St Mirren

The Sportscene team analyse Mikael Mandron's performance and goal in St Mirren's defeat to title-chasing Rangers.

We asked for your views after St Mirren's narrow defeat to Rangers.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

William: In this game of missed chances we could have won it but we were left sharing the frustration with Stephen Robinson. Deserving won't get you points, putting the ball in the net does. The effort could not be faulted and that same effort needs to go into the remaining games. We have come this far!

Ryan: Tremendous performance from the boys, couldn’t have asked any more. Undone by perplexing decisions made by officials. Rangers winning goal a clear foul on our defender and another - yes, without crying conspiracy - ANOTHER clear red card for Butland on Olusanya. The phrase 'chance ye got?' comes to mind. On to Dens.

Dougie: Very unfortunate not to get at least a point yesterday, if not all three. Butland saved Rangers from a defeat. Special mention for Alex Gogic, he was immense (as he has been all season ). The commitment and determination to save Saints from losing a third goal with his clearance characterising his attitude, absolutely amazing.

What a warrior Alex Gogic is.

His St Mirren side may have conceded two goals as Rangers picked up an important three points, but the Cypriot still marshalled the defence with authority.

That goalline clearance to deny Tom Lawrence in injury time was worth a spot in the team of the week by itself.

St Mirren have opened talks with Crystal Palace over signing centre-half Kofi Balmer with the London club prepared to allow the 23-year-old, who joined from Larne two years ago and is currently on loan to Wimbledon, to cut short his contract and leave for free this summer. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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• St Mirren have lost their last three games in the Scottish Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 28 November 2023 to 6 December 2023.

• Rangers have scored in 31 of their 34 games, more often than any other team in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Mikael Mandron has scored eight goals this season (1 in this game), more than any other St Mirren player in the Scottish Premiership.

• James Tavernier has assisted nine goals this season (1 in this game), more than any other Rangers player in the Scottish Premiership.

Were you at SMISA Stadium or watch St Mirren's 2-1 defeat by Rangers on TV?

Give us your thoughts on on the match here.

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Stephen Robinson expressed "frustration" after another good performance against the Old Firm ended with defeat for St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

"We have been fantastic and played a very good style of football," the Buddies manager told BBC Scotland. "We have just not managed to get over the line with those two results.

"We had a lot chances to win the game never mind get a point out of it and they showed great quality."

Rangers took the lead through a James Bolton own goal and, although Mikael Mandron equalised soon after, Cyriel Dessers scored the visitors' winner with 15 minutes remaining.

"The frustration is the two goals - they were both very much avoidable - and the belief I have in the squad," Robinson said.

"I think we've got the talent in the football club to get more out of these games. We just didn't have the quality to finish it off today."

It left fifth-top St Mirren two points clear of Dundee, who hosted leaders Celtic in Sunday's later kick-off, in their head-to-head battle for European qualification.

Robinson added that "we'll take the positives" into what he views as a "massive" game.

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That St Mirren had as many shots on target - five of them - in the first half alone as they had in the previous three meetings with Rangers this season is evidence of how close Stephen Robinson's side came to delivering a blow to the visitors' title hopes despite their 2-1 defeat.

They had lost their previous four games against the Ibrox side by an aggregate of 9-0 - and the latest three in Paisley by seven goals.

However, they showed they are worthy of a second top-six finish in a row and, despite suffering a third straight defeat, will emerge with renewed confidence that they can improve on last season's failure to win after the Premiership split.

Where, though, would Rangers be without Jack Butland?

The English goalkeeper again produced a string of fine saves without which his side's title hopes might have withered in the Paisley sunshine.

Up front, the absence of on-loan Brighton & Hove Albion forward Abdallah Sima through injury again left Rangers struggling to break down a defence superbly marshalled by Alex Gogic.

Clement, though, will simply point to his players' ability to emerge victorious at a crucial time of the season - and in difficult circumstances - to hoist pressure back on city rivals Celtic.

