St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson admitted it has been a challenging period for his side after they ended a run of four straight defeats by coming from behind to beat St Johnstone 3-1 at the SMiSA Stadium.
The Buddies fell behind to Benjamin Kimpioka’s early goal but Scott Tanser’s sublime long-range effort made it 1-1 at the break.
St Mirren captain Mark O’Hara made it 2-1 with a header before substitute Jonah Ayunga scored his first goal of 2024 as he wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
Robinson was full of praise for the character his team showed in their comeback win as they stopped the rot.
He said: “It’s been a really challenging period both on and off the pitch for the club, with some things we’ve had to deal with internally. It’s been a huge challenge but everyone stuck together.
“I think from start to finish we were excellent. It followed on from the performance on Sunday. We were back to what we are.
“We should have won by more tonight, we had a goal disallowed. The character we showed, when we’ve been on a losing run, was excellent.
“After relative success last season, you try to evolve and we had a lot more possession of the ball in areas that did not hurt teams. We probably signed players to play like that as well but the reality is we were not very good at it.
“We play like St Mirren and we are right up against people. We play forward and we play in their half of the pitch. It brings energy to the stadium and that’s how we play going forward.
“Personally as a manager it’s been very challenging. We’ve had decisions go against us. A lot of things have dictated what team we put out.
“We’re back in our system now and we never lost belief.”
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari, meanwhile, was disappointed by his side’s second-half display as he suffered his first defeat as manager.
Saints had taken an early lead and they saw further goals from Kimpioka and Adama Sidibeh chalked off in the first half but they failed to create anything after the break.
Valakari said: “We just could not get out of the opponent’s pressure in the second half. It was corner after corner, long-throw after long-throw.
“We defended actually very good but these are the moments where we need to be better – when we are suffering.
“Then when they got the second goal they got the feeling that they could defend and try to win the match.
“We are hurting by the result but we need to learn quickly as another game comes quickly.
“Two goals being taken off by the VAR, it takes a lot out of you as well but that’s part of football.
“I believe the VAR was right in that moment. We still had time to win today but we could not do it so we need to be better.”
Lucy Bronze refused to count Chelsea out of the Champions League after they went down 4-1 to holders Barcelona in the first leg of their semi-final in Spain.Ewa Pajor fired the hosts in front in the 35th minute at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and substitute Claudia Pina made it two with 20 minutes left.Sandy Baltimore pulled one back in the 74th minute, but Irene Paredes got Barcelona’s third wi...
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold says his late winner at Leicester, which put his side on the brink of the Premier League title, will live with him forever.Alexander-Arnold made a stunning return from injury as he climbed off the bench to score the decisive 76th-minute goal in the visitors’ 1-0 triumph at the King Power Stadium.It relegated Leicester and left the Reds needing just t...
Chelsea gave themselves plenty of work to do at Stamford Bridge after substitute Claudia Pina’s brace inspired holders Barcelona to a 4-1 victory in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in Spain.Ewa Pajor opened the scoring for the hosts in the 35th minute at the Johan Cruyff Stadium after Blues keeper Hannah Hampton had saved a ninth-minute penalty.Pina scored her first with 2...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has his sights set on history after his side moved another step closer to a sixth treble in nine years.A 5-0 Hampden win over St Johnstone set up a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen on May 24.Rodgers and Jock Stein have both completed two trebles, while Martin O’Neill, Neil Lennon and Ange Postecoglou have one each, and Celtic won three trophies ...
Trent Alexander-Arnold put the Premier League title champagne on ice for Liverpool after scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win which confirmed Leicester’s relegation.Alexander-Arnold, making his comeback from injury, climbed off the bench to score the 76th-minute winner at the King Power and put his side on the brink of glory.The Reds will get their hands on a 20th top-flight title ...
Ruben Amorim admitted Manchester United “lack a lot” as their ongoing struggles in front of goal saw them return to earth with a bump in Sunday’s Premier League defeat at home to Wolves.Three days on from the dramatic 5-4 Europa League quarter-final comeback win against Lyon, the rotated Red Devils’ positive performance counted for nothing due to their futility in the final...
Mikel Arteta said he hopes Leif Davis’ “dangerous” red-card tackle on Bukayo Saka will not stop his star winger from playing in Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain.Saka was withdrawn just 10 minutes into the second half of Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Ipswich and had an ice pack applied to his right ankle following Davis’ late challenge.Davis ...
Celtic hit four goals in 12 first-half minutes to sweep past St Johnstone and into the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final.The holders wreaked vengeance following defeat in Perth two weeks ago as they won 5-0 to set up a return trip to Hampden to face Aberdeen on May 24.With Celtic needing just one point from their last five matches to wrap up the William Hill Premiership title, the final is set to gi...
The 26-year-old has done quite well for the Italian club this season, and he has five assists in all competitions. He is capable of operating as a full-back as well as a winger. He could prove to be a quality squad player for Tottenham if they can get the deal done. The South American has been linked with Newcastle in the past.According to a report from Spanish publication AS, Barcelona are intere...
Rashford, 27, has rediscovered some form since joining Villa on loan from Man United in the January transfer window, scoring three goals and providing five assists in his 15 games across all competitions.The England international is still expected to leave Man United permanently in the summer, however, and his boyhood club are working on creative ways to ship him out.United have struggled in front...
- 1 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 2 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 3 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs
- 4 Pop icon with £580M net worth makes appearance at Stamford Bridge
- 5 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 6 Ronaldo shows a side fans never see in tender video for their daughter birthday
- 7 Arteta makes exciting Arsenal transfer claim
- 8 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 9 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout
- 10 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive