St Mirren emphatically beat Motherwell and will play in the Premier Sports Cup Final next month against either Celtic or Rangers. Saints reach their first League Cup final, since we won the competition back in 2013.
Mikael Mandron got the scoring underway before a stunning strike from Dan Nlundulu saw us double our advantage heading into half-time. Motherwell pulled a goal back in the final 10 minutes through Callum Hendry which looked set to make for a nervy ending at Hampden Park. But Richard King restored Saints' two goal advantage a few minutes later before Mandron put the seal on a wonderful day for the Buddies at the National Stadium.
Stephen Robinson named two changes from his side’s 2-2 draw with Hearts. Both Jayden Richardson and Alex Gogic made it back into the starting XI, after their suspensions, with Conor McMenamin and Richard King dropping to the bench.
Miguel Freckleton and Malik Dijksteel were St Mirren’s only doubts before the game. Freckleton, with a knock that he sustained against Hearts midweek and Dijksteel, who has been recovering from an illness all week.
Motherwell made five changes from their 2-0 win against Dundee United. Liam Gordon, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Elijah Just, Emmanuel Longelo and Ibrahim Said all came in to replace. Stephen O’Donnell, Callum Slattery, Stephen Welsh, Callum Hendry and Regan Charles-Cook.
Club captain Stephen O’Donnell was a doubt and did not make the match day squad, whilst star winger Tawanda Maswanhise was a doubt but made the squad. Jordan McGhee, Zach Robinson, Eseosa Sule, Filip Stuparevic and Sam Nicholson were all ruled out.
St Mirren got the game kicked off and got an early first chance. Great pressure from Nlundulu forced a loose pass that fell to Baccus, whose ball into to Mandron was too heavy for the St Mirren number nine.
Motherwell responded positively with a plethora of crosses and corners into the St Mirren box. St Mirren were dealing well with them, with one free kick from Watt finding Stamatelopoulos, who didn’t trouble George with his header.
The Saints grew more and more in the game, creating chances but struggling to get any clear-cut chances towards the Motherwell goal.
Motherwell broke down the left hand side with some lovely one touch football. A fortuitous bounce found Maswanhise who had a low driven strike, going wide of the St Mirren goal.
St Mirren broke the deadlock moments later. Gogic took a quick free kick releasing John on the left hand side, winning St Mirren a corner. John took the resulting corner on the left hand side, with Gogic flicking the ball on towards Mandron. Mandron fired the ball into the back of the net for his sixth goal in the Premier Sports Cup and his seventh of the season.
The Saints went close to a second. A long ball found Richardson who beat the offside trap. His cross nearly found Mandron but Ward collected.
St Mirren moments later got their second of the match. Mandron’s pass deflected off Watt and fell to the feet of Nlundulu. The striker then smashed the ball from the edge of the box into the top right corner, scoring for the third match in a row and leaving Ward no chance.
Four minutes were added on after an earlier head injury to Freckleton. Freckleton then won the ball, having a mazy run on the left hand side. His cross found Richardson, whose shot went wide of the goal with the half ending Motherwell 0-2 St Mirren.
Motherwell made the one change at the half bring on Welsh for Gordon before getting the half underway.
The Steelmen started the half off strong. After some scrappy challenges and the ball bouncing around, it found its way to Watt 30 yards from goal. Watt’s thunderous shot was well handled by George.
Motherwell kept piling on the pressure. Some well worked football found Said. He flicked the ball over to Just, who found Maswanhise and his strike was again dragged low and wide of George’s goal. Said was then replaced by Slattery.
The Steelmen were hunting to break down this stubborn Saints defense. Koutroumbis’ pass found Slattery, who had his effort pushed to safety from George.
St Mirren made their first change of the afternoon bring on Ayunga for goal scorer Nlundulu. Moments later John’s cross found Mandron, who couldn’t get his second of the afternoon.
Motherwell then made their third and fourth changes of the afternoon, bringing on Hendry and Sparrow for Stamatelopoulos and Koutroumbis.
Motherwell should have scored after Maswanhise, who was inches to putting the ball into the net, couldn’t convert a ball in from Just. St Mirren then made a double substitution, with King and Donnelly coming on for Richardson and Baccus.
Moments later Mandron nearly got the Saints third. Substitutes Donnelly and Ayunga hounded the Motherwell defence, winning the ball in the six yard box. The ball was given to Mandron who spun his man, but thanks to excellent defending from McGinn the ball hit the post.
St Mirren broke away on the very next attack, with some lovely link up play from King and Mandron. Mandron’s ball found Phillips with his strike unable to trouble Ward in the Motherwell goal.
Motherwell then made their final substitution with Charles-Cook replacing Maswanhise. Ayunga was fouled by Sparrow, earning the first yellow of the afternoon.
Motherwell got back into the game after a quick free kick found substitute Charles-Cook. He travelled 30 yards giving the ball wide right to Sparrow. Sparrow’s low cross was tucked away by Hendry.
But that joy for Motherwell was short lasting. Yet another substitute goal involvement but this time for St Mirren. King wins the ball in the Motherwell half finds Mandron, who gets fouled. The ref waves play on with King picking up the ball and striking in at Ward. The ball then spins in, with King getting his second goal for the club.
The Saints made a double substitution with Tanser and McMenamin coming on for John and O’Hara.
St Mirren had confirmed their place in next months final by adding in a fourth. A terrific strike form Phillips looped and smashed off the cross bar. Mandron was the most alert, winning the ball and putting the ball into the bottom right hand corner to get his second goal of the game. After a VAR check for both an offside and possible foul the goal was given.
St Mirren will play either Celtic or Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday 14th December in the League Cup final.
Full-Time: Motherwell 1-4 St Mirren
St Mirren: George, Fraser, Gogic, Freckleton, Richardson (King 71), Phillips, Baccus (Donnelly 71), O'Hara (c) (Tanser 88), John (McMenamin 88), Nlundulu (Ayunga 63), Mandron
Subs: Mullen, Idowu, Dijksteel, Mooney
Motherwell: Ward, Koutroumbis (Sparrow 65), McGinn (c), Gordon (Welsh 46), Longelo, Watt, Fadinger, Said (Slattery 57), Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos (Hendry 66)
Subs Not Used: Connelly, Balmer, Halliday, Priestman
Referee: Don Robertson
AR1: David Roome
AR2: Ross Macleod
Fourth Official: Ryan Lee
VAR: Greg Aitken
