Jim Goodwin praised the professionalism of his players as they defeated Ayr United to secure their place in the Fifth Round of the Scottish Cup.

Today was about coming here and getting the job done. I'm delighted with the application of the players."

St Mirren will face Kelty Hearts in the Fifth Round of the Scottish Cup after a routine win over Ayr United at Somerset Park.  

Kyle McAllister and Greg Kiltie scored first-half goals to secure Saints' place in the next round to face a Kelty side that defeated last season's Scottish Cup winners St Johnstone. 

Despite a bright start from the hosts that saw James Maxwell drag wide with only 30 seconds on the clock, it was Jim Goodwin's side who took the lead. McAllister headed home after being met by at the back stick by Scott Tanser. 

Saints took a grip on the match and we were well on top in the opening exchanges as they searched for a second. It nearly came on 17 minutes when skipper Joe Shaughnessy got on the end of a dangerous Kiltie ball across the face of the box, but the home side managed to scramble clear for a corner. A minute later Connor Ronan was a whisker away from making it two with a half-volley from range. 

The Buddies would double their lead on 24 minutes when Kiltie netted his first goal for the Saints. The midfielder - who was unlucky to see one disallowed in Tuesday's win against Dundee United - raced on to a lovely pass from Jay Henderson and made his way into the box before slotting beyond Aidan McAdams. 

Greg Kiltie slotted home his first goal for the Saints to put us 2-0 up (Image: Allan Picken)

A dominant first-half performance saw us go into the break 2-0 ahead and the second-half was similar stuff as Goodwin's men looked to stretch their lead. McAdams made two good stops in the space of four minutes just after the hour mark to deny Ronan and Kiltie.

Those two opportunities were the first of four in a 10 minute spell of relentless Saints pressure. Shaughnessy should have scored when he was found unmarked in the box by Henderson, but bulleted the header over from close-range and then, in his final act of the game before being substituted, Kiltie drove a strike inches by the far post from an angle. 

Ayr United introduced Fraser Bryden and Tomi Adeloye as they looked to find a way back into the match but couldn't muster up anything to worry the Buddies who will face League Two league leaders Kelty Hearts in the Fifth Round. 

Full-Time: Ayr United 0-2 St Mirren

St Mirren: Alnwick, Fraser, Shaughnessy (c), Dunne, Tanser, Henderson, Ronan, Erhahon (Flynn 54), Kiltie (Power 68), McAllister, Dennis (Greive 62)
Subs Not Used: Lyness, Tait, Millar, Reid, Erwin, Brophy

Ayr United: McAdams, Muirhead, McGinty (c), Baird, Houston, Murdoch, Maxwell (O'Connor 46), Reading, Gondoh (Bryden 72), McKenzie, Moffat (Adeloye 72)
Subs Not Used: Albinson, Ecrepont, Fjortoft, McAllister, Chalmers, Afolabi

Referee: David Dickinson
Assistant Referee: David Doig
Assistant Referee: Jonathan Bell

Jim Goodwin says that Saturday's Scottish Cup tie against Ayr United will be a new experience for some of his players. 

But the Buddies boss is looking forward to what he feels will be an exciting spectacle with than 2,000 Saints fans anticipated to make the journey to Somerset Park. 

It's a hell of a fanbase for us to take down there," he told the press.

"It should make for a great occasion. Hopefully we see a good game of football on the park and we go home happy at the end of it.

"It's a real old-fashioned, old-school ground and it should be a fantastic game.

"Some of the younger ones are used to turning up at the nice Premiership stadiums with the big dressing rooms and it's going to be very different on Saturday. It'll be a great experience for them all."

The manager isn't taking anything for granted despite knowing his side are favourites for Saturday's tie. 

It's all about making sure we get in the hat for the next round and we've got an extremely difficult game coming up.

"We will be the big favourites in a lot of people's eyes and rightly so being the Premiership team. Any time you go down to the lower divisions you are the team that is expected to win.

"But we all know that it doesn't always pan out that way and there will be absolutely no way in the world that we will underestimate Ayr United.

"We will prepare the exact same way we do any Premiership game and I just need to pick a system and personnel that I believe will be good enough on the day to make sure we win."

It's Scottish Cup action for Saints on Saturday as Jim Goodwin's side head to Somerset Park to face cinch Championship side Ayr United. 

Saints will be hoping to go one better in the Scottish Cup this season after reaching the semi-finals last year. The Buddies defeated Hamilton Academical, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Kilmarnock before being edged out by eventual winners St Johnstone at Hampden. 

Jay Henderson and Eamonn Brophy scored on Tuesday night at Saints defeated Dundee United 2-1 at Tannadice in their first match of 2022.

Ayr United entered the Cup at the Third Round stage - defeating League Two side Albion Rovers 2-1 at Somerset in November. 

Lee Bullen's side go into the match having won one and lost one in 2022. A 1-0 win over league leader Arbroath was followed up with a 2-0 loss at home to Morton.

Match Details

Ayr United v St Mirren
Competition: Scottish Cup
Date: Saturday 22nd January 2022
Kick-off: 3pm
Venue: Somerset Park

Match Info

Tickets for Saturday's match are available online only at the following link.

We have sold over 1,700 tickets from our allocation of 2,800 and would strongly advise supporters to purchase tickets in advance of the match day. There will be no option to pay at the turnstile. More details on pricing of tickets and Covid status requirements can be found at this link.

There will be no St Mirren TV coverage of Saturday's match, however, Ayr United will be streaming the match live on PPV at a cost of £18. PPV can be purchased at this link.

