St Mirren

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Stephen Robinson is relishing the tactical challenge of European football as St Mirren look to defy the odds against Brann and reach the Conference League play-offs.

Saints thumped Valur of Iceland 4-1 in the previous round and are level at 1-1 with Brann for the second leg in Bergen on Thursday.

"As a coach it’s challenging, it’s great,” said manager Robinson.

"I’ve been lucky enough to experience it before with Motherwell, and Northern Ireland in the European Championship. It tests you tactically, which is the bit of the game that I really enjoy.

"As coaching staff it’s new experiences, different than playing in the SPFL, different views, different ways to play, different ways to play out from the back, all those kinds of things, so we look forward to it.

"Brann are a very good side, the manager’s done a terrific job, they’ve played the same way for the last two years consistently.

"They’re certainly not going to change when we turn up, so we know what we face."

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Conference League third-round qualifier second leg against Brann.

Here are the key lines:

• Robinson urged his side to embrace the occasion and says "it's a fairytale that St Mirren are competing against these teams".

• Emphasised that they need to play better than in the 1-1 first-leg draw which was "one of our worst performances on the ball in a few months".

• He insists reaching the group stage could be "life-changing for the football club and the players".

• Robinson is enjoying the different tactical challenge Europe football provides compared to the domestic game.

• On the players' motivation to win, he says: "You saw in Paisley after we equalised it was going mad, everyone was full of joy, we’ve waited a long, long time for this."

• St Mirren won't be fazed by the atmosphere in Bergen because they are used to playing in front of big crowds in Scotland.

• Captain Mark O'Hara, Lewis Stevenson, Greg Kiltie and Conor McMenamin are still out injured.

• Robinson adds: "It’s been a bit of a test, we’ve had to change shape which we’ve coped with very well. The numbers are tested, we’ve got a small squad."

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

At midday on Sunday, there was a slight air of invincibility being carried as the Saints arrived in Aberdeen. Their hosts, revitalised under new manager Jimmy Thelin, had defeated all in front of them so far, though that amounted to lower league opposition and St Johnstone.

St Mirren carried their own momentum through an undefeated continental and domestic run, holding fewer victories than the Dons but having battled with tougher opposition.

At 5pm, however, one glance at the usual forums and timelines would have you thinking last year's fifth place finish and subsequent Euro performances hadn't happened at all. Such is life!

The Buddies juggled their first Thursday-Sunday-Thursday well and looked no worse for wear when SK Brann were in town, coping admirably on a long, tough evening.

SK Brann offered that dangerous combination you hope to avoid in opponents - the ability to pass quickly and accurately at will to draw you in, and the willingness to go direct and punish you as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

However, as Sunday then showed, a full night spent chasing shadows against experienced European opposition probably will leave a bit of a mental and physical hangover.

As a veteran of holidays to Zante, Malia and Ayia Napa, I know as well as anyone the challenges of battling such hangovers on the European stage. If the boys in black and white are anything like me, and I'm sure they're not, a roll of something fried followed by powerful air-con and complete silence should do the trick before hitting the dancefloor again on Thursday night.

Yet again, Buddies in their numbers will shortly begin their travels to this qualifying round's expensive and far-flung destination. Though the challenge is different, the aim remains the same: rolling this European dream on for a further fortnight.

Mark Jardine can be found on the Misery Hunters podcast, external

Saints fans, we asked for your views on Sunday's defeat to Aberdeen.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Eddie: Poor defending for the first and third goals. However we will improve as the season progresses. We have injured players to came back and they will make a difference.

William: We're seriously short of a good box-to-box midfielder and pace in the middle of the park, we're frequently too slow moving the ball. We've been fortunate in a couple of the games but found wanting in this one.

Watch highlights as Aberdeen host St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

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Aberdeen made it two Scottish Premiership wins out of two against St Mirren as Pittodrie fans bid an apparent farewell to Bojan Miovski.

The striker, who has scored 44 Dons goals over the past two years, made a likely swansong off the bench amid talks between Girona and Aberdeen over his future and appeared emotional while he waved to supporters after full-time.

Pape Habib Gueye nodded the hosts in front but Toyosi Olusanya capitalised on sloppy defending to force a leveller on half-time.

Jamie McGrath finished well after Ester Sokler's cross had been helped on by Shayden Morris and Vicente Besuijen headed in Graeme Shinnie's cross for Aberdeen's third.

Click here , externalto have your say on St Mirren's defeat.

BBC Scotland's Andy Campbell

St Mirren, perhaps cognisant of how much space Aberdeen had found in their last win, were intent on absorbing pressure and hitting on the counter with Toyosi Olusanya, who scored a late leveller against Brann on Thursday.

He showed his perseverance with the equaliser as he got in between Slobodan Rubezic and Gavin Molloy to steal the ball and score on the rebound after Dimitar Mitov had saved the initial shot.

