Stephen Mallan says he is excited to get to work with Jack Ross following the new manager's first training session yesterday morning. The midfielder was speaking to stmirren.com at the St Mirren Training Complex in Ralston following the session and admitted it was a positive first day under the new boss.

"It was good," he said. "There were a lot of new drills that we've just been shown and it was a lot more fun. When you get shown new stuff it's fun, but there's also a seriousness to it. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks just to see what he brings to us and how he wants us to play football.

"Before training he introduced himself and [told us] what he wants to do over the next few weeks. His main aim is promotion and that's what we want. As long as we're in that top four and pushing to get St Mirren back up to the Premiership."

Ross has come into St Mirren this week on the back of an excellent 2-1 win over Hibernian at Easter Road in the IRN-BRU Cup on Saturday.

That win has set up a quarter final clash with Ayr United at the Paisley 2021 Stadium in November and Mallan hopes the Saints can do one better than last year and make it to the final of the competition this season.

He said: "There are still a lot of good teams in the draw and there was nobody we really wanted; it was always going to be a hard game when you're in the quarters. Last year we got Rangers in the semi-final at Ibrox - that was a tough game. Hopefully we can try and get a cup run and try to get St Mirren to the final." 

Saints winning goal against Hibernian on Saturday came after high pressing from the St Mirren attack, with Lewis Morgan robbing the ball off Hibs captain David Gray before threading the ball through to Lawrence Shankland. Shankland then teed it off to David Clarkson who knocked it beyond goalkeeper Ofir Marciano to put St Mirren in front.

Mallan said: "Hibs had a lot of possession of the ball and we done them on the counter with our high pressure that Allan has tried to bed in to us. He didn't want us to sit off them; he wanted us, as a team, to press them if we could and the fresh legs of Clarky and Shanks helped us get the win.

"When you press teams they're always prone to making mistakes and that's what happened with the second goal. It was great for the boys and great for Allan to see the work he's put in the last few weeks paying off."

It was Mallan's 20th goal for the Saints that got St Mirren back into the game when he pinged a brilliant free kick beyond Marciano just before half time. The midfielder has previous at Easter Road after scoring another superb free kick in the capital in January of this year in a Ladbrokes Championship match. It was a moment that he was reminded of by teammate Morgan as he got himself in position to strike. 

He said: "To be fair, Morgy said just before it: 'just do what you did last time' and thankfully it paid off and it was great to get a goal." 

The Under-20 version of the 'Battle of the Saints' ended in a 1-1 draw this evening at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

The SPFL Development League fixture didn't heat up until the second half when substitute Robbie Polson put the Perth Saints into the lead on 63 minutes.

Fifteen minutes later St Mirren substitute Nathan Flanagan scored to pull the Paisley Saints level again.

As the game headed towards stoppage time St Johnstone keeper Ben McKenzie denied Saints as he did well to block Kalvin Orsi's header then seconds later Darren's Whyte's effort was cleared from the goalmouth.

St Mirren U20: Willison, McNaughton, Stewart, Magennis, Whyte, McDonald, Gallagher (McAllister 56), McLear, Shankland (Flanagan 56), Orsi, O’Keefe.
Unused Subs: MacPherson, Johnston, McKendry, Barclay, Henry (GK).

Match pictures by John Millar – © John Millar.

Earlier today St Mirren were pulled out a home draw against Ayr United in the last eight of the IRN-BRU Cup and manager Jack Ross is pleased that the tie will be played in Paisley.

“I know it’s cliched but I think the home draw is important for all the teams that are left in the competition so you have to be pleased with that in the first instance. There’s a number of Championship teams left in the competition so there was a fairly high probability of getting one, I think ideally you would want to avoid it in terms of facing difficult opposition.

“We’re coming up against a team that hasn’t only managed to come up a division but have also had a fairly decent start, they had a good result in the last round of the competition as well. So I’m pleased it is at home, it is still a difficult match but I think for me coming into the job when the club has got to this stage of the competition then the ambition has got to be to win it. Having a home draw is pleasing in that respect as without a shadow of a doubt the aim now in the competition is to go and win that trophy.”

There is still a fair crop of Championship sides in the tournament but Jack reckons Saints should still be one of the front-runners.

“When people look at the size of the clubs that are involved in it, and obviously with no Premiership teams in it to begin with, I think people looked at our tie in the previous round as being the biggest tie in the competition in that round so whoever won that tie was giving themselves a positive chance of winning it just purely based on the team that they were knocking out.

“We have got another Championship team which means that we have to do well again to progress and there is every chance that the way the draw is that we could face another team from our league in the latter stages again so to win there is no bigger or lesser challenge than there is for us on a weekly basis in league games because it’s similar opposition. But I think when you get to this stage, when you get to the last eight of any competition, your absolute ambition should be to go on and win it.”

