This encounter may have ended with a share of the spoils but for the St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson it felt like a win after his side managed to salvage a point after playing most of the match a man down.
A moment of rashness from the midfielder Ethan Erhahon left his team-mates at a disadvantage just seven minutes into their first outing of 2023. Erhahon, who has been linked with a move to England, has been St Mirren’s only ever-present this season but will now miss Saturday’s game against Hearts.
The 21-year-old had clearly been annoyed when Christian Doidge landed heavily on top of him as they both attacked a high ball shortly beforehand. He hadn’t regained his composure by the time of his next aerial challenge, when he swung his arm into the face of Rory McKenzie.
The referee Grant Irvine showed him a straight red card, leaving St Mirren to survive with ten men for 83 minutes. His foolishness also penalized Eamonn Brophy: the former Scotland striker, making his first start since April due to injury, lasted only 15 minutes before being sacrificed for a defensive midfielder, Alex Gogic.
Robinson, however, praised the resilience of his players as they held on, fairly comfortably, for a draw to remain in fifth place.
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“To a man, my players were fantastic,” he said. “We’re very good at being hard to break down and very good without the ball. Curtis Main was like two players up front for us: he was fantastic. I’m not shocked because I felt very confident we wouldn’t lose the game.
“Nothing changed from our point of view, even after going down to ten men. I knew the application I would get from my players. We’re a team who don’t like conceding and don’t like getting beat.”
Kilmarnock produced a laboured display and while they amassed most of the possession they did precious little with it. Derek McInnes’ side remain in ninth place but Motherwell and Dundee United are both a solitary point behind them and each have a game in hand.
It took Kilmarnock 29 minutes to force a save from Trevor Carson, the Irishman diverting Blair Alston’s netbound 20-yarder at full stretch.
For long spells, though, Kilmarnock played as if they were the team with ten men. The visitors enjoyed sustained passages of possession and also forced a few corners after the restart, roared on by a sizeable travelling support.
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By midway through the second half the home fans’ frustration at their favourites’ inability to penetrate Robinson’s rearguard was beginning to transfer itself from the stands on to the pitch.
A cross-shot from Lewis Mayo fizzed inches high and wide of Carson’s right-hand post but the home side lacked the ingenuity to craft a clear-cut chance from open play, which is why McInnes, the Rugby Park manager, has prioritised signings in the forward positions during the transfer window.
Carson earned his bonus in the 82nd minute with a superb reflex save to touch over an emphatic Doidge header from Ben Chrisene’s inviting delivery.
“He had two outstanding saves from Alston and Doidge but, ultimately, we needed to work him more,” McInnes said.
“We either overhit the cross, hit the first man or slashed the shot rather than having the composure to stay on it and ask the question.
