St Mirren

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Frustration, thy name is St Mirren.

In the same week as Paisley punters were treated to 120 minutes of grind against the maroon half of the capital for no ultimate reward, Saturday's goalless draw against a revitalised Hibs only compounded existing feelings.

The pitch is suffering for the schedule, the conditions and seemingly some bad luck. The players are suffering for continuing injuries. The manager is suffering for setting raised expectations, then the battle against squad upheaval and transfer frustrations. The goalkeeper is suffering for being bundled into posts, having only recently bundled himself into an opposition defender. The fans are suffering for having witnessed the Buddies fail to score in almost half of their league ties this season.

As has so often been the case in this battling season, however, much of the Saints' play was positive.

Chances were created, though perhaps not in the same abundance as in midweek. The 11 players out on the park cannot be faulted for their effort, or for following the orders given to them by a manager seemingly born to wrestle points away from other sides at this level.

Relentless pressing from the front, steadfast defending and another commanding performance from Zach Hemming kept this match mostly on St Mirren's terms. The apparent difference in this year's Saints side is that keeping the match on their own terms hasn't inevitably led to three points.

The fixture supercomputer offers no favours in seasons like these. Having faced the Edinburgh two in the space of the last week, the next fortnight shows no respite. A visit to Tynecastle - not traditionally a happy hunting ground - is sandwiched between contests against Rangers and Celtic.

While no fear should be shown in facing a Hearts side in much of a similar fankle as ourselves, or even in having a shot against recording back-to-back wins of Philippe Clement's beleaguered bears - I'm sure there are alternative fixture lists which might have caused Robinson slightly less concern.

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We asked you St Mirren fans for your opinions on the goalless draw with Hibs. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Jim: Another 'what could have been' game. Superior control in the first-half but no finish. Hibernian came much more into it in the second-half, but overall St Mirren should have been able to score at least one.

I'm surprised that Mark O'Hara lasted as long as he did. He doesn't look fit and his distribution was poor. Still a chance for the top six, though.

Stu: I thought we were unlucky against Hearts and unlucky against Hibs. The pitch is not great and I'm sure it's affecting the game, but we've looked far more competitive in the last two games against form teams, so let's hope that effort is rewarded and we can stay in the top six. Stephen Robinson is doing a great job.

W: Not a game to please the purists, who enjoy a free-flowing game played on the ground. A draw probably a fair result, with both keepers having good games.

Alistair: I can't fault the players for the effort they gave, and both keepers made crucial saves, but it wasn't a great game - further ruined by poor officiating and play-acting by Hibs.

The one thing to take away from this game is Richard Taylor is a Rolls Royce of a defender.

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• Hibernian are undefeated in their last 10 games in the Premiership, their last joint longest unbeaten streak was from 16 February 2019 to 28 April 2019.

• Hibernian failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Celtic on 11 August 2024.

• St Mirren have failed to score in 11 of their 26 games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.

Watch highlights from Paisley as St Mirren and Hibernian play out a goalless draw in the Scottish Premiership. (UK users only).

Alasana Manneh was sent off just 13 minutes into his Hibernian debut as David Gray's side made it 12 games unbeaten with a goalless Scottish Premiership draw at St Mirren.

The Gambia midfielder, a graduate of the Barcelona youth academy, came on in the 70th minute, was booked a minute later for a trip, then saw yellow again for a reckless challenge.

The visitors held on with 10 men for a point and remain in fifth place while St Mirren jump to sixth, above Kilmarnock on goal difference.

Give us your thoughts on St Mirren's draw here., external

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St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson told BBC Scotland: "I thought we were very good first half. We took the game to them, pressed really well against a Hibs side who have been on an incredible run, so it didn't look a big difference in levels.

"We were the better side in the first half. Second half, not helped by the pitch, it becomes really, really scrappy.

"What we haven't done enough is draw games. Otherwise the table would look a lot differently than it does for us at the moment.

"But any St Mirren manager in the last 40 years, that's sitting in the top six with eight games to go before the split, we have to take it.

"Are there things we can improve on? Of course. If we can take our chances and be clinical, then we've got a right chance of being in the top six.

