St Mirren

Toyosi Olusanya's desire was the difference for St Mirren, says Neil McCann.

Watch the best of the action as St Mirren stun Aberdeen with two injury-time goals to snatch victory in Paisley. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your thoughts after St Mirren's sensational late showing against Aberdeen.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Graham: Unbelievable team spirit, absolutely deserved the win. Neil Warnock must have been at a different game, we hit the bar, post and totally deserved our victory. Let's remember that Aberdeen stole a point from us last time in Paisley with Miovski's double hit penalty. Stephen Robinson has the biggest heart I have ever seen in the Saints dugout.

David: St Mirren are showing real spirit this season, demonstrating a sense of 'team' and 'family' despite the perpetual harsh criticism from their own fans. This seems to be the norm in football but I wonder how many of these 'fans' would perform well at work with 1000 angry voices telling them how bad they are!

Alastair: Drama such drama! We were poor for most of it but when it mattered we got the goals and it was fantastic. I feel for Aberdeen but we won and we’re on our way to Europe.

Image source, SNS

Stephen Robinson heaped praise on Mark O’Hara for stepping up to take the penalty after only being on the field for a short time and having missed two spot-kicks earlier in the season.

The Buddies captain missed two back in December, against Motherwell and Aberdeen, but made no mistake when facing Kelle Roos on Saturday.

“Mark epitomises the bravery of this squad," Robinson said post-match. "He’s a confident, diligent boy, who has worked hard to get back.

“I couldn’t watch, to be honest, but he showed great composure and we showed great belief to come back and win the game.

“We had the live feed so we knew it was a penalty. It was more about them checking back through the phases. But we were confident.”

Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at SMiSA Stadium

St Mirren striker Toyosi Olusanya told BBC Scotland that his match-winner was the “most special” goal of his career, in terms of what it meant in the game and for the club.

“It felt amazing,” said the Englishman, who recently signed a contract extension with the Buddies until 2025.

“I heard the celebrations but I was at the bottom of the pile, so I couldn’t see it - it was unbelievable.

“Neil Warnock signed me from non-league Billericay Town for Middlesbrough, so he took a great leap of faith with me and told me how much he believed in me.”

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

• Aberdeen have lost an away game after leading at half-time in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 26 September 2021 against St Mirren (10 games without defeat).

• Aberdeen have lost their last three games in the Scottish Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 18 January 2023 to 1 February 2023.

• St Mirren have won after trailing at half-time at home in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 26 September 2021 against Aberdeen (12 games without a win after trailing at half-time).

• Aberdeen have lost after leading at half-time in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 26 September 2021 against St Mirren (26 games without defeat after leading at half-time).

• Aberdeen have lost 15 points from winning positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, only Dundee (19) and Kilmarnock (16) have lost more.

• Connor Barron scored after just 59 seconds, the fastest goal for Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Were you at the match in Paisley on Saturday or following the match elsewhere?

Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "That was a super way to finish the game. It's the best way to win but not good for my heart.

"I thought we thoroughly deserved it. It would've been a real injustice if we didn't get the result.

"Aberdeen looked like a team under pressure, they played direct which is understandable. We dominated, to not get anything would've been cruel.

"If I'm a St Mirren fan, I'm loving these boys. The energy and quality they're putting into this, the never say die attitude."

Image source, SNS

Nick McPheat
BBC Scotland

Image source, SNS

Even amid a miserable start to his reign, there was still plenty of joking from Neil Warnock pre-match. He will know now Aberdeen's situation is no laughing matter.

A shift to a back four, with centre-back Richard Jensen occupying the left side of it, looked an inspired decision. But this late collapse will only further erode the fragile backbone of this team.

Another issue: Bojan Miovski, what's happened there? Five games, no goals and another subdued performance.

A cup tie against Kilmarnock next weekend will be a welcome break from Premiership action, but back-to-back away trips to Dundee and Motherwell look daunting.

When you take into consideration the disparity in budgets between these sides, it only highlights further the fantastic job Stephen Robinson is doing in Paisley.

A successive top-six finish, which is surely all but sealed, would already be a fine achievement. Bettering that with a European place would be superb.

Fifa's top dog has arrived in Paisley.

The SMISA Stadium hosts Gianni Infantino for the Premiership encounter between St Mirren and Aberdeen.

The Fifa president is in Scotland for an Ifab meeting, which took place earlier on Saturday in Loch Lomond.

He will be hoping to put sin-bin chats to one side and enjoy a good game...

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

St Mirren are unchanged following their midweek draw at Ross County.

On the bench, Conor McMenamin returns to the matchday squad but midfielder Keanu Baccus misses out with a knock.

