St Mirren

Lawrence Shankland grabbed his 30th Hearts goal of the season in stunning style to rescue a draw against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

The Hearts captain came on as a second-half substitute to shake up a heavily rotated side, and typically came up with a vital moment of brilliance.

After Alex Cochrane's corner was flicked on, Shankland hooked a shot back over his shoulder while facing away from goal, and the ball dropped over St Mirren goalkeeper Zach Hemming.

It was the highlight of a scrappy end-of-season game with nothing at stake, with Hearts having wrapped up third and St Mirren securing fifth and a Europa Conference League spot.

Stephen Robinson's side were the better team for most of the game, starting quickly and getting themselves in front when James Scott hooked in his first for the club.

When Hearts levelled through Kyosuke Tagawa it was against the run of play, and St Mirren were perhaps ruing some of their missed opportunities.

That was until Caolan Boyd-Munce whipped in a brilliant cross from the left for James Bolton, who nodded the home side back in front.

But it was fitting that Shankland, having had such a dream season, got to number 30 in such style, emphasising his importance to Hearts.

Were you at SMiSA Stadium or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "I thought it was a really good game. Our press was poor in the first half and they played it round us at times. Second half we were much better and it could have been a lot more.

"A draw was probably a fair result and Lawrence Shankland didn't deserve to be on the losing side with a finish like that. He seems to save his best goals for against us.

"I was really pleased with a lot of things. James Scott to get his first goal. He'll be a different player next season. He was low on confidence when he came, and we're trying to build him back up again.

"Jaden and Richard got minutes which they deserved for their training standards of late. There were a lot of good performers without naming everybody.

"It's 1926 the last time St Mirren got a tally like this in the top flight. The players deserve every bit of credit. You can see the togetherness between fans and players.

"They've drove us on at times and the players have drove them on too."

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Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

St Mirren will be in Europe next season, after Dundee's defeat at Ibrox on Tuesday confirmed they will compete in continental competition for the first time since 1987.

This game typified what they have done well this season to get into that position. Off the ball they are brilliant at squeezing teams, and when they win it they get forward quickly and bombard the box.

Keanu Baccus was outstanding and it is a shame he looks likely to move on with his contract up, but they are in safe hands with Robinson at the helm.

The Northern Irishman has overseen progress again this season, and he will relish taking this team into the Conference League qualifiers.

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The line-ups have a very end-of-season feel to them in Paisley as St Mirren make four changes.

Ryan Strain, Marcus Fraser, Caolan Boyd-Munce, and Toyosi Olusanya drop out. In come Jadon Brown, Richard Taylor, Keanu Baccus, and James Scott.

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Shaun Rooney says he's "thrilled" to join Europe-bound St Mirren after admitting to turning the Paisley club down previously.

The 27-year-old, who propelled St Johnstone to a historic cup double in 2021, returns to Scotland after a two-year spell with Fleetwood Town.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a team like St Mirren that has just confirmed European football,” he told club media.

“It’s good to be coming back home. St Mirren wanted to sign me two years ago before I went to Fleetwood and I had a good chat with the manager, but I just wanted to try new things.

“The club being interested in me again is obviously a positive sign.

“It’s a club that’s close to home and one I know a lot about it. I was on trial when I was younger as well.

“I spoke to Marcus Fraser and he gave high reviews. I asked what the team was looking like for next season and he only said positive things so I can’t wait to get started and meet the boys.”

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Stephen Robinson will look to build a side that can have a "right good crack" at Europe, says Sunday Mail's chief sports writer Scott McDermott.

Dundee's defeat at Ibrox on Tuesday confirmed the Buddies place in the Europa Conference League, marking their first trip to the continent in 37 years.

McDermott believes St Mirren have become an "established" top-six team and will be looking to avoid European embarrassment that Scottish sides can sometimes suffer.

"It's a brilliant achievement for Stephen Robinson and the players," he told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They were obviously disappointed at the weekend losing to Kilmarnock, so they still had a job to do. Certainly if Dundee had got something last night.

"If you think where St Mirren were a few years ago, for Robinson to come in, two top-six finishes, they feel now like almost like an established top-six club, which is brilliant for them.

