddies boss said of his captain.

"He's had an injection. We're hopeful he could be fit or at least available for the bench against Kilmarnock [next weekend].

"Marcus is making great progress, defying the odds. Keanu is a worry. He did it right at the last kick of training with his groin. We're not expecting him to be fit next week.

"Liam Donnelly obviously had to play sooner than we wanted him to. I thought he was excellent. Secured the game for us. Ticked it over really, really well. And he's not fully fit yet, he needs minutes.

"Roland came in and replaced Mark and was terrific. So we've got a squad with like-for-like replacements at the minute. But don't have a lot of numbers so we certainly can't afford any other ones.

"We're always walking a tightrope with our squad size. But, certainly, the quality we have in it is top-class."

The victory on Saturday pushed the Buddies up to third in the top flight.

"We're enjoying the momentum," Robinson added.

"We firmly refocused on the league again after the cup.

"We've got a really difficult game away to Killie, who had a tremendous result at Dundee United, so we stay grounded. We know there are always things we can improve at.

"That's the secret to our relative success – keeping pushing, never being happy."

We asked for your views on St Mirren's 1-0 win against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Iain: Thought we were in control of the game throughout but just needed another goal to make it less stressful for us fans. Lots of good performances, Killian Phillips was man of the match simply for his goal. Good to see Connor McMenamin get some game time.

Alistair: The game showed how we've built a squad with depth. We were missing key players from the last few seasons but the guys who came in will give Stephen Robinson a decision to make.

William: A deserved win and three points, Saints were top for most of the game. Let's hope this showing can continue with another show piece coming up. Please do not have the players wearing away strips at Hampden. Black and white stripes are called for. We are St Mirren!

Alan: Played reasonably well in the first half, where we probably could and should have been further ahead. The second half we were okay but we need to take our chances when they come our way because 1-0 is never comfortable.

Killian Phillips' first-half goal against Dundee secured St Mirren's second Scottish Premiership win of the season and moved Stephen Robinson's side third in the table.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "It was a tight game. Dundee started better than us. We started to get opportunities and gain momentum and we scored at a good time.

"We were in control of the game. We had ownership of the game without Dundee really creating a lot of chances in the second half. We're delighted with the result.

"Killian Phillips is infectious - his energy, his quality. He probably doesn't get that credit for how technically good he is. He drives us. He was the one that was leading the press. He triggers everybody else around him."