"We huffed and puffed a little bit, there were good performances without being clinical but that's us - we're getting every last drop out of every single player.

"Everyone's fully committed to trying to get us into this top six and certainly, we give ourselves another chance.

"We make a lot of chances. Our xG for making chances is very high. We control large parts of the game, we press really, really well so as a coaching staff and players are doing a lot of things right."

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Such was St Mirren's fast start, Hibs dropped Josh Campbell back from an attacking midfield role to sitter to try to match up the hosts.

It worked, turning the game into a more agricultural affair and stopping St Mirren's attack. Olusanya only broke in behind once, as player of the match Rocky Bushiri largely kept him well handled.

Perhaps the more direct play suits St Mirren. It certainly suits the pitch, which has come under criticism in recent weeks and had a real effect on the quality on show.

Worryingly, St Mirren have now registered the most blanks of any Premiership team this season, failing to score in 11 of their 26 games.

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Stephen Robinson insists St Mirren's showing in the Scottish Cup loss to Hearts should be enough to beat Hibs on Sunday.

The Buddies led for much of the 90 minutes against the Jambos, before conceding and ultimately losing on penalties.

"If we put on the performance that we did on Monday night, then we've a very good chance of winning the game," the St Mirren boss said. "But they've got some very talented players.

"The two wing-backs who are big threat, the two Cadden brothers [Chris and Nicky], who I know very well, big threats, really forward thinking, and Martin Boyle. I've always been a big fan of him, he's a very, very good player.

"He's been one of the main reasons that they're on a very good run, so it is something we have to be aware of."

St Mirren and Hibs haven't met since early November, when David Gray's side were still in the midst of a poor run that saw them win just one of their first 14 league games.

"It was a while ago we played Hibs, they are on a fantastic run now," Robinson said. "David's done a really good job in turning their form around, so we have to be prepared.

"They've not changed personnel massively. They're still the same players, but they're confident.

"There's no surprises in this league, you play each other that many times, and if we can put in the level of performance that we have done over the last month, then our results will pick up and we'll start looking up the table and potentially have another really good season."

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St Mirren's Conor McMenamin (calf) remains out. Alex Iacovitti (hamstring) will join in training next week while Scott Tanser is a doubt.

Recent signing Alasana Manneh is in contention for a Hibernian debut. Joe Newell (groin), Elie Youan (foot) and Marvin Ekpiteta (thigh) are closing in on comebacks but not this weekend.

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Toyosi Olusanya says he has not had any contract talks yet because he doesn't want to take his "eye off the ball" as St Mirren aim for a top-six finish.

The 27-year-old forward, who joined from Middlesbrough in summer 2022, has scored 11 goals this season and his deal expires in the summer.

The club have offered fresh terms, but Olusanya said: "I've not had any chats yet about a contract.

"I've spoken to the gaffer and he knows I just want to focus on each game as it comes.

"I feel that with contract talks, it's easy to get distracted and actually take your eye off the ball. You get into your contact talks, you start to not perform on a pitch.

"When the season ends and we see where we are as a team, and myself, and then obviously then I can start thinking deeply into it."

Following their Scottish Cup exit to Hearts on Monday night, Stephen Robinson's men this weekend face in-form Hibs, who sit three points and three places above them in fifth.

"Obviously everyone's feeling disappointed (about Monday), definitely, but there was a lot of positives to take from the game, and you have to move on with football, whether it's high or low," Olusanya added.

"We know how important the next eight games are in the league, very important for us.

"Hibs are more consistent of late. The same players, same manager, so it's just about confidence in football.

"They're more confident and they're doing very well. But same players, same personnel and we know how to set up to play against them."

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• St Mirren have won their past three Scottish Premiership games against Hibs, as many as their previous 19 beforehand (W3 D5 L11).

• Hibs have conceded at least twice in each of their past five league meetings with St Mirren (D1 L4), shipping 13 goals in this run – as many as they conceded in their previous 17 Premiership games against the Buddies before this.

• St Mirren have suffered defeat in each of their past three home league games, but haven't lost four in a row since Stephen Robinson lost his first four such matches in charge from February to April 2022.

• Hibs are unbeaten in nine league games (W6 D3), last going 10 matches without losing in the Premiership in April 2019 under Paul Heckingbottom.

