St Mirren vs Dundee United. Scottish Premiership.
The SMiSA StadiumAttendance6,273.
Report and free match highlights from the cinch Scottish Premiership clash between St Mirren and Dundee United at the SMiSA Stadium as Alex Greive's 83rd-minute header sealed the three points that take the Buddies back to fourth
Saturday 22 October 2022 20:47, UK
Substitute Alex Greive scored a late winner as St Mirren defeated Dundee United 2-1 in an entertaining encounter at the SMiSA Stadium.
St Mirren had taken a first-half lead when Curtis Main's header ricocheted off the post before going in off the helpless United goalkeeper Carljohan Eriksson.
Dundee United substitute Steven Fletcher levelled shortly after the break, before referee Grant Irvine opted to chalk off Jonah Ayunga's strike for a foul in the build-up as VAR made an impact on the weekend of its introduction in the cinch Premiership.
However, the home side were not to be denied and Greive's flicked header proved to be the difference as St Mirren moved back up to fourth in the table.
The St Mirren team sheet had shown just one change from last weekend's home draw against Kilmarnock, as Scott Tanser came in for Declan Gallagher, while United boss Liam Fox opted to start with Ilmari Niskanen and Craig Sibbald as he made two changes to his side following their Premier Sports Cup defeat to Kilmarnock in midweek.
The match started in thrilling fashion and United almost took the lead in the fourth minute when St Mirren defender Richard Tait inadvertently poked towards his own goal but goalkeeper Trevor Carson reacted sharply to keep it out.
The hosts hit back, though, moments later, with Ayunga first seeing his shot deflected wide before Charles Dunne's header came back off the crossbar from the resulting corner.
St Mirren had the ball in the net in the 17th minute as Ryan Strain slid home following a strong break from Mark O'Hara, but the whistle had long since gone for a foul on Ryan Edwards.
The home side were well on top and Ayunga went close twice in quick succession, before they were almost hit by a sucker punch in the 38th minute as a misjudgement by Carson presented Tony Watt with an open goal but the striker's shot from range drifted agonisingly wide.
United were made to pay three minutes later, as Main rose highest to meet Tait's cross at the back post to find the net via the post and the back of the unfortunate Eriksson.
Main - who had terrorised the United defence with two goals in their match in August - was inches away from a goal again moments later as he crashed a left-footed shot off the bar from 25 yards.
St Mirren had dominated the first half but it was the visitors who started the second period on the front foot and they did not have to wait long to get back on level terms, as Fletcher made his mark only moments after being introduced.
Fletcher found himself in space in the six-yard box after Watt had knocked down Aziz Behich's deep cross and the former Scotland striker showed composure to control the ball and slide it past Carson with his right foot.
The drama continued just after the hour mark as Ayunga thought he had put the hosts back in front as he cut in from the right and unleashed a left-footed finish past Eriksson, only for referee Irvine to disallow the strike for a foul on Behich by Keanu Baccus after being sent to consult the pitchside monitor by VAR Alan Muir.
The home fans showed their frustration following the decision, but they were soon celebrating again before full-time as the hosts found the net again in the 83rd minute and this time the goal would stand.
Greive had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes as he found space to glance home Ethan Erhahon's inch-perfect cross to put the hosts back in front.
United had certainly played their part in an end-to-end contest and Scott McMann almost equalised in the last minute but his inswinging effort glanced the post as the Saints held on.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson admitted he did not over-celebrate Greive's late winner in case of a second VAR intervention.
Robinson said: "When Alex scored I went steady. I was steadier than I usually am. I thought, 'here we go, they will go back 25 minutes to see where that started!'.
"Credit to the officials, it's new for them too and they handled the situation well. It's different and everyone is getting used to it. It has played a big part in the weekend and maybe it adds to the excitement."
Although Robinson did not agree with the decision to disallow Ayunga's goal, he believes the introduction of the technology to the cinch Premiership this weekend is a step in the right direction.
"I have watched it back a few times and I disagree with it - but I am going to say that!" he said. "It's a fingernail, but it shows that there are still human decisions in this.
"The referees have the hardest job ever but it will certainly help them. It does slow down the game slightly but we will all have to get used to it. They won't get everything right because human eyes still have to judge it.
"Everyone is doing it to the best of their ability, it will probably speed up a bit as everyone gets used to it. It's a step in the right direction, we can't get left behind as a league or a country."
The Saints manager, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with the vacant Northern Ireland manager's job. "I have had no contact whatsoever. I have a hard enough job here without taking my focus off it. There isn't contact so there's no point speculating."
Reflecting on their defeat, Dundee United boss Liam Fox admits he knew he did not have an easy job on his hands, following back-to-back away defeats for his side.
He said: "We've come away with no points so I'm obviously hugely disappointed with that. Aspects of our game I thought were quite good today and there's stuff that we need to get better at quickly.
"We need to stop crosses coming into the box and we need to make better decisions, especially when we're on top in games.
"We've conceded a couple of goals when we've been on top in games so there are things we need to look at structurally and stuff to look at individually with players but I said this job was never going to be easy and we've got a full week's training before Motherwell so we need to get back to work."
Both teams are back in action at 3pm on Saturday October 29. St Mirren travel to Easter Road to face Hibernian, while Dundee United host Motherwell at Tannadice.
