St Mirren 1 Hibernian 0 - Early Keanu Baccus goal the difference as Saints clinch third successive league victory

The Buddies have kept three clean sheets in a row for the first time since December 2008.
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Keanu Baccus’ early goal ended St Mirren’s wretched record against Hibernian to consign the Capital club to their fourth Premiership match without a win.

The Buddies had won just one of their last 13 top-flight meetings with the Hibees but two of Stephen Robinson’s summer signings linked up to great effect in the sixth minute to keep the points in Paisley.

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Following a slow start to the campaign, Saints are now beginning to show positive signs of improvement as they celebrated a third successive win.

Keanu Baccus celebrates in front of the Hibs support after opening the scoring for St Mirren. Picture: SNSKeanu Baccus celebrates in front of the Hibs support after opening the scoring for St Mirren. Picture: SNS
Keanu Baccus celebrates in front of the Hibs support after opening the scoring for St Mirren. Picture: SNS

Robinson believes there is still “a lot to more to come” from his new-look side as they begin to reginite a creative spark that was lacking at times last season.

He said: “It’s no surprise to me. I think when you’ve got the type of boys that we have that are well organised, disciplined and very hard to break down then you will pick up points.

“If you look at the game, overall, they created two chances; one in the first half which just goes wide and one in the second half where Trevor Carson makes a brilliant save. I thought we defended brilliantly.

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“The game should’ve been out of sight, we had four or five one-on-ones that we passed up, but it was a real disciplined performance without us being at our very best.

“As a collective, we know what we’re trying to do here. It doesn’t always work but we’ve brought some good players in that I felt we were missing last year in terms of adding pace and energy.

“We’ve only changed 30 per cent of the squad and I think we’ve found a way that suits the players the boys that we’ve brought in.

“We’ve got an identity around how we want to play. It’s a case of people taking their opportunities when they get them.”

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Robinson also heaped praise on goal scorer Baccus for his display in front of interested onlookers at the SMISA Stadium.

A disgruntled Hibs support watch on as Keanu Baccus gives St Mirren the lead early in the match in Paisley. Picture: SNSA disgruntled Hibs support watch on as Keanu Baccus gives St Mirren the lead early in the match in Paisley. Picture: SNS
A disgruntled Hibs support watch on as Keanu Baccus gives St Mirren the lead early in the match in Paisley. Picture: SNS

He explained: “Keanu will feel he probably should’ve had a hat-trick. I think the Australian national team were watching him and Ryan Strain today, so they’ve done themselves absolutely no harm in terms of getting into their World Cup squad.

“We’ve been working on Keanu’s finishing as he’s been getting into great positions and he gives us high energy just like Mark O’Hara and Ethan Erhahon - they’ve formed a good combination.”

The home side were looking to keep a hat-trick of clean sheets for the first time since December 2008 and despite allowing their opponents plenty of the ball in the early exchanges they opened the scoring with their first attack of the game.

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Right wing-back Ryan Strain flicked the ball expertly round Marijan Cabraja before turning past the full-back and sending a teasing low ball across to pick out fellow countryman Baccus, who swept home first time into the bottom corner.

It took Hibs until the 23rd minute to register their first attempt on goal when Chris Cadden glanced header wide of the target from inside the box.

Chris Cadden was one of the few players to impress for Hibs in Paisley. Picture: SNSChris Cadden was one of the few players to impress for Hibs in Paisley. Picture: SNS
Chris Cadden was one of the few players to impress for Hibs in Paisley. Picture: SNS

The visitors were almost level on the half hour mark when Ryan Porteous’ cross from the left was nodded inches past the far post by lone striker Christian Doidge.

Saints were next to threaten just two minutes later when Marcus Fraser’s deep cross towards the back post was headed downwards by Mark O’Hara, forcing Hibs keeper David Marshall into diverting the ball behind for a corner.

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Hibs, who had won six of their last seven visits to Paisley, stepped up the pressure in the second half and Elie Youan somehow managed to drag an effort wide of the target with with the goal at his mercy after latching on to Cadden’s delivery.

Moments later Joe Newell tried his luck from 20 yards and the midfielder’s low drive was seemingly destined for the bottom corner only for Trevor Carson to produce a brilliant one-handed diving save.

Hibs boss Lee Johnson reverted to a change in formation midway through the second half, throwing players forward in a desperate attempt to avoid defeat, but it left his side severly exposed at the back.

Élie Youan fires just wide early in the second halfÉlie Youan fires just wide early in the second half
Élie Youan fires just wide early in the second half

Curtis Main almost doubled the hosts lead after meeting a cross before substitute Eamonn Brophy struck the inside of a post from close range.

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Baccus then twice had the goalkeeper to beat after finding himself in behind the Hibs defence, but on both occasions he failed to hit the target.

Deflated Hibs manager Johnson is still searching for a “complete performance” and admitted his side lacked a killer instinct as their stuttering start to the season continued.

He said: “I’m massively disappointed, especially after last week’s comeback (against Rangers). We had a good week of training to set ourselves up to get points on the board but we failed on it miserably.

“We had good control of the game in the first six or so minutes, although they probably allowed us that and then from their first real attack we made two bad decisions, followed by a weak challenge and then don’t cover the important zone.

St Mirren were backed by an appreciative support.  (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)St Mirren were backed by an appreciative support.  (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
St Mirren were backed by an appreciative support. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
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“It was a soft goal to concede and for a team like St Mirren it gave them a position of strength and an opportunity to be solid and counter on us, which they did.

“There’s no hiding it, we just didn’t have the quality entering the final third. Most of our attacks ended up fizzling out and it seems like a bit of a pattern is repeating itself.

“We’ve got to look deep into what we can do to turn it around quickly. We need to be more organised, our decision making needs to improve and we need to upgrade the quality, which isn’t easy.”

St Mirren: Carson, Tait, O’Hara, Ayunga (Brophy; 66), Main (Kiltie; 75), Erhahon (Gogic; 78), Baccus, Dunne, Fraser, Strain, Gallagher

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Unused: Urminsky (GK), Shaughnessy, Flynn, Henderson, Greive, Offord

Hibernian: Marshall, Cabraja (Stevenson; 69), Hanlon, Porteous, Doyle-Hayes, Doidge (Bojang; 86), Newell, Cadden (Miller; 86), Youan (Melkersen; 57), Campbell (Henderson; 69), Boyle

Unused: Schofield (GK), Kenneh, Tavares, McGregor

Referee: Graham Grainger

Attendance: 5,343 (1,456 away)

GlasgowWorld Man of the Match: Keanu Baccus (St Mirren)

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