• Hibs' Nectarios Triantis has three goals and three assists in his past eight league appearances. The only players currently aged 21 or younger in the competition with more than his six goal involvements in 2024-25 are Lennon Miller (8 – 2 goals, 6 assists) and Arne Engels (11 – 8 goals, 3 assists).

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Stephen Robinson says he will "make statues of his staff" should St Mirren finish in the top six of the Scottish Premiership for a third consecutive season.

The Buddies finished fifth in 2023-24 to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1987, building on their sixth-place finish the previous season. However, with eight games remaining before the split in the this campaign, they sit eighth – one point behind sixth-placed Motherwell.

But Robinson insisted "there is no pressure whatsoever" on the Paisley club to pull off another "big achievement".

"If St Mirren get in the top six three years in a row, then I've told all the staff, I'm going to make statues of them," Robinson said as he previewed his side's weekend game with Hibernian.

"It is that big an achievement to do that three years in a row, so we've absolutely nothing to lose.

"We're in a really good position. This can still be a fantastic season.

"They've played under the pressure, but this isn't pressure. I've reiterated this to all the players.

"Pressure is when you're fighting for your life to stay up, you're in a play-off in the last game of the season to keep people in their jobs.

"This is the bit you go and enjoy, enjoy trying to look up a league, enjoy beating teams that people expect you to lose to, and go and get the results."

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

In search of some cup-based respite, the Saints were afforded a week away from recent league fixture stress and a Monday night under the lights against Tony Bloom's travelling super-computer.

Such has this season progressed, I've typed the sentence "to be honest, we played quite well there and probably deserved a bit more" so many times that the relevant keys have started to fade on my keyboard.

For much of this bitterly cold, good old-fashioned cup tie, the Saints were in control of their own destiny.

Toyosi Olusanya and Mikael Mandron had a productive night up against a hastily-assembled Hearts backline and were rewarded with more than their usual number of good chances. On another night, they would probably have taken advantage of this to a greater extent.

In this bitter reality we call life, however, it was a sole Mandron finish that made it on the scoresheet and the door was left ajar enough for Hearts to level things within 90 minutes.

For all the pedigree and experience that Hearts were able to call upon in chasing the game, it was teenager James Wilson who turned the momentum in their favour. In particular, a brave header in the face (literally) of a charging Alex Gogic probably should have resulted in more from Elton Kabangu.

Saints turned to their own teenage prodigy, Evan Mooney, and his quick thinking in extra time is probably as close as we came to preventing penalties. That the 17-year-old stepped up in the shootout ahead of more senior colleagues is also to his credit, as was the quality of his penalty.

With cup football off the agenda for another season, the Saints can now get their heads down and focus on the really exciting stuff - escaping the gravitational pull of the amorphous blob that is ninth place or so in the Scottish Premiership.

It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is one league position, yet five teams appear to reside there all at once. You may know it as us playing Hibs on Sunday, we know it as the Twilight Zone.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson says his side would "probably be sitting third in the league and in the next round of the cup" if they hadn't missed so many spot-kicks this season.

Oisin Smyth and James Scott had their penalties saved by Craig Gordon in the shootout on Tuesday night as the Buddies were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Hearts after a draw in 120 minutes.

Mark O'Hara, Greg Kiltie and Toyosi Olusanya have all missed from 12 yards this season, with Robinson's side currently eighth in the top flight having dropped out of the top six at the start of January.

"The penalties in our season, it's probably been a story of missed penalties at the minute, where things could look very, very different, but unfortunately they don't," Robinson said.

"If I knew the answer to it (the penalty issue), I would probably be sitting third in the league and in the next round of the cup."

Despite their cup exit, Robinson refused to criticise his players and remains hopeful they can turn their form around before the split.

He added: "I can't be overly critical of the players, not the ones that took penalties, not anybody that played on the pitch, they gave me everything.

"We now have no choice, we have to turn our focus to trying to kick on in the league, get some results and start building some sort of momentum. There's eight games left before the split.

"We're in a good position, one that we probably didn't envisage being in three years in a row. It's up to us now to make those small margins count."