They could not rouse themselves in the same way after the break and tired as the game wore on.

The games keeping coming thick and fast for Stephen Robinson and his players. The second leg of their Conference League third qualifying round away to Brann takes place on Thursday, with the aggregate score 1-1. Dundee United away in the League Cup next Sunday continues their busy August programme.

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Toyosi Oluyanusi scored St Mirren's equaliser and his pace was a persistent threat at Pittodrie.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "I thought we lost the game, rather than Aberdeen winning it. The three goals were really poor. We didn't make the right decisions, we made mistakes.

"If you make those mistakes, you lose football matches so we didn't deserve anything."

Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin, Molloy, Rubezic, MacKenzie, McGrath, Heltne Nilsen, Shinnie, Morris, Gueye, Sokler.

Substitutes: Doohan, Jensen, Miovski, McGarry, Besuijen, Milne, Duncan, Boyd, Ambrose.

St Mirren: Balcombe, Fraser, Gogic, Iacovitti, Rooney, Adeniran, Boyd-Munce, Idowu, Tanser, Olusanya, Scott.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Bwomono, Kenny, R Taylor, Brown, F Taylor, Smyth, Ayunga, Mandron.

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New signing Ante Palaversa and defender Angus MacDonald are not quite ready to feature for Aberdeen, who remain without midfielders Leighton Clarkson (shoulder) and Dante Polvara (hamstring) and the AWOL Duk.

Lewis Jamieson returned to training at St Mirren on Friday following his recovery from a thigh injury. Captain Mark O’Hara also has a thigh injury and will be assessed while Conor McMenamin (knee) and Greg Kiltie (ankle) are both long-term absentees.

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St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson has challenged his side to continue their early season momentum when they travel to Pittodrie in the Premiership on Sunday.

The Paisley side are unbeaten so far this season and go into the game against the Dons buoyed by Toyosi Olusanya's dramatic late equaliser against Brann on Thursday.

"We are unbeaten in pre-season, we are unbeaten in the league with one game and unbeaten in Europe," Robinson said.

"So as much as we feel as a group that we can be so much better than what we have shown so far, really positive signs about the mentality of not losing football matches.

"It is very early on in the season. It is a tough game against Aberdeen but if we go and get points, there it will be a terrific start to the season and we go there quietly confident that we can come away with points."

St Mirren were second best for large spells against Brann, but Robinson believes those experiences will help both him and his team progress.

"We analysed the game to death and showed people where they could be better, where to make better decisions and that’s the storyline," the Northern Irishman added.

"It is boys making their way in their career, rediscovering their career when they have lost their way and St Mirren are giving them the platform so it is a learning curve for everyone every day, including myself."

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• Aberdeen have lost both of their last two league meetings with St Mirren, last losing three in a row to the Buddies in July 2011.

• St Mirren have won two of their last three league trips to Aberdeen (L1), having failed to win any of their previous 15 beforehand (D8 L7).

• Aberdeen lost their first home league game of last season (3-1 to Celtic) but haven’t done so in successive campaigns since 2008-09/2009-10.

• St Mirren won 3-0 against Hibernian on matchday one this season and have won six of their last seven Scottish Premiership matches in August (D1).

• James Scott assisted two goals as a substitute in St Mirren’s win over Hibs – in his previous 63 Scottish Premiership appearances, he had only assisted three goals.

St Mirren assistant manager Diarmuid O'Carroll has turned down the chance to become Raith Rovers boss. (Scottish Sun), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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Manager Stephen Robinson says he will "have to make quite a few changes" for Sunday's trip to Aberdeen as he juggles the demands of competing domestically and in Europe so early in the season.

Following the dramatic 1-1 draw with Brann on Thursday night, the Dons travel to Pittodrie before venturing further north for the second leg of their Conference League third qualifying round next week in Norway.

"Our focus turned last night straight away to Aberdeen," said Robinson, whose side are unbeaten in their first four games this season.

"We had already done our due diligence on Aberdeen long before that because the games come thick and fast.

"We watched their game against St Johnstone as well, they have threats who can hurt you, they have a new manager, a feelgood factor there at the moment.

"But if we perform like we did in the second half against Hibs, the full game against Valur, and use the resilience and defend like we did last night then we go up there quietly confident."

Captain Mark O'Hara will be assessed after missing the previous two games, while Lewis Jamieson may be in line for a return but the manager knows he has to keep his squad fresh in order to compete on all fronts.

"The Thursday-Sunday turnaround is the hardest bit," he said.

"This week we are not travelling [from abroad] so it's up to me to utilise the squad. I have to make quite a few changes. That is why we have got a squad.

"I believe in every player I have got here so we will make quite a few changes to freshen the whole side up and I believe the team will be a really competitive team on Sunday."

We asked for your views on St Mirren's 1-1 draw with Brann in the Conference League qualifier first leg.