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On-loan Celtic midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu will miss the final games of the season on loan to St Mirren through injury.

The 23-year-old was ineligible to face parent club last weekend.

But, talking to BBC Scotland before Sunday's visit by Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, Buddies manager Stephen Robinson explained the Korean's latest absence by revealing: "Unfortunately, we’ve lost Kwon for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury."

Kwon had made nine appearances, all starts, for the Paisley side since joining on loan in January.

Right-back Ryan Strain has recovered from injury to start for St Mirren against Rangers in one of four changes made by Stephen Robinson following last weekend's 3-0 defeat by Celtic.

But fellow Australia international Keanu Baccus, who has been ill all week, drops to the bench along with forward Toyosi Olusanya and defenders Richard Taylor and Elvis Bwomono.

Conor McMenamin replaces Baccus in midfield, while defender James Bolton and striker Mikael Mandron also come into the starting line-up.

Greg Kiltie is fit enough to retain his place after recovering from the knock that forced the forward off at Celtic Park.

Left-back Borna Barisic returns to Rangers' starting line-up, with Dujon Sterling moving forward to a midfield role and Fabio Silva taking the other wing berth.

Rabbi Matondo joins fellow forward Abdallah Sima, who came off in last week's Scottish Cup semi-final win over Hearts, in missing out.

Centre-half Connor Goldson is left on the bench for a second game running.

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St Mirren: Hemming, Strain, Bolton, Gogic, Fraser, Tanser, O'Hara, Boyd-Munce, McMenamin, Mandron, Kiltie.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Dunne, Taylor, Bwomono, Brown, Baccus, Jamieson, Scott, Olusanya.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Balogun, Souttar, Barisic, Lundstram, Diomande, Cantwell, Sterling, Silva, Dessers.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Goldson, Lawrence, Dowell, Wright, Roofe, Davies, Raskin, McCausland.

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St Mirren forward Jonah Ayunga (knee) is ruled out. Keanu Baccus has been ill all week and Greg Kiltie has just returned to training after coming off against Celtic and they will be assessed along with Ryan Strain, who had a slight niggle.

Rangers attacker Abdallah Sima misses out after coming off early in last week's win over Hearts with what looked a hamstring issue.

Left-back Ridvan Yilmaz and midfielder Ryan Jack will return to training next week while Danilo (knee) and Oscar Cortes (muscle) are likely to miss the rest of the season.

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Marcus Fraser says St Mirren haven't given up hope of catching fourth-placed Kilmarnock as they chase down a spot in European football.

The Paisley side trail Derek McInnes' men by eight points, while Dundee lie just two points behind the Buddies in sixth.

"It's about us trying to get as many points as we can in these last five games," Fraser said.

"Kilmarnock have been on a decent run and are a wee bit ahead of us, but you never know what can happen. We need to concentrate on ourselves.

"The European spot is up for grabs, we know how hard it is going to be and we don’t want to take our eye off the ball.

"Last year we made the top six for the first time in a long while. We’re not just standing still. We want to get better and push up that league.’’

Stephen Robinson has challenged his players to pick up their first "marquee result" of the season when they host Rangers on Sunday.

While expecting a tough challenge from the title-chasing visitors, Fraser insists there's confidence in the St Mirren ranks.

"There’s a belief, there’s got to be," he added. "The big factor for us is that we’re at home, we’ve got a lot of fans behind us which is really big for us.

"Of course, we know Rangers are a good side. They are still in the title race so they’re going to be coming here all guns blazing, so we need to match that."

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Stephen Robinson and his side have given St Mirren fans a product worth watching, says chief operating officer Keith Lasley.

The Paisley side have enjoyed increased attendances this season as they strive for a spot in Europe after securing top six, with their most recent game against Hearts contested in front of a sold-out crowd.

Lasley says the improved atmosphere is due to hard work on and off the park, with plans to grow the club further.

"To see the gradual growth, credit's got to go to the manager and the players for creating a product that fans want to come and see," he said.

