A first half 25-yard strike from, Conor O’Keefe, saw the St Mirren Development team leave Hamilton’s SuperSeal stadium with their heads held high but without a single point, after losing 3-1 against Hamilton Accies.

The Accies were off to a flyer when a Hamilton attack in the fourth minute saw a headed shot pushed on to the post and out for a corner in the first minute.

Hamilton remained dominant in possession and harassed the Buddies defence. The Saints could not clear their lines well enough and keeper Chris Henry saved an ambitious shot just four minutes later but could not keep the ball out of the path of Hamilton midfielder Ronan Hughes who pounced to put the ball in the St Mirren net.

The young Buddies grew into the game and began to create attacks from keeping better possession. It took nearly 20 minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock following wave after wave of missed opportunities and careless mistakes.

Josh Todd received the ball, in the 26^th minute of the game, on the left hand side and after a touch to set up the strike from 25 yards; he curled the ball past Darren Jamieson and into the top corner of the Hamilton goal.

St Mirren created more chances and a great ball whipped in from a corner was ruined after the ref stopped play for a foul on a Hamilton defender inside the box. An end-to-end half was finished with an Accies shot that was wide of the mark.

HALF TIME: Hamilton 1-1 St Mirren

The Saints started the second half how they ended the first, with some fine attacking play and flowing possession. But Hamilton regained the lead on the 49^th minute when their first attack of the half put them in front once more through Ryan Tierney.

Two minutes later, Buddies keeper Henry calmly dealt with a cross from a free kick and from there a St Mirren attack was built but unfortunately saw the ball go just wide of the post.

The Paisley team grew from strength to strength as they continued to bombard the Hamilton defence and a great spell of play saw a long pass from left back, neatly controlled pass from O’Keefe’s shoulder.

The touch was so good O’Keefe got a shot away, in the 53^rd minute, after he ran into the box and forced a great save. Accies keeper Jamieson must have been relieved as the thunderous strike from O’Keefe was sure to be his second of the game if it had hit the target.

The game remained tight until the dying minutes when a Hamilton striker was brought down in the box and the referee awarded a penalty with just five minutes left to play. Tierney slotted the penalty away to make it 3-1 to the hosts.

The hard-working Saints could not put away any more of their chances as efforts from Josh Todd were held by the Hamilton goalkeeper.

FULL TIME: Hamilton 3-1 St Mirren

We are pleased to announce that the Carbrini @ JD airdome is now fully operational and all classes are back to normal starting with over 50s football between 5pm-6pm this evening.

St Mirren’s Under-20 side are away to Hamilton Accies tonight with a 7pm kick off scheduled for the clash at Hamilton’s Super Seal Stadium.

The young Saints, who lie in 14^th place take on third place Hamilton, who have won just six of their ten games at home this season in the league campaign. While the Buddies have won three away games out of eight in the league campaign also.

The last time the two faced off, in September at the Paisley 2021 stadium, Accies won 3-1 with tonight’s hosts having a three-goal lead with half an hour remaining. Conor O'Keefe pulled a goal back for the young Buds with less than 10 minutes to go with a fine finish before Kalvin Orsi missed from the penalty spot. 

A win for the Buddies could see them leap, as much as four places, to 10th while Hamilton try to keep the pressure on the top two in the league.

For more news on the SPFL Development League please click HERE.

After a “frustrating” draw away to Dumbarton on Saturday, Buddies striker David Clarkson admitted that the side need to do better in these kind of matches to help battle against the relegation dog-fight.

It was the 31 year-old, who put the Saints ahead at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium, after a quality cross from Cammy Smith. It was not to be however, after half time the Buddies failed to keep the lead, and were pegged back twice. St Mirren had to leave Dumbarton with one point despite an encouraging performance.

Clarkson said: “We have come here wanting to win the game. To go ahead twice and scoring two goals usually wins you those games.

We are disappointed. That is probably the word, considering how much effort and desire we put in to the game.”

The old cliché, one goal is never enough, speaks volumes about the result on Saturday and Clarkson did have a point to make when it comes to keeping the lead.

He said: “The way we conceded the goals is frustrating as we probably should have won.

“We went ahead twice and we need to get better at seeing games out as it is the only way we are going to move up the table and be where we want to be in the league.”