Neil Warnock, still searching for a first Premiership win, makes four Aberdeen switches after a poor defeat to St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Jack Milne is out for Nicky Devlin at right-wing back, while Jonny Hayes, Jamie McGrath and Leighton Clarkson all drop out.

Junior Hoilett is in for his first start, along with Killian Phillips and Luis 'Duk' Lopes.

• Listen to Sportsound & follow live text coverage from Paisley

St Mirren captain Mark O'Hara was back on the bench in midweek and fellow midfielder Conor McMenamin is also getting close to a comeback.

Ryan Strain is working his way back after groin surgery.

Aberdeen centre-back Slobodan Rubezic remains out with a knee injury.

Image source, SNS

As if there wasn't enough attention on Neil Warnock after this week, the eyes of football's top official will be on him in Paisley on Saturday.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino is set to take in Aberdeen's trip to St Mirren while visiting Scotland.

Infantino is due to take part in the IFAB meeting at Loch Lomond, where sin-bins trials are set to be given the go-ahead by the body responsible for setting football's rulebook.

But with just one booking the last time the sides met in December, it's unlikely the match will give the Fifa chief extra impetus to bring sin-bins in early...

Image source, SNS

VAR is not delivering what clubs expected, according to St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson - after the latest row over the technology.

The Paisley side were told a penalty claim in their midweek 1-1 draw with Ross County should have been checked by VAR - but referee Chris Graham was not asked to review the incident.

St Mirren spoke to the Scottish FA's referee department after the decision, who agreed the decision was wrong.

Now Robinson believes the implementation of the system is not benefiting the game - or supporters.

“I don’t think we thought this was what we would get,” said Robinson ahead of Saturday's visit of Aberdeen

“Goal line technology and offsides, VAR can play a real part in that, and clear and obvious mistakes like the other night, that was what we all believed VAR would be for and it has not quite been like that.

“The money that clubs put into it, for me could be spent enhancing the entertainment value of the league. It could be spent on the pitches, the pitches are poor at a lot of clubs.

"Credit to the SFA, they have been open and honest about the mistakes, they have tried to rectify that and will continue to do that.

“Ultimately, has it helped the entertainment value but has it improved the game and supporters’ experience? I don’t think it has.”

Aberdeen come to Paisley in poor form, with Neil Warnock's side yet to win in the Premiership on his watch. But despite the Dons' struggles, Robinson is taking nothing for granted.

“Aberdeen have a lot of good players, they are a good side," he warned.

"Yes, they are in a moment where they are not getting the results they want but if you look through their squad and the money spent on their squad, then it only takes one moment to cause you a problem.

“I have total respect for them. There certainly will be no underestimation of them.”

Image source, SNS

St Mirren forward Toyosi Olusanya has signed a new deal which will extend his spell in Paisley until at least next year.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Buddies from Middlesbrough in 2022, was due to be out of contract at the end of this season.

But now the forward, who has scored four goals for the side this season - including the equaliser against Ross County on Tuesday - has signed an extension through to summer 2025.

"The manager told me he believes in me and what he wants me to continue doing," Olusanya told St Mirren's website, external.

"I feel like he has got so much out of me as a player and a person so I was really happy to sign the new deal and continue working under him."

The news comes on the back of defender James Bolton also extending his deal.

"I think Toyosi has got better and better," said manager Stephen Robinson.

"At the moment he is coming off the bench and causing real problems, and his goal now is to break into the team and become a starter which we feel he can do."

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

We offered you the chance to submit questions to one of our Sportscene pundits.

Q: Would you get rid of VAR?

I don’t envisage Scotland making a drastic call about VAR while other nations still operate with it. We need to accept it’s here to stay.

Within football there has to be an element of human error, players make mistakes, but the fact we’ve seen a big increase in errors means there’s clear improvement required.

That goes beyond Scottish football, though, you see that all over the place. What we need to do here is continue to upskill the referees. Their performances need to improve and there needs to be more accountability.

These incorrect decisions are very costly for clubs. Recognising an error is okay, but you can’t be offering out apologies every week.

St Mirren sit just one point behind fourth-placed Kilmarnock heading into this weekend's match against Aberdeen.

If manager Stephen Robinson wants to bag all three points against the struggling Dons, what team should he choose?

Pick your starting XI here.

We offered you the chance to submit questions on your club to one of our Sportscene pundits.

Q: Have St Mirren hit their ceiling under Stephen Robinson?

It comes down to budgets and resources, but Robinson’s done a magnificent job.

Realistically for St Mirren, if you’re an established top-six side season after season, the fans will be pleased.

They had been a yo-yo club at times. Their former chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick raised eyebrows a few years ago when he said St Mirren should be a top-six club. They’re now that club.

If Robinson can push for Europe he is still well punching above his weight because underneath them you have the likes of Hibs and Aberdeen, who you expect to do better.