"The progress they've made, the recruitment's been good. I think behind the scenes is looking a lot better as well, so no, they'll be delighted and as you say the St Mirren fans can get the passports out and look forward to a wee summer trip.

"Let's hope it's not just one European away trip because too often probably Scottish clubs, maybe like St Mirren, have got in to Europe and not done themselves justice and pretty much been out of Europe before the league season started.

"Robinson will build again in the summer, he'll add to the squad and I think they'll want to have a right good crack at it."

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• St Mirren have only won two of their last 10 league games against Hearts (D2 L6), losing both of their last two in a row.

• Hearts have only lost one of their last six league away games at St Mirren (W3 D2), winning 2-1 most recently in April.

• Excluding the curtailed 2019-20 season, St. Mirren have only won their final home game in two of their last 13 top-flight league campaigns (D5 L6), and lost their last such game last term 0-3 to Rangers.

• Hearts have lost their final away game in five of their last six Scottish Premiership seasons (incl. curtailed 2019-20), although the exception was last season, when they drew 2-2 at Rangers.

• Ryan Strain has scored in all three of his home games in the Scottish Premiership for St. Mirren against Hearts (three goals), the most he has scored against a single side in the competition.

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Defender Shaun Rooney has agreed a two-year deal with St Mirren and will join the Paisley club in July.

Rooney has spent the last two seasons with Fleetwood Town, making 80 appearances in League One.

The 27-year-old previously had spells with Queen's Park, Dunfermline Athletic, York City, Queen of the South, Inverness Caley Thistle and St Johnstone.

During his time in Perth, he scored the winning goal in both the Scottish League Cup final and the Scottish Cup final, as St Johnstone completed a historic double in 2021.

"We're delighted to get Shaun in early," manager Stephen Robinson said.

"He's a player that I have chased for a number of years. He can play in a number of different positions and has proved his quality in the Scottish Premiership.

"I think he brings real athleticism, quality and strength and can also add goals to the team.

"We've started our signings early. We're delighted to get him in and we look forward to welcoming Shaun to the club."

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St Mirren have sealed a first European qualification in 37 years after Dundee lost 5-2 against Rangers.

Dundee needed victory at Ibrox to maintain hopes of leapfrogging the Paisley side into fifth place.

The visitors took a shock 2-0 lead in the first half through goals from defenders Jordan McGhee and Antonio Portales.

However, Rangers hit back strongly to ensure St Mirren have achieved their goal ahead of their penultimate game against Hearts on Wednesday.

St Mirren will enter Europa Conference League qualifying at the second round stage.

The draw will take place on 19 June, with the games to be played on 25 July and 1 August.

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St Mirren are missing Jonah Ayunga (knee) and Kwon Hyeok-kyu (hamstring) for the rest of the season.

Hearts will be without Jorge Grant through illness and Stephen Kingsley due to a nerve issue in his leg, while Calem Nieuwenhof, Liam Boyce (both hamstring), Craig Halkett and Peter Haring (both knee) all remain sidelined.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson insists he isn't "relying" on any favours from elsewhere as the Buddies look to secure a European place.

Dundee are away to Ibrox on Tuesday, and anything other than a win for Tony Docherty's side would guarantee St Mirren a fifth-place league finish.

Despite that, Robinson says he is only thinking about Wednesday's clash with Hearts in Paisley.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves," the Northern Irishman said. "We can’t rely on anyone else and, if it does happen through that, we want to go out on a nice high in the last home game of the season.

“We want to end the season on a high, we want to win the game, no matter what happens.

“We confirmed top six the season before with someone else’s result and I think it was the same this year.

“Football is judged over a season and we deserve to be where we are, we have proved that over the last two seasons.

“In the ideal world you want to finish it yourself but no matter what, we will be celebrating a very successful season which is probably beyond everyone’s dreams two years ago – that we would be a top six team for two seasons in a row.”

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Striding out on to the pitch at a sold-out SMISA Stadium on Saturday, children in hand, Alex Gogic received the kind of reception reserved for those with an exceptional bond with supporters.

