St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson hailed the spirit of his players after they battled to a 1-0 victory over Motherwell and moved up to second in the cinch Premiership.
The Buddies found themselves on the back foot for large spells of the encounter at Fir Park, but they broke the deadlock 10 minutes after half-time when Scott Tanser volleyed home Ryan Strain’s cross.
Saints have picked up 11 points from their opening five league fixtures and although Robinson felt his side were not at their best, he was delighted in the way his side dug deep to see out the win.
“I’m delighted with the result, we showed great character and togetherness to grind out a result,” he said.
“We weren’t at our best by any stretch of the imagination in possession of the ball.
“Sometimes you don’t play as well as you can, against Aberdeen we were brilliant and didn’t get the three points.
“Today we weren’t on the top of it – a lot of boys coming from all over the world after travelling, only trained one day – but we managed to grind out a result which is a sign of a good team.
“We defended for our lives, and a special mention for Alex Gogic, Scott Tanser and Zach Hemming as well – there were some really terrific defensive performances today.”
Despite leapfrogging Motherwell into second spot, the St Mirren gaffer insists nobody at the club is getting carried away.
Robinson believes that the togetherness and work ethic within the Saints squad have been key factors in their recent success and is looking for more of the same as the season progresses.
“I’ve a lot of belief in the players. When you create an atmosphere that the players have done and they are as diligent and willing to work as hard as they do then you get your rewards,” he added.
“It’s very, very early in the season. There will be times in the season when it doesn’t go our way – but it’ll never be from lack of effort.
“We’ll enjoy it. I’d love the season to end right now, that would be fantastic.
“We’ve made a terrific start and plaudits should go to the team and the players.”
Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was left frustrated at his side’s lack of cutting edge as they suffered their first league defeat since April.
“Everyone that was there would see that we were by far the better side – I don’t think there’s any point in kidding ourselves on about that,” Kettlewell said.
“I have to say I think that’s as well as we’ve performed since I came to the club in February.
“I genuinely believe that, in and out of possession I thought we were excellent – but it’s all excuses isn’t it?
“We’ve lost a game of football and I’ve said to the players we can’t become a side that plays like that and doesn’t pick up something from the game.”
rodrygoReal Madrid outcast Rodrygo appears set to move to Real Madrid amid strong interest from Premier League giants Manchester City and Liverpool. The Brazilian's situation at the Santiago Bernabeu has become worse since Xabi Alonso took charge as the manager. Rodrygo remained an unused substitute in Los Blancos' La Liga season opener against Osasuna on Tuesday. WHAT HAPPENED?According to journa...
Renato Veiga ChelseaRenato Veiga is all set to end his nightmare at Chelsea, as Villarreal have agreed on a club record deal with the Blues to sign the Portuguese defender. Veiga, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2024 from Basel, never really settled in West London and struggled for game time. In January 2025, he was loaned to Serie A giants Juventus on a short-term deal.WHAT HAPPENED?According to ...
Quinten Timber of Feyenoord celebrates scoringWest Ham have shown interest in signing Arsenal star Jurrien Timber's twin brother Quinten from Feyenoord as Graham Potter looks to bolster the team's midfield. The Hammers are rattled by the team's disastrous start to the new season as they lost 3-0 to Sunderland and the defeat has prompted Potter to act swiftly in the transfer market, as he looks to ...
Aston Villa v AS Roma - Pre-Season FriendlyArsenal are eyeing a shock move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers following Kai Havertz's knee injury. The German forward was notably absent from an open training session on Wednesday morning and is now set for another period on the sidelines after picking up a fresh knock. With Havertz out of action, the Gunners now have only one recognised forward in V...
Hojlund desktopNapoli have initiated fresh transfer talks with Manchester United outcast Rasmus Hojlund, as they look to replace the injured Romelu Lukaku in their squad. Hojlund has been part of Amorim's 'bomb squad' since the start of United's pre-season and with Benjamin Sesko's arrival at the club, it is evident that the Danish forward no longer features in the United coach's plans.WHAT HAPPEN...
🔊 Can anyone seriously challenge Bayern Munich for the "silver salad bowl" in the new season? The Bundesliga champions kick off the 2025/26 campaign with a home match against Leipzig, a team that was recently considered one of their main rivals. However, last season's performances prompted management to make changes to their squad, and it's unlikely Leipzig will be seen as a real contender to Baye...
🔈 Can the "Beticos" secure their first win in five head-to-head encounters against Alaves? The opening game of La Liga's second round will feature a clash between Betis and Alaves at the "Estadio de la Cartuja." The "Bean Destroyers" delivered an outstanding performance last weekend, which helped them solidify their position at 6th in the standings. Meanwhile, the "Green-and-Whites" settled for a ...
🔊 Will the opening match of the second round of the Premier League deliver in terms of goals? We're asking this for a reason, as both West Ham and Chelsea left fans wanting last weekend by failing to score in their season openers. Can they find the net in this London derby? Bookmakers are leaning towards both teams scoring and a Chelsea win as equally likely outcomes. However, Graham Potter will d...
[(Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.) Strength]: 1. Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. will be at home first in this tie. They hope to extend winning record, with full motivation.2. Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. beat Hapoel Jerusalem F.C. 2-1 in the last home game, making it three wins in a row.3. Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. defeated Hamrun Spartans F.C. 5-2 on aggregate in the last qualifying round and advanced.4. Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C....
[(Seattle Sounders FC) Strength]: 1. Seattle Sounders FC achieved 4 wins and 2 draws in the last 6 home games with good performances.2. In the previous group stage of the Leagues Cup, Seattle Sounders FC scored 11 goals in total. They are the top in Group B, with outstanding performances.3. Seattle Sounders FC conceded only 3 goals in the last 5 games with a good defense.4. Seattle Sounders FC los...
- 1 Brentford Agree Deal to Sign Dango Ouattara From Bournemouth
- 2 TIPS - Villarreal VS Real Oviedo
- 3 BVB, Monaco and Ajax go for unwanted West Ham midfielder Alvarez
- 4 ngland cricket legend’s granddaughter stuns in bikini
- 5 Lamela explains retirement decision: It started 11 years ago...
- 6 Estevao Willian set for 'key' Chelsea role after debut vs Palace
- 7 TIPS - Gwangju FC VS Daejeon Hana Citizen
- 8 Emotional Arne Slot admits he had wanted to bring late Diogo Jota on as a substitute in Liverpool's dramatic victory over Bournemouth
- 9 Benjamin Sesko vs Viktor Gyokeres: Man Utd-Arsenal showdown sets early stage for big-money No.9s to show the Premier League what they can offer
- 10 Alaves vs Levante Prediction for today 17 August 2025 - Football