Jack took Alloa down to Wales at the weekend, was he glad to avoid another trip to Wales?

“I enjoyed it. There was a whole lot of logistical issues with it but it was enjoyable. I wouldn’t have been too bothered but I’m just glad that we are at home. I think if we had to travel to South Wales we would have had to do it but I’m not going to complain the fact that it is at home.”

Jack also admits he was happy to avoid his previous club Alloa

“I think a lot of people expected that that would be the draw that would come out but I don’t think about it too much from my point of view. It would have been a different tie again but I’m just pleased that I’ve got a home tie and that in itself gives us a realistic opportunity to progress and I’m looking forward to it when it comes around. The incentive to get to a cup final should always be huge and that is the case in this competition as well.”

The draw primes up St Mirren with a run of three home games in November which is hoped can be used for the side to start stamping its authority at home.

“I think the challenge for the players starting from this weekend is that you have to treat your home stadium like your own home in that people should not come in to it and leave with very much if not asked to, that is the case when you play opposition teams. So when you have a run of home games like that it is a fantastic opportunity for you to set markers and set standards in that respect. That is something the way the fixtures are panned out will allow the players to do that.

”We trained together this morning and there is so much for me to be positive about in that sense so when that comes around it is a perfect opportunity but hopefully before then we will have put down markers in terms of our home form but that again gives you an opportunity to strengthen when it comes around.”

Jack was pleased with the first full day of training.

“It was great. I was down at the training ground yesterday as well for a few hours and then in again this morning. I was really excited about it and it feels very comfortable which is good, and I mean that in not a lazy way. It just means that working with the players felt right which is good and I think they enjoyed it this morning.

“I was delighted with how it went, the response from the players was great. We talked about a couple of things about training in a way that will become the norm for them and I think they are all desperate to buy into that. I was really delighted to get the first one in and I look forward to watching it develop with the team later on today and then back in again tomorrow morning. I’m delighted to have started the job as it’s been a long time coming but I’m now very much looking forward to it.”

Jack and his assistant James Fowler also got to know their backroom team a bit better today as they start to plan the road ahead.

“It was good and we had Allan McManus heavily involved with it as well. I want to do that moving forward, out-with his work with the development team to have an involvement in what we are doing as well.

“I’ve got relationships with these guys from previously anyway so that in itself felt quite seamless as well and over time they will have more responsibility once we all fit into our routine of work, that will go for all the other support staff. It feels right and positive and I’m looking forward to it and hopefully the results reflect in that as well.”

Tickets for the Ladbrokes Championship fixture later this month away to Hibernian are now on sale at the St Mirren Ticket Office and the Online Ticket Shop.

The match and ticket details are as follows:

Hibernian v St Mirren
Ladbrokes Championship
Venue: Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 29th October 2016
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Ticket Prices

Students must show valid ID as proof of status.

Tickets are also on sale for St Mirren's home matches against Dundee United (15th Oct), Dumbarton (5th Nov) and Dunfermline Athletic (19th Nov)

Ticket Information

St Mirren Ticket Office hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

11/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
12/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
13/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
14/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
15/10/2016 - 10:00am to 3:00pm (kick-off)

After last Saturday’s win away to Hibernian in the IRN-BRU Cup, Saints were drawn a home tie this afternoon in the last eight of the tournament against fellow Ladbrokes Championship side Ayr United.

The quarter-final tie between Saints and The Honest Men will be played on the weekend of 12th/13th November at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

The full draw is as follows:

Livingston v The New Saints
Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic
St Mirren v Ayr United
Dunfermline Athletic v Dundee United

Due to the quarter-final tie taking place on the weekend of 12th/13th November, Saints’ Ladbrokes Championship match away to Queen of the South on Saturday 12th November is now postponed. A new date for the fixture will be confirmed in due course.

The St Mirren Under-20 side are back in action tonight when they play host to their counterparts from St Johnstone.

The SPFL Development League encounter between the young Buddies and Saintees will take place at The Paisley 2021 Stadium and it will kick-off at 6:00pm.

The referee for this fixture will be Chris Graham.

Entry to this match is FREE.

For directions to The Paisley 2021 Stadium and all the parking information please click here.

This Saturday new management team Jack Ross and James Fowler take charge of their first St Mirren match as Saints face Dundee United for the first time this season in a Ladbrokes Championship match-up at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

Tickets for the match are now available from the St Mirren Ticket Office and the Online Ticket Shop.