The ever-popular Cypriot signed a three-year contract extension last week, committing himself to the Saints in a long-term fashion not often seen in recent years.

Waiting for Gogic in the packed stands in Paisley was a painted banner, displaying the image of the centre-half which has come to define his outstanding season.

Stitched up and bandaged after clashing with Bevis Mugabi, Gogic strived to stay on the Motherwell pitch and see out a vital three points and clean sheet. Fists raised and yelling his trademark "Idemo!", that grit is a perfect reflection of both the Cypriot and this current Saints squad.

It's no surprise that this level of devotion to the cause inspires admiration from the stands, and the confirmation he will remain in black and white beyond the summer has provided a welcome boost as European qualification is chased down in the final couple of fixtures.

Unfortunately, this feelgood factor in PA3 didn't extend through to a result versus regular Saints bogey-team custodian Derek McInnes.

Despite the hosts dictating play for long passages and peppering Will Dennis' goalmouth and woodwork with shots, Killie took their gift-wrapped chance and held on to their clean sheet to cement fourth place.

The scenes in the away end after the final whistle, painful as they were to watch in our own patch, rewarded a side who have been good value for fourth this season and now have a minimum of two European ties confirmed after the summer.

The watching Saints club captain, manager and newly-contracted Gogic will have had a taste of that next level to strive for and know the fine margins that could bring that about next season.

Idemo!

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

St Mirren will finish fifth, and bag the final European spot, if they beat Hearts on Wednesday night.

Should Stephen Robinson make any changes to his side that started the 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock on Saturday?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your starting XI here.

Watch highlights as Kilmarnock beat St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

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St Mirren captain Mark O'Hara wants to experience the high of securing European football after watching Kilmarnock's jubilant celebrations on Saturday.

Killie secured their place in the Europa League second qualifying round with a 1-0 win in Paisley on Saturday, and ended the Buddies' hopes of a fourth-place finish.

Stephen Robinson's side are still on course for fifth and Europa Conference League qualification though, and O'Hara is determined to finish the job against Hearts on Wednesday.

"The good thing is we’ve got another chance on Wednesday to put things right," said the 28-year-old.

"We want that feeling Wednesday night that Kilmarnock had; watching those celebrations is something we want."

O'Hara says Kilmarnock's game management is something they can take lessons from as St Mirren prepare for their final two games of the season.

"It's about what we can learn from how Kilmarnock defend and how they saw out the game," he said.

"I think if we get ourselves in front Wednesday night, we can hopefully put things right."

We asked for your thoughts after St Mirren lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Alistair: Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to a team who were better. We made some good chances but never looked that threatening, hopefully we can make a fist of the next game against Hearts.

William: I certainly hear and agree with Robinson's comments about Kilmarnock being a very good side, but let's reflect on Scott Tanser and Toyosi Olusanya's magnificent efforts which could have taken this match away from Kilmarnock. We were really unlucky not to have taken something. A performance to be proud of.

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• Kilmarnock have kept a clean sheet in 14 of their 36 games, only Rangers (18) and Hearts (16) have done this more often in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Toyosi Olusanya attempted five shots in this game, the joint-highest total for a St Mirren player in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Kyle Vassell has scored nine goals this season (one in this game), no Kilmarnock player has more in the Scottish Premiership.

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson expects to switch up his starting XI for Wednesday's visit of Hearts, when Europa Conference League qualification could be confirmed. St Mirren lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock at a sold-out SMiSA Stadium on Saturday.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson accepts his team were "beaten by a very good, experienced side."

He added: "We lack a little bit of experience. And we’ve got beaten by a mistake for their goal. Credit to Kilmarnock, they’ve beaten us three times and know how to win games.

"We have not played at our maximum. Kilmarnock can grind it out – and I’m not being disrespectful because they play very good stuff as well – and that’s something we have to learn from.

"We had a right go at it and just couldn’t find a goal.

"We’ve massively achieved what we set out to do but we need to finish it off and get Europe. I need to freshen it up, it was a hot, hot day, to get legs and energy to go after Hearts."

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