ST MIRREN and Motherwell will soon be sick of the sight of each other. A compelling Scottish Cup tie played in the most atrocious of weather conditions will need to be settled via a replay following this battling draw.
They will try again at Fir Park a week on Tuesday, just three days after the sides meet at the same venue on league business. By the final part of the trilogy there ought to be no surprises awaiting either manager.
A draw was probably the fair result here. Motherwell looked the more dangerous side in front of goal and on another day could have scored three or four. They found, however, in Vaclav Hladky a goalkeeper who continues to impress with every outing. Whoever lands this free agent in the summer will have done a smart bit of business.
The Czech was beaten just once – a first-half thump from Mark O’Hara – and didn’t deserve to be on the losing side as he denied Motherwell a place in the quarter-finals for the
time being.
“We still tried to play our game despite the wind and rain,” said Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson. “The conditions were so difficult for the players but we dug in. I’m delighted we’re still in the hat. I thought the draw was a fair result overall.”
St Mirren merited a replay for their endeavour alone. It began to look as if it wasn’t going to their day until Alex Jakubiak – on his first start after arriving on loan from Watford – applied a smart finish to ensure his side will be in the hat when the draw is made later today.
“I think it was a fair result,” admitted St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin. “I was really pleased with how the players went about it in the first half. I felt we slightly shaded it in terms of quality and chances created.
“We were looking forward to the second half with the elements behind you but I don’t think we utilised the wind well enough.”
St Mirren were unable to name a defender on the substitute bench after Ryan Flynn was ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury on Friday.
That dearth of options took another turn for the worse when Lee Hodson hobbled off injured late in the game, with midfielder Cammy MacPherson filling in at full-back.
“It looks like Lee has done his harmstring,” added Goodwin. “We won’t know the extent of it until Monday when it settles down and we send him for a scan. It never rains but
it pours.”
Motherwell went in front after an opening period that saw Ilkay Durmus strike the post for St Mirren and
Hladky make some crucial saves to thwart the visitors’ attack.
They would not be denied, however, after 21 minutes. Hladky again looked to have broken Motherwell hearts by springing to keep out a Chris Long effort but could do little to similarly repel O’Hara’s rebound attempt that threatened to burst through the net.
St Mirren could have been level by the break but Mark Gillespie somehow kept out Jakubiak’s shot went it seemed destined to nestle in the net.
The home side finally got the reward their endeavour deserved after 74 minutes. Hodson slipped a pass to substitute Kyle McAllister who in turn played in Jakubiak.
The former Falkirk forward steadied himself before threading a shot low into the far corner of the net.
Durmus had another goalbound thump well saved by Gillespie but a draw – and a replay – was probably the right result.
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