St Mirren

Goals from Connor McMenamin and Keanu Baccus earned St Mirren a victory over Dundee United as Jim Goodwin's side continue their winless run.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say on the game via this link.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson told BBC Scotland: "It's a relief, there's no other way to put it. I'll enjoy it for 24 hours and then worry about the next game. We haven't won in a while, so there was a bit of apprehension coming into the game.

"We always say, If you keep clean sheets, then you'll win games. We stayed compact and solid. We know we need to play better than that. There wasn't much between the two teams, but we scored in good moments.

"I wish the win came a bit sooner, but we've now earned the right to enjoy this week. We'll train hard, and we'll go and watch Celtic a couple of times this week.

"The players have chosen not to wear suits for the final and don't want to go to hotels. The players want it to be as normal as possible, because they don't want any emotion involved in it. We're looking forward to it, we'll enjoy it afterwards if we get a result, but we'll certainly enjoy the build-up."

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St Mirren midfielder Liam Donnelly is struggling with a knee injury and Declan John and Killian Phillips will be be assessed.

Captain Mark O'Hara is still sidelined with a foot issue that could cost him a place in next week's Premier Sports Cup final.

Dundee United midfielder Isaac Pappoe (knee) and goalkeeper Yevhen Kucherenko (calf) remain out.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren captain Mark O'Hara is "struggling" to recover from a foot injury in time for the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic next Sunday.

The 29-year-old sustained the injury in the quarter-final against Kilmarnock in September but played the following four matches.

However, he hasn't featured since the semi-final win over Motherwell at the start of last month.

"O'Hara will probably be struggling for the cup final," said manager Stephen Robinson.

"He has just not responded at all to the treatment and injections so we're going to have to look maybe a little bit further into that."

There are also concerns over midfielders Killian Phillips and Liam Donnelly and wing-back Declan John, who will all have late fitness tests before St Mirren host Dundee United on Saturday.

Robinson is hopeful all three will be available for next week, but says the Hampden showpiece will not be prioritised over the battle to avoid relegation.

The Buddies are winless in eight Premiership matches, but rescued a point in midweek with a 99th-minute equaliser from defender Richard King against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

"The position we're in you have to solely concentrate on what's in front of you," added Robinson.

"We've got enough time to recover after the game, so I certainly wouldn't be looking to save people.

"It'll be what I feel will be the best team to win the game tomorrow against United.

"It's always been very, very close between the two teams. So certainly nobody will be saved for the cup final.

"Results are everything, you're judged on results, of course.

"When you're not getting them, you look at why you're not getting them. So that's why you look at statistics. But ultimately, the one thing that matters is winning football matches.

"Right now, we're in a battle to get away from the bottom of the league and then we'll take it every game as it comes."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before St Mirren host Dundee United in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Buddies boss:

• Captain Mark O'Hara is "struggling" to be fit for next weekend's League Cup final because of a foot injury that has kept him out for the past four matches.

• There are also injury concerns over Killian Phillips, Declan John and Liam Donnelly, who will have late tests to assess their fitness for the game against United, but Robinson "hopes" they'll be back for the final.

• Robinson insists no one will be "saved" for the final and he will put out what he feels "will be the best team to win the game" against United as Saints eye a first victory in nine league games.

• He admits the last-gasp draw at Aberdeen in midweek "certainly felt like a victory" despite it being "arguably it was the worst we've played in the eight games". The comeback "showed the desire and belief" in his side, with Robinson adding: "I'd take a point at Pittodrie every day of the week."

• The Buddies manager also says he'd "take another average performance" if it means getting a win against United because "results are everything".

• He's looking for his players to "step up and be counted" and make a case to start the cup final against Celtic, adding: "Certainly a good performance will go a long way to help make sure you're in the team."

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• St Mirren have lost four of their past five Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W1), as many as their previous 13 (W4 D5 L4).

• Dundee United have won three of their past four top-flight visits to St Mirren (L1), as many as their previous 13 (W3 D9 L1).

• St Mirren are winless in eight Scottish Premiership games (D2 L6) – their longest run in the competition since December 2021 (12), when they were managed by current United boss Jim Goodwin.

• Dundee United are without a win in five league games (D3 L2). They last went longer without victory within a single season in the Scottish Premiership in April 2023 (11), which included Jim Goodwin's first four league fixtures in charge. They have never gone six without a win within a single season in the division under Goodwin.

• Dundee United's Scottish Premiership games this season have featured the most shots (409), with the Tannadice men having 175 shots and facing 234 in their 14 matches. They have also had the most goals in their games (44), scoring 21 and conceding 23.

Sportscene pundit Neil McCann ponders St Mirren's troubles amid an eight-game winless league run as the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic looms next weekend.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Defender Richard King praised St Mirren's resilience after his last-gasp goal earned a point in a six-goal thriller at Aberdeen.

Marcus Fraser's second-half penalty put Stephen Robinson's side in front at Pittodrie but goals from Dante Polvara and Marko Lazetic had the Dons ahead with 15 minutes to play.

Jonah Ayunga levelled for the Buddies before Lazetic scored what looked like the winner after 85 minutes, only for King to strike deep in stoppage time.

"It was a resilient performance from the boys," the Jamaica international said.

"It wasn't just me. The coaching staff as well, they push us all the time. The boys are hard working, they're never going to stop and we are going to keep pushing ourselves all the time.

"We know we're going to get the reward."

With a visit from Dundee United this weekend before the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic, King hopes Wednesday's result can be a catalyst for St Mirren.

"It can be," the 23-year-old added.

"We didn't lose, we scored three goals away from home. We just have to take the positives and go again the next day."

We asked for your thoughts after St Mirren scored a 99th-minute equaliser to snatch a draw at Aberdeen in a six-goal epic.

Here are some of your comments:

Eddie: Another shocking VAR decision, that's another for Saints over the past six weeks! We have been robbed of five or six points and are paying for a more inefficient referee system than the old one, and that was bad.

John: Yet another debatable decision to disallow a goal, but the boys never gave up and it's a vital point in the bank.

Michael: Once again another good goal chopped off by VAR. Every goal we score, we celebrate then you have to wait to see if it will stand. Not good, get rid of VAR.

Alan: Think it's now six goals we have been denied for no obvious reason. It's getting so out of hand that watching games now is no longer enjoyable. On the game itself, scoring three away from home is great but we need to defend so much better or we could very easily be in trouble.

Watch the best of the action as St Mirren score a 99th-minute equaliser in six-goal thriller with Aberdeen at Pittodrie. (Available to UK users only)

A rule change by world governing body Fifa means Sebastian Tounekti of Tunisia, Michel-Ange Balikwisha from DR Congo and Kelechi Iheanacho from Nigeria will be available for Celtic's Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren before being released to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Richard King's towering 99th-minute header earned St Mirren an unlikely Scottish Premiership point in a frantic six-goal thriller against Aberdeen.

Read the match report

Have your say

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "I'm so proud of the players. It's so easy to give up in life when things are going against you.

"They showed great character and overall, a point's probably a fair result. A big turning point for us.

"I've already said too much on decisions. That's six goals disallowed in five games I believe. Referees do the best they possibly can and we have to go with that.

"I'd rather talk about the character and desire shown. Our results in the league haven't been good enough and it's easy to feel sorry for yourself - we didn't, we kept battling.

"The only statistic that matters is the end result, but you have to look at the positives and there are a lot of them. Our xG is massive and we're just not getting things our way. Hopefully that's a turning point now.

"We're conceding too many goals. That's something that has to be better.

"To see that attitude and desire from the players, that's the big thing from me. We have to try to get three points and go into the cup final with a positive mindset."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Defender Alex Gogic insists there's no panic among the St Mirren ranks despite sitting second-bottom of the Premiership table.

Following Saturday's defeat to Dundee, Stephen Robinson's side are winless in their last seven league outings and they travel to Pittodrie on Wednesday night to face an Aberdeen side who have won their last two league games.

In St Mirren's previous meeting with Aberdeen, Gogic marked his 150th appearance for the Buddies by sticking the ball in the net from a header but his goal was disallowed following a VAR intervention.

Aberdeen went on to win with a 96th minute goal from substitute Marko Lazetic.

Having goals chalked off after VAR checks and losing to late wonder strikes all too common occurrences for Stephen Robinson's Saints this season.

"You can see the league table where we are, but it's not that the performances aren't there," the Cyprus international said.

"We've been playing well. We've just got to be more clinical with our chances and obviously defend our goal better.

"The confidence is there. It's not like we're not performing and there's a big problem that we need to change and fix."

Stephen Robinson says Gogic is part of the core group in his team who's performance levels never drop below seven out of ten.

The 31-year-old is a fixture in the St Mirren starting line up and is a key part of the leadership group at the SMISA, and his confidence is unwavering.

"I've been here before, many times, and I tell the boys, just keep doing what we're doing," he added.

"In this league we just need two or three wins in a row, and you're already in the middle of it for top six."

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• After their 1-0 victory in October, Aberdeen are looking to win back-to-back league meetings with St Mirren for the first time since December 2018 (four in-a-row).

• Since the start of 2021-22, St Mirren have won nine of their 16 league meetings with Aberdeen (D2 L5), scoring 26 goals against them. This is both their most wins and most goals against any Scottish Premiership opponent in this time.

• Aberdeen have only lost one of their last five home league games (W2 D2), after having lost three in a row at Pittodrie beforehand. The Dons are looking to win back-to-back Scottish Premiership home matches for the first time since they won 10 in-a-row from April-November 2024.

• St Mirren have lost seven of their last eight midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league games (D1), although their last such win was at Aberdeen in February 2023 (3-1).