The striker did admit that despite encouraging signs, hard work will only see the saints get any rewards.

The 31 year-old added: “We keep saying it but we have to produce it now. We haven’t come away with the three points but the important thing is we work hard.

“Nothing is easy. Results wont just happen, we have to be prepared for it. There is nothing else we can do. It is up to us individually to make sure we prepare properly and keep the spirits up.

“It is not going to be an easy task so as a group and individually we need to make sure we are up for it.”

Charged with the task of avoiding relegation, players and fans will be looking to the experienced players to help guide the team up the Championship table and clear of automatic relegation.  

Clarkson knows how it feels as a young pro at a club at the wrong side of the league but admits it takes more than an experienced head or two. 

He said: “Any experienced professional will tell you the same. I am always trying to encourage the boys at training, during games and trying to help in any way I can.

“The gaffer has brought in some experienced boys hopefully that will help. It does not need to come from the experienced boys. The younger ones have been great too. Everyone has a part to play whether they are experienced or they are young boys. We have to be ready for that.”

A selection of pictures from Saturday's 2-2 draw with Dumbarton at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Arena in the Ladbrokes Championship. 

Goals from David Clarkson and debutant Harry Davis had Saints ahead on two occasions with the home side pegging back the Buddies twice.

Match gallery pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography and John Millar - © millarpictures

Jack Ross gives stmirren.com his thoughts after the Saints draw with Dumbarton at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Arena in the Ladbrokes Championship.

St Mirren couldn't take a valuable three points back to Paisley after drawing 2-2 against Dumbarton away from home this afternoon. The Buddies led twice in the match after goals from David Clarkson and Harry Davis. But Saints were pegged back by a stubborn Sons side who kept up their unbeaten form against St Mirren this season.

It was Cammy Smith, who looked bright in his Saints debut the previous week, who fashioned the first chance of the match when he picked up the ball on the half way line. The forward went bounding forward before an effort from the edge of the area ended up in the arms of Alan Martin in the Dumbarton goal.

Smith thought he had put the Buddies ahead with just 11 minutes on the clock when his deflected effort was cleared off the line. He burst into the box and lashed the ball goalward which saw it cannon off the legs of a Sons defender and loop over Martin only to be scrambled away.

Craig Storie went into the referee's book when he took out a Dumbarton player on the edge of the box after Davis failed to clear his lines. The ball was laid off to Gregor Buchanan who sclaffed the effort high and wide with a shot that may well as have seen the ball end up in the nearby River Clyde.

It was Smith who was integral to Saints going ahead on 35 minutes through Clarkson. The loanee was the recipient of a tremendous cross field pass from Craig Storie and drove into the Sons before a great cross into a dangerous area was flicked home by Clarkson to send the sizeable away support wild. 

Saints were given a reminder of the fragility of a one goal lead just before half time when Sons striker Christian Nade almost put his side on level terms. The striker rose above the Buddies defence to get on the end of a corner that went fractionally wide. 

Half Time: Dumbarton 0-1 St Mirren

Stephen Aitken's side came out showing real intent early on after the break winning a corner. Substitution Tom Lang was up for Dumbarton, but sent his near diving header by the post.

It was a warning sign for St Mirren and Dumbarton would make them pay when they equalised just 10 minutes into the second half. Unlike in the first half, Nade would make no mistake from this corner kick as he bulleted his header beyond Billy O'Brien. The ball was whipped deep into the box with the Frenchman on his own able to force the ball into the net to make it 1-1.

This seemed to stir the St Mirren support and the Buddies eventually started putting the pressure on the home side. Gary MacKenzie, who has proved to be a threat from corners in the last few weeks, rose the highest only to put too much on the header and see it go over.

A few minutes later Saints would be ahead but only after Nade threatened to put Dumbarton ahead when he broke away from the defence and flashed a shot wide. 

Good work on the right hand side won St Mirren a corner. The ball in was cleared but Saints kept the ball in the home teams half and won a free kick. From the free kick debutant Harry Davis headed the Buddies ahead for the second time of the match. 

Dumbarton weren't out of the match though and continued to threaten with Lewis Vaughan going close from long range. And they weren't to be denied with 10 minutes to go when Robert Thomson netted from close range after Saints failed to clear the initial danger.