The match details are as follows:

St Mirren v Dundee United
Ladbrokes Championship
Venue: Paisley 2021 Stadium, Paisley
Date: Saturday 15th October 2016
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Tickets are also on sale for the upcoming home games against Dumbarton (5th November) and Dunfermline Athletic (19th November).

Ticket Information

Ticket Office hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

10/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
11/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
12/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
13/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
14/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
15/10/2016 - 10:00am to 3:00pm (kick-off)

Jack Baird put in a great performance in today’s IRN-BRU Cup win against Hibs at Easter Road and the defender is delighted for both the team and caretaker manager Allan McManus.

“Brilliant. We were obviously the underdogs coming into the game and considering their position in the league and ours, it was brilliant to get that result at the end. We did deserve it although I thought it was going to extra-time but happy we got the winner.

“Allan has been brilliant since taking over the last few weeks and we deserved a result under him and we eventually got one. He deserved it and we deserved it as a team after the hard work we have put in the last couple of weeks.”

Jack was delighted to go to Easter Road and knock out one of the tournament favourites and is hoping to keep progressing in the cup.

“It’s brilliant to go through to the next round of a cup, cup games are always different it is always good to go through, you can’t beat a good cup run.

“I thought I played well. I was just trying to do my best to keep the ball out of the net, that is the job I’ve got to do. Then hopefully somebody like Stevie Mallan and Clarky at the end score the goals for us.”

The winning goal created a lot of debate but Jack reckons it was the right decision for it to stand and he was thankful for the cushion of a goal in a frantic end to the match.

“I was just hoping that Shanks hadn’t touched it as he was the one that was offside, we were hoping he hadn’t touched it and he let the ball roll in. I was delighted obviously when we were given the goal but I knew he hadn’t touched it and that we would be alright.

“You’re looking up at the time quite a lot making sure you are getting through to the end of the ninety minutes and keeping the ball out of the net once you are two-one up. It is difficult and it takes a lot of mental strength but I knew we could grind it out. We did well last week grinding out a decent result at home and I think we did the same today.”

Jack is hoping that today’s win will give the side something to build on under the new management team. 

“We’ll obviously be high in confidence coming in on Monday after that result there and with the new manager he’ll give us a lift as well and everything should take off from here I hope.”

Allan McManus signed off his spell as caretaker manager today with an impressive 2-1 win away to Hibernian in the IRN-BRU Cup.  Allan believes his side deserves to be in Monday’s quarter-final draw.

“I’m absolutely over the moon for the players. That is what they deserved after how they have worked the last three weeks. You couldn’t have asked for the boys to be working any harder to try and make things right and turn their season around. So I thought they thoroughly deserved that today, to come to a place like Easter Road against easily the best team in the division, in my opinion, and play under that pressure with composure and game management. When things weren’t going their way in the game, they were dogged and they worked hard, I think at the end of the day nobody can grudge them that victory.”

Allan reckons the Saints players showed real mental strength today to battle back from a goal down to win the tie.

“When you are down there that is probably the biggest issue, mental strength or how the mind thinks as it’s easy to think negatively all the time. But it’s something that we have been hammering home to them the last three weeks that they are good players and they do work hard, they’ve worked their backsides off and you never earn the right to dominate a game for ninety minutes so if it’s not going your way it is just to believe that you are a good player and to keep doing the right things and keep taking the ball under pressure. To a man today every one of them done that.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Clarky coming on, Shanks and Gal who have not had as much football as they probably deserve in the last couple of weeks but I think they have all played a massive part today. Hopefully it gives the boys that kick-start, they have shown today and hopefully they can take that confidence into the league campaign starting next week.”

For the second week running substitutions made by Allan have turned out to be inspired.

“You can say it is inspired or you can say it is a bit of luck. At the end of the day we live and die by the decisions that we make, so yes it has went well for us. Clarky, Shanks and Gal have been champing at the bit the last two weeks and they get their rewards for that today. When you have got boys that are working so hard in training and desperate to get on the pitch you know that when you put them on that they will be desperate to do well. They’ve done fantastically well today but the rest of the players were fantastic as well.”

Allan thought bad fortune was still dogging Saints when the winning goal was initially flagged offside but a change of heart by the officials meant the goal stood.

“We were thinking ‘here we go again’ and it was going to go against us. Speaking to the boys in there, although Shanks was maybe in an offside position he hasn’t interfered with the ball or touched it and it has gone in. He has not interfered with play at the end of the day and that’s the rules, and that’s the breaks that we deserve.”

With Allan signing off his last game in charge with a win he hopes that it will help push the side on under the new management team of Jack Ross and James Fowler as they look to improve their fortunes in the Championship. 