• Aberdeen have lost each of their last three home league games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), last enduring a longer such losing run in February 2011 (five in-a-row).

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Emmanuel Gyamfi is in contention after returning from a hamstring injury but Aberdeen remain without Kristers Tobers (knee).

St Mirren will be without Mark O'Hara and Declan John but both are expected to return for the weekend.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Stephen Robinson says it's time to "bin the excuses" as St Mirren aim to end a seven-game winless streak in the Scottish Premiership.

The Paisley side have dropped to second bottom, just two points above Livingston, with six defeats in that run.

Robinson has been frustrated by some controversial video assistant referee (VAR) calls but insists his focus is on matters he and his squad can control.

"We would love to see the decisions even themselves out over the season," he said. "But it hasn't over three-and-a-half years so far.

"So it's down to yourself. Put the excuses in the bin. Look at yourself in the mirror. Ask 'are you doing your best?' We're not hiding away from the problems."

Those problems, according to the Northern Irishman, are not scoring enough goals and conceding too many, often from long range.

"We've put in 150 crosses in the last seven games," he said. "We've had 51 corners.

"So we're getting into really good areas. And when you're getting into those good areas, you have to look the movement. Are strikers missing loads of chances? No, they're not.

"So movement has to be better. Some of the quality has to be better. Decision-making has to be better. And that's what we're working on.

"We've conceded six goals in those games from over 25 yards. So it's a little bit of an anomaly at the moment. People can't people can't keep scoring from 25 yards into the top corner. Sometimes things go against you in life. And they really have gone against us in the last seven games."

Robinson takes his team to Aberdeen on Wednesday before three successive home games.

"I've got full belief that the players will turn the results around," he said.

"I said we're in a relegation battle because of the league table. You'd be stupid to say you weren't with where we are.

"But two wins changes that and suddenly you're fighting for the top six. I know how the narrative changes."

So a plot twist is required for the Buddies as the story of the season unfolds and Robinson doesn't mind how his team writes it.

"We'll take a rubbish performance and three points against Aberdeen and the same again against Dundee United on Saturday," he said.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before St Mirren visit Aberdeen in the Premiership on Wednesday.

Here are the key lines from the Buddies manager:

• With Saints winless in seven league matches - including six defeats, Robinson says "results have to change" and he'll take a "rubbish" performance and three points away to Aberdeen and the same at home to Dundee United on Saturday.

• He is confident St Mirren can start to turn things around but they have to start scoring from the chances they create and defend better.

• Robinson insists it's not been all "doom and gloom" as there have been good aspects in the winless run. He points out that in the past seven matches they've put in 150 crosses and won 51 corners, with 78 chances.

• Robinson says the league table shows St Mirren are in a relegation battle but the players haven't lost any confidence. He adds a couple of wins can turn that into a battle for top six, citing the example of Hibs last season.

• Robinson says it's not unusual for clubs like St Mirren who get to a cup final to also be trying to fight relegation.

• He would love to bring in a 20-goal striker and 10-goal midfielder but the board have told him he can only make signings in January if players move on. It'll be a case of "one in, one out".

• That means there are opportunities for young striker Evan Mooney, who turns 19 this month and is just getting back from injury, and 16-year-old Luke Douglas, who scored three in a recent youth cup tie, to stake a claim.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

If there is one positive to take from Saturday's painful defeat at Dens Park, it's that the repetitive strain injury from repeatedly typing "we played better than the result would suggest, and it'll turn soon" will get a chance to subside.

Mika Mandron's opening goal was not so much gift-wrapped as it was presented in 13 complimentary layers of paper, scent, potpourri and ribbons by Rowan Atkinson in Love Actually.

Taken by surprise but composed in his finish, this feeling was as good as it got for the Buddies and the glow lasted roughly as long as a taxi ride from Dens to Tannadice.

Plenty of ball, corners and attempts on goal followed, but Dundee did more than enough and earned a two-goal cushion late on to sweeten the deal.

This result, coming against opposition where points are essential for a side with loftier ambitions than 'just above the real danger', is unlike recent frustrations against Celtic, Hearts and others.

For what it's worth, with more critical league games and a cup final on the horizon, this reality did not seem lost on Stephen Robinson in his post-match media duties.

Pittodrie tomorrow night and hosting Dundee United on Saturday provide a platform to show a reaction, which the Saints have found before and I'd back them to find it again.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Dundee did well to come from behind after earning the wrath of their home fans before beating St Mirren 3-1 at Dens Park on Saturday, according to former Scotland forward Steven Naismith.

Steven Pressley's side fell behind early before turning the match around before half time on their way to their first victory since defeating Celtic in October.

"There's not many tougher places to have been 1-0 down and your home fans booing and on you after a bad run," former Hearts head coach Naismith said on BBC Scotland's Sportscene.

"Credit to the players to keep playing, keep plugging away and keep getting forward. They deserved their win."