It was a blow for Jack Ross' side who continued to press into the final few minutes of the match, winning a succession of corners, but ultimately had to settle for a point.

Full Time: Dumbarton 2-2 St Mirren

St Mirren: O'Brien, Irvine, MacKenzie, Davis, Eckersley (Stelios, 73), Magennis, Storie, McGinn, Smith, Morgan (Sutton, 63), Clarkson (Todd, 79)
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Webster, Baird, Fjelde

Dumbarton: Martin, Docherty, Buchanan, Carswell (Vaughan, 55), Thomson, Stanton (Fleming, 55), Harvie, Barr, (Lang, 26) Smith, Stirling, Nade
Subs Not Used: Brown, Gallagher,

Referee: John Beaton
Assistant Referee: Graeme Stewart
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane

Attendance: 1,377

Jack Ross will hand debuts to new signings Adam Eckersley and Harry Davis against Dumbarton this afternoon.

The English duo signed for the Saints on transfer deadline day and come into the team along with newly promoted club captain, Stephen McGinn as does David Clarkson.

Last week's goalscorer Rory Loy misses the game through illness while Stephen Mallan is also out due to a injury. Pal Fjelde, Jack Baird and John Sutton drop to bench.

St Mirren: O'Brien, Irvine, MacKenzie, Davis, Eckersley, Magennis, McGinn, Storie, Smith, Morgan, Clarkson
St Mirren Subs: Langfield, Demetriou, Webster, Baird, Todd, Fjelde, Sutton

Saints travel to Dumbarton tomorrow afternoon for the third meeting of the two sides in the Ladbrokes Championship this season. 

The Buddies have yet to win against the Sons this season with a draw and a loss in the two meetings between the teams. In September, the now departed Ryan Hardie scored a first half equaliser cancelling out Andy Stirling's early effort. While, as has often been the case when the two sides face off, Garry Fleming was the scourge of St Mirren in November when his 63rd minute goal gave Dumbarton a 1-0 win at the Paisley 2021 Stadium. 

St Mirren's last win against Dumbarton came in February 2016 when Lawrence Shankland scored in the second half to secure a 1-0 win for the Buddies.  

Jack Ross' side will look vastly different to the one that has faced Dumbarton already this season after an overhaul in the playing staff during the January transfer window. The manager has confirmed that Ben Gordon and Rocco Quinn are still out on the injured list while Lewis McLear is doubtful due to a hamstring problem. He also confessed that Stephen Mallan is currently 50/50 after a problem with his knee.

New signings Adam Eckersley and Harry Davis will be in line to make their debuts after signing deals with the club on transfer window deadline day. Saints will also be lining up with a new captain after the announcement that Stephen McGinn will now be skipper.

One of the players that left the club in January was Calum Gallagher who joined Stephen Aitken's men. Gallagher made 54 appearances during his time at St Mirren scoring eight goals. Gallagher has featured twice off the bench for the Sons since signing. Another ex-Saint likely to feature for Dumbarton is Stuart Carswell who left the Buddies in the summer. 

There doesn't tend to be much between the Saints and the Sons when the two meet with neither team winning by more than a one goal margin since The Buddies came down to the Championship last season so another close encounter could be on the cards.

MANAGER'S THOUGHTS

"We play against a team that's in as good a form as anybody in this league. The run they've been on recently has been terrific and they deserve a huge amount of credit for it."

"We need to go and put a consistent run together and if we can do that then we'll have a positive end to the season. I believe in the group and I think it's a stronger group now."

"Adam is someone I've worked with previously at Hearts and played a big part in Hearts winning the Championship. He was a popular player amongst the players and supporters. It's a big asset for us.

"Harry's played a couple of hundred games at a good level in England and he's a good age. He's up here determined to prove how good he is and the incentive for him is that he can become a hero if he's part of a side that goes and gets us out of the situation we find ourselves in. They both come into the squad for the game." 

St Mirren in the Community are pleased to confirm that the community classes are back on at the Carbrini@JD Airdome from 9:00am to 11:00am on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

For more information on the community classes please contact Fiona Dainty by e-mail at fiona.dainty@stmirren.com.