Previous

St Mirren have won five and drawn two of their last seven against Ayr United with the most recent meeting coming at the SMiSA Stadium in April 2017. 

The Buddies were rampant that day as goals from Stevie Mallan, Gary MacKenzie, Stephen McGinn, Kyle Magennis, Lewis Morgan and Cammy Smith saw us run out 6-2 winners.

Saturday's match will be Saints' first visit to Somerset Park since a vital 2-0 win over the Honest Men back in February 2017. 

Adrift at the foot of the Championship, St Mirren headed to Somerset Park knowing that anything but a win would have all but doomed the Buddies to relegation to third tier. But second-half goals from John Sutton and Lewis Morgan saw Saints close the gap at the bottom to five points and prove to be a massive win in our great escape of 2016/17.

John Sutton celebrates after scoring in our last match at Somerset Park 

The officials

The referee on Saturday is David Dickinson and he's assisted by David Doig and Jonathan Bell. 

Our cinch Premiership match at home to Rangers, originally due to take place on Saturday 9th April 2022 has been rescheduled. 

The match has been selected for Sky Sports coverage and will now take place on Sunday 10th April 2022 with a 12 noon kick-off. 

The full rescheduled match details are:

Sunday 10th April 2022
St Mirren v Rangers
Kick-off: 12pm
Venue: The SMiSA Stadium
Live on Sky Sports

The St Mirren Football Club Ltd. (Company Number: SC5773)

Notice is hereby given to shareholders that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at 7pm via Zoom on Thursday 27th January 2022 for the following purposes: 

Ordinary business

1. To consider the Accounts for the year to 31 May 2021 and the reports of the Directors and Auditors.
2. To transact any other ordinary business of the Company. 

A Member entitled to attend the vote is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his/her place. The proxy (in accordance with the terms of the existing Articles of Association) should be deposited at the Registered Office of the Company not less than 48 hours before the time of the Annual General Meeting. 

Any shareholder who hasn't received an email from the club is advised to contact finance@stmirren.com. 

St Mirren take on Ayr United at Somerset Park in the Scottish Cup on Saturday. 

Ayr United vs St Mirren
Scottish Cup
Venue: Somerset Park, Ayr
Date: Saturday 22nd January 2022
Kick-off: 3pm

Tickets for Saturday's match are available online only at the following link.

Please note that tickets in the West Stand (seating) have now sold out. However, tickets are still available for the Railway End. 

We would strongly advise supporters to purchase tickets in advance of the match day. There will be no option to pay at the turnstile.

Ticket Prices 

*Over-65, full-time students, 18-21 and disabled.

Covid status checks

Spot-checks of Covid status will be in force for this match. These will take place at check-points ahead of arrival at the turnstile. Supporters are requested to bring their vaccine status with them and be prepared for it to be checked. 

Supporters will need to provide evidence of one of the three options below:

• Be fully vaccinated, which will include a booster vaccine for those who had a second dose more than four months ago.
• Have tested negative for COVID-19 virus in the previous 24 hours.
• Are exempt.

Supporters will be refused entry to the stadium if they do not have their vaccine status.

Under 18’s are exempt from providing their vaccine status.

Travel

Supporters heading to Saturday's match should be aware of engineering work that is taking place in Kilwinning and affecting train services between Paisley Gilmour Street and Ayr. Buses will replace trains between Paisley Gilmour Street and Kilwinning. Full details can be found here.

Disabled supporters will get access to the disabled area (exit G).

Supporters buses will be parked in the red blaize car park on Craigie Road and parking for buses is free of charge.

St Mirren head to Ayr on Saturday to face Ayr United in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. 

Tickets for Saturday's match are available online at the following link.

Please note that tickets in the West Stand (seating) have now sold out. However, tickets are still available for the Railway End. A small number of West Stand tickets may become available again as the week progresses and we will keep supporters informed if this changes.

Covid status checks

Spot-checks of Covid status will be in force for this match. These will take place at check-points ahead of arrival at the turnstile. Supporters are requested to bring their vaccine status with them and be prepared for it to be checked. 

Supporters will need to provide evidence of one of the three options below:

• Be fully vaccinated, which will include a booster vaccine for those who had a second dose more than four months ago.
• Have tested negative for COVID-19 virus in the previous 24 hours.
• Are exempt.

Supporters will be refused entry to the stadium if they do not have their vaccine status.

Under 18’s are exempt from providing their vaccine status.

Travel

Supporters heading to Saturday's match should be aware of engineering work that is taking place in Kilwinning and affecting train services between Paisley Gilmour Street and Ayr. Buses will replace trains between Paisley Gilmour Street and Kilwinning. Full details can be found here.

Tickets for our cinch Premiership match away to Dundee at the end of January are now on-sale at the St Mirren Ticket Office. 

Jim Goodwin's side head back to Dundee next week following our win over Dundee United at Tannadice on Tuesday night. 

Dundee vs St Mirren
cinch Premiership
Venue: Dens Park, Dundee
Date: Saturday 29th January 2022
Kick-off: 3pm

The ticket prices as follows:

*Over-65s/Students/Disabled

Tickets are not available online. For wheelchair and carer tickets please get in touch with the St Mirren Ticket Office to arrange.

Please note that refunds for the match against Rangers on Boxing Day are still available at the St Mirren Ticket Office.

St Mirren Ticket Office Tel: (0141) 840-6130.

St Mirren Ticket Office E-Mail: tickets@stmirren.com

Tonight's about the three points and I'm ecstatic for everybody and particularly for the supporters who travelled through in great numbers."