Killian Phillips double gives Saints opening day victory

Killian Phillips netted a double for Saints who were well worth the three points they're taking back to Paisley. The Irishman struck in each half as Craig McLeish's men put in an impressive showing on the road.

The manager made one change from the side that lost 1-0 to Dunfermline in the Premier Sports Cup last week with signing Paul Nsio coming in from the start after joining on loan from Rangers on Thursday. Luke Thomas, who signed a two-year deal with the Buddies this morning, went straight into the squad, taking his place on the bench.

Saints started brightly with Eseosa Sule having an opportunity to shoot in the opening minute, but he tried to play the ball back across the box with no one there to take it. The forward had another half chance seconds later after Henry Fieldson won the ball back in the Falkirk half and played it to Sule. He set himself to shoot but dragged harmlessly wide of target from 25 yards.

But it was the hosts who would have the first real opening in the early stages. Ethan Laidlaw's cross from the right found Jack McMillan on five minutes. The Falkirk defender had time and space to strike from 15 yards but flashed the effort just wide of the right-hand post.

A brilliant Samuel Ramos ball into the box found Phillips on nine minutes and the Irishman forced a good save from Scott Bain at his near post. But the midfielder wouldn't be denied two minutes later as he opened the scoring for Saints. Ramos' ball for Chris Mochrie had just too much on it, but Mochrie managed to keep the ball in play before feeding it back to Fieldson. The left-back swung the ball to the near post where Phillips stuck out a foot to beat Deniss Melniks to it and knock beyond Bain to score our first league goal of the season.

Tails up, Saints threatened again seven minutes later. A teasing cross from Jayden Richardson was headed only as far as Ryan Carr on the edge of the area, but the midfielder's attempt was deflected wide.

Falkirk passed up a big chance to draw themselves level on 21 minutes when Ryan Strain found himself in behind the Saints defence. The former Buddie found Finn Yeats in acres of space, but he fired low into the arms of Jacob Chapman.

Saints dominated for the remainder of the half and should have had more to show for their efforts. Nsio's perfect pass picked out Sule on 33 minutes, but the strike shot wide under pressure from the Falkirk defence. The Buddies should have done better after hitting the Bairns on the counter 10 minutes later. Carr had Sule to his left and Phillips to his right. He elected to play in Sule who made his way into the box before checking inside and trying to find Carr again. Falkirk captain Liam Henderson did brilliantly to get his foot in ahead of Carr and perfectly timed the challenge.

Phillips thought he had his and Saints' second in the final minute of the half, only to be denied by an outstanding save from Bain. It came after a wonderful piece of play from the Buddies that culminated in Richardson picking out Phillips inside the area. The Irishman struck it well and was left in disbelief that Bain managed to claw over the bar. The resulting corner almost saw Sule force over the line, but Bain gathered and kept out.

Saints kept up the same intensity after the restart. Fieldson's dangerous low cross was agonisingly close to meeting the toe of Sule who would have surely found the net if he had managed to get any touch.

The Buddies passed up a glorious opportunity to make it two just after the hour mark. Melniks' loose ball back was pounced upon by Sule. The striker had Phillips to his left but elected to go himself and saw the strike blocked by Bain with the rebound just evading Phillips.

The missed opportunities looked like they'd come back to haunt Saints with Falkirk substitute Ben Parkinson thinking he'd levelled the game with his first touch. There were 20 minutes remaining when Strain's free-kick met Melniks who knocked back across goal to Parkinson and the striker guided into the net to momentarily make it 1-1. However, a VAR check saw referee Duncan Nicolson called across the monitor and he ruled the goal out for a handball from Melniks.

After Jake Young's introduction on 63 minutes, McLeish also added Liam Donnelly and new signing Thomas on 76 minutes. He then made his final change on 83 minutes when Roland Idowu came on in place of Mochrie. Idowu was integral in the Saints finally adding the second goal our play deserved. A Falkirk corner eventually saw the ball fall to Craig Sibbald on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked by Nsio. The ricochet landed with Idowu 10 yards from the Saints box. He drove forward, using his strength and speed to hold of the challenge from Aodhan Doherty before picking out Phillips to his left. He steadied himself before seeing his shot deflect off Leon McCann and completely wrong foot Bain who, in vain, tried to scramble back and stop the ball crossing the line. Phillips ran behind the goal to celebrate with the sold out away support as Saints enjoyed a thoroughly deserved opening day three points.

Full-Time: Falkirk 0-2 St Mirren

Referee: Duncan Nicolson
VAR: Don Robertson