“It’s always great to win a game of football but I keep saying that it’s not about me. It’s about the team, about the club and where we are in the league just now and I’ve always said that is about trying to get the boys believing in themselves and working that bit harder and trying to pay the right way.

“I said this week that there would be nothing better than to go and get a result so it allows the manager and James to come in on Monday to pick up the reins with the place on a high after a deserved victory, and hopefully the boys take that into the league campaign next weekend.”

St Mirren booked their place in the IRN-BRU Cup quarter final after a 2-1 win away to Hibs in caretaker Allan McManus' final game in charge. Jack Ross was appointed as new manager earlier this week but it was McManus who took Saints one final time and the Head of Youth Development at the Buddies signed off in perfect fashion with St Mirren into the hat for the next round of the cup. 

Hibs started the game on top with an early offside flag foiling James Keatings before Andrew Shinnie went close with just two minutes on the clock when he cut in from the left but dragged his shot wide of Langfield's near post. However, St Mirren grew into the game and had a great opportunity to open the scoring when Tom Walsh robbed Jordan Forster in the final third and burst in on goal but the effort from a tight angle was tame and nestled into the arms of Marciano.

A foul by Walsh on Martin Boyle yielded a free kick for Hibs from which Keatings flashed a teasing ball across the box but nobody could get on the end of it with Hibees captain David Gray coming close as he ghosted in at the back post.

It was a drab encounter with very little in the way of goalmouth action. Shinnie had a shot blocked for the hosts whilst Stephen Mallan put a long range shot straight into the arms of Marciano.

Hibs took the lead with less than 10 minutes until half-time through Alex Harris. The winger cut in from the left and got away from Kyle Hutton - who slipped - before dispatching the ball beyond Langfield. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do and it looked like Hibs would be going into the break ahead.

But St Mirren were back on level terms following a stunning free kick from Mallan after Rocco Quinn was fouled 25 yards outside the box by Dylan McGeouch. It was Mallan territory as the 20 year-old stepped up and dispatched the free kick beyond the reach of Marciano to the delight of the travelling Saints fans. It was Mallan's second of the season after scoring in the previous round of the IRN-BRU Cup against Albion Rovers and was reminiscent of his goal against Hibs at Easter Road in January.

Half Time: Hibernian 1-1 St Mirren

Saints came out in the second half buoyed by Mallan's goal and had an early penalty shout denied when John Sutton looked to have been pulled back in the box but Willie Collum was unmoved.

Hibs took control in the second half though and there was a huge let off for the Buddies on 50 minutes when Keatings ballooned a shot over the bar. David Gray's low cross along the box found the striker in loads of space but, with the goal gaping, he fired it over the bar. Had he hit the target it was sure to have gone in and the Hibees man will have been disappointed that he failed to do so.

The hosts almost got themselves back in front with a long range fizzer from Dylan McGeouch. McGeouch was pulling the strings in the Hibees midfield and he was unlucky to see his effort crack off the post but it was another let-off for the Buddies.

Allan McManus responded by changing shape from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-1-1 with the introduction of David Clarkson, coming on for Rocco Quinn but it was still Hibs who were having the better of the game and less than a minute after the sub they could've been 2-1 ahead when Alex Harris got on the end of Fyvie's long pass but Langfield was equal to his deft touch, denying him a second goal.

Lawrence Shankland was Saints final substitution and it was a sub that paid dividends almost immediately as he linked up with David Clarkson to set up St Mirren's second goal. The striker brilliantly picked out Clarkson who had burst into the box and he slid in to poke the ball beyond Marciano. Hibs were furious as they felt Shankland had got a touch on the ball from an offside position after Clarkson hit the shot but that wasn't the case and the goal stood.

There were a few heart in mouth moments for Saints before the contest was over with a fantastic last ditch challenge from Baird denying Jason Cummings before Marvin Bartley put a header straight into Langfield's arms right at the death. However, this was to be St Mirren's day and they march on in the IRN-BRU Cup.

FULL TIME: Hibernian 1-2 St Mirren

St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, MacKenzie, Baird, Irvine, Hutton, Quinn (Clarkson 63), Mallan, Walsh (Gallagher 74), Morgan, Sutton (Shankland 82)
Subs not used: Willison, McDonald, Whyte, O'Keefe

Hibernian: Marciano, Gray, McGregor, Forster, Hanlon, Fyvie, McGeouch, Shinnie (Bartley 69), Boyle (Cummings 69), Harris (Holt 84) , Keatings
Subs not used: Laidlaw, Stevenson, Eardley, Graham

Referee: William Collum
Assistant Referee: Brian Templeton
Assistant Referee: Gordon Crawford

Attendance: 4,392

Match report and gallery pictures by John Millar – © John Millar.