We asked for your views on St Mirren's Scottish Cup defeat on penalties at home to Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Graham: Unfortunately Stephen Robinson has not been able to spot that Richard Taylor is a liability. Five times he was caught with the ball, the final time leading to Hearts' equaliser. Both Richard Taylor and Toyosi Olusanya are not as good as they think. Time to try some youth.

Douglas: We went toe to toe with a confident Hearts side and we won the first half and they won the second half. Extra time was a non-event. The second handball incident in the Hearts box has been given many times against us, yet they never reviewed it? However, even if it had been a penalty, would we have scored it? In the end, it had a feeling of inevitability!

Anon: Bottled it again. Seems to be a trend at Robinson's Saints. Too many bang-average players in that squad. Should've seen the game out comfortably for the 1-0 win, but the inevitable comedy defending sees us undone again.

William: Saints can send you to despair. How could they have lost this cup tie being so far ahead in the first half and failing to score a second goal. Eventually losing because of poorly taken penalty kicks. Craig Gordon wasn't the hero, we just had two villains!

Eddie: Game should have been finished in the first half. We didn't take our chances. Mikael Mandron was excellent, when he went off Hearts began to come right into the game. However, we move on and now just have to win against Hibs on Sunday. Great to get two youngsters on, they deserve their chance.

Craig Gordon was the Hearts hero, saving twice in a Scottish Cup penalty shootout win over St Mirren in Paisley.

Mikael Mandron gave the hosts a deserved lead during a fierce spell of first-half pressure, poking in from close range as Gordon parried a shot from Mark O'Hara.

Hearts forced extra time when late substitute Calem Nieuwenhof struck with his first touch.

What did you make of the match? Give us your thoughts here., external

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson told BBC Scotland: "It was a tough game, very tight game. We were very good in the first half, probably could have killed the game off.

"We're really disappointed in the goal we conceded, we had two opportunities to clear it and we didn't. It's a scrappy goal to concede.

"It goes to penalties and it's a lottery after that. I believe we should have had a penalty in extra time as well. It's not often I make comments like that but it looked blatant to me. How they don't see it amazes me, it's been numerous times now.

"I can't question the boys' attitude or desire, the people that stepped up to take penalties showed a lot of bravery."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Is Toyosi Olusanya the quickest player in Scotland? The St Mirren forward says he's definitely up there.

The 27-year-old has found the back of the net 11 times in 30 appearances for the Buddies so far this season.

His haul includes seven in the Premiership, two in Europa League qualifying and two in the last round of the Scottish Cup, leaving many a defender floundering in his slip stream.

''I would have to bet on myself," he said when asked if he considered himself the fastest player in the top flight.

"If there was a race between the quickest players I'd probably be in the top three, but I'm not saying who else would be in that. I'd definitely bring home a medal.''

The lightning quick Englishman has shot to prominence for the Buddies this season after a loan spell in Arbroath last term.

The secret of his success this season?

''Fitness, first and foremost," the striker added.

''You need to be on the pitch to be able to play then with that comes confidence, things come more naturally and the repetition of training every day. Doing what you know you're good at and just keep carrying on improving.''

There's no doubt injuries have blighted his career, leaving the flying machine grounded for long periods.

"I was generally on the pitch thinking every time I touched the ball I was going to hurt myself.

"The way I was getting injured wasn't through tackles it was just through movements, the mechanics of my body. I'd turn and hurt myself, I would jump and land and hurt myself.

And it's in Paisley where Toyosi's underlying injury issues have been sorted out.

"I did a lot of work with Gerry Docherty the head of physiotherapy at St Mirren on the mechanics of how I stand and my posture," Olusanya said.

"Obviously I had to take the gym more seriously and had faith that I wasn't going to get injured again."

Olusanya scored twice in the last round of the cup and wants to add to that total against Hearts on Monday night.

''You want to score in every game you play as a striker," he added.

"We know how important the cup is and we know what we can do for ourselves as a club, and if we keep going through the rounds as players it can raise our profile as well.''

"You know, Paisley's a special place, got special people, special fans. There's just always a certain type of feeling, sometimes on the edge it just feels like it's going to go right. Hopefully it's one of those nights again."