"Hopefully we can do our bit off the pitch that makes an atmosphere that's comfortable and enjoyable. If you put those two things together, hopefully the fans will buy into it.

"We want to try and do what we can to hook as many people into St Mirren. We feel as if we're making progress, but there's still a lot to do."

With a top-five finish needed to secure European football, Lasley has warned against complacency in the final weeks of the campaign.

"Stephen and his football staff have done another fantastic job, another top-six finish," he added. "It's got to be commended in terms of our competitors.

"It's down to a lot of hard work. It's not a time for giving ourselves a pat on the back. It's time for kicking on. We know what the potential rewards can be now, all focus turns to that."

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Stephen Robinson says leading St Mirren to European football for the time since 1987 would make it easier to attract players.

However, a top-five finish probably wouldn’t lead to his budget being increased for next season.

The Northern Irishman says next term’s finances were agreed before the split.

"The board are very good, we know what parameters we work under. We get supported as much as we possibly can to push on and grow the club," said Robinson.

"I knew my budget before the top six, it’s slightly raised so we might get another player.’’

Robinson is already working hard to attract players for the next campaign while they look to secure a trip to the continent.

"We’ve had lots of talks, we have lots of things ready to go waiting for final answers and for people to speak to their own parent clubs," he added.

"We’ve had a couple that have let us down, a couple that maybe agreed pre-contracts that have been enticed elsewhere.

"The English season finishes for a lot of people on Saturday and we have a lot of irons in the fire and hopefully things will start falling into place in the next couple of weeks.

"Europe would help attract players and raise our profile when you are selling the club."

European qualification would also be a fitting reward for people who work tirelessly behind the scenes at the club, Robinson believes.

"People don’t see the hard work that goes into the club," he said.

"There’s people at the stadium who work long hard hours; the cooks the cleaners, people come here at 6am and clean the building.

"We’d love to do it for them because a lot of them are St Mirren fans and have been here for a long time. All the people at the club deserve that success for their work and we aim to give them that."

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• St Mirren have lost 18 of the last 19 top-flight meetings with Rangers since a 2-1 win in December 2011.

• Rangers have won eight of their last nine league trips to St Mirren (D1), keeping seven clean sheets in the process.

• St Mirren have lost three of their last four league games (D1), including both of their last two; only from November-December have they lost three in a row in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Rangers have only won one of their last five league games (D2 L2), this after winning nine in a row beforehand. The Ibrox side are winless in three Scottish Premiership matches (D2 L1), last going four without a win in the competition in February 2017.

• Rangers' Jack Butland has recorded 18 clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership this season, at least four more than any other goalkeeper, and the most by an Ibrox shot-stopper in the top flight since Allan McGregor in 2010-11 (also 18).

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to welcome Rangers on Sunday afternoon.

Here are the key points:

• Relishing the challenge of bettering last season's league position of sixth, saying the ultimate goal has to be qualifying for Europe.

• Believes there's no pressure on his side in the post-split fixtures and they approach them with "no fear".

• However, Robinson notes St Mirren are yet to have a "marquee result" against Celtic or Rangers - something he aims to change in the final five games of the campaign.

• The group has been concentrating on the mental side of the game, specifically decision making, as that determines what level players are at.

• Budget already determined for next season, though European qualification may provide scope for one more player.

• A place in Europe would be a "reward" not just for the playing squad and management, but also those who work behind the scenes, many of whom are St Mirren fans and love the club.

Rangers are keeping close tabs on St Mirren teenager Ethan Sutherland, who has been linked with Manchester City and Chelsea after the Premier League duo recently sent scouts to watch the 17-year-old as he impressed on the wing and at left-back on loan to Alloa Athletic. (Football Insider), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

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It's a tough start to post-split life for St Mirren as they host title-chasing Rangers in Paisley on Sunday lunchtime.

With the Ibrox side struggling for league form in recent weeks, can Stephen Robinson hatch a plan that sees the Buddies beat them?

Who would be in your starting line-up? Pick your team here.