Here's what some of you said:

Eddie: Brann were very good, we were lucky our keeper was brilliant on the night. Our team seemed to get stagefright, however we are still very much in with a chance to qualify. Shaun Rooney had the right attitude in not giving them the ball back when they we clearly "at it", the referee seemed to forget tackles are allowed in football.

Alistair: Brann were a huge step up from anyone we've played for a while. Their pressing was impressive, we had no space or time on the ball and it took some housery for the equaliser that I expect we'll pay for next Thursday.

Paul: Valur was the European dream and Brann is the reality. Faster, sharper, smarter at times. We rode our luck and owe Ellery Balcombe a huge bonus but we're still in the game.

Martin: We got battered by a very good team, but grabbing an equaliser means we're still in the tie. We need to find a midfield for next week as the boys went awol last night.

Huey: Brann are a top-class side and for long spells we focused on containing their high-tempo press. Ellery Balcombe's saves, along with Alex Gogic and Rooney's defensive nous kept us in the game, after frustrating multiple Norwegian attacks. When Brann scored, our heads could have gone down but our late equaliser was well deserved and keeps us in the tie. Come on you Saints!

Graham: Brann were a top side and caused us a lot of problems but it was great to see a European team whose whinging and timewasting finally get what they deserved. Good luck in Norway, stranger things have happened!

Douglas: We rode our luck and our keeper kept us in it with some wonderful saves. No bite upfront with Mikael Mandron and Jonah Ayunga out of touch. Hopefully they won't be involved at all in Aberdeen or Bergen next week.

Trevor: It was all Brann, seriously though, they must be the best technical side I've ever seen at the SMISA stadium, the way they passed the ball about was sublime. I feel a bit dirty taking that goal which came from a throw-in that we should have gave back to Brann but the cheating goalie brought it on himself. I can now say I've never seen us lose a European game.

James: It's obvious Brann are on it a lot more due to match fitness. They are a good side but I think Saints are just as good if they can get the game time. They were poor in the first half but more confident in the second and could be on an even par next week. Brann still have the edge but it's not impossible for the Buddies.

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Toyosi Olusanya admits Brann took St Mirren by surprise, but the striker believes his side can defy the odds in Norway after his late equaliser kept the Conference League qualifying tie alive.

Stephen Robinson’s men head for the second leg next Thursday on level terms after a slick Brann side deservedly led through Felix Myhre’s opener in Paisley before Olusanya netted in the 90th minute.

"Absolutely buzzing to keep the tie alive because I feel that’s what we deserved," the 26-year-old told BBC Scotland.

"We were taken by surprise a bit by the type of team they were.

"We had a game-plan we stuck to and it worked out at the end of the day.

"We now know what to expect from them. I feel like if we take our opportunities [in the second leg] then we'll be OK.

"They played well, but they have weaknesses that they showed and we can capitalise on that so another week to work hard and look towards that."

Former Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay piles praise on new St Mirren number one Ellery Balcombe after the Englishman's standout performance in the 1-1 Conference League qualifier first-leg draw with Brann.

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Toyosi Olusanya's close-range goal secured St Mirren a dramatic late draw in the first leg of their Conference League third qualifying round tie against Brann.

The Norwegian visitors dominated possession throughout and had several clear-cut chances, but an inspired display from Ellery Balcombe in the St Mirren goal kept them at bay during the first half.

Balcombe continued to repel the visitors after the break, but a well-taken volley from Felix Myhre on 75 minutes gave Brann a deserved lead.

It looked certain to be the winning goal, but with time running out, Olusanya got on the end of fellow substitute James Scott's cross to bring Stephen Robinson's side level.

St Mirren travel to Norway for the second leg next Thursday (18:00 BST), with a play-off spot on the line.

The winner will play Corvinul Hunedoara or Astana in the play-off round, with Kazakhs Astana winning Thursday's first-leg 2-1 in Romania.

We want your thoughts on the game, St Mirren fans. Have your say here, external.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

Robinson made three changes to the side that impressively beat HIbernian 3-0 on Sunday, looking to keep his squad fresh for an uncharacteristically busy start to the season.

However, his side struggled to reach the levels they did in their Scottish Premiership opener against a slick, organised Brann side who dominated possession from minute one.

The opener came at a time where St Mirren were having their best spell of the game, with fresh legs off the bench delivering fresh impetus, and could have proved to be a body blow.

Instead, they fought right to the end and gave their chances of progression a huge boost with just seconds of normal time remaining.

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St Mirren are still in the contest thanks to their goalkeeper, who pulled off a string of excellent saves and looks to be a real find.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "I didn't think we played particularly well to be honest, we didn't do ourselves justice on the ball, but what a story for these young boys to come back against a club of that standard.

"I'm delighted for the fans and everyone involved. The storyline is a real positive one for me. We'll have to play better when we go abroad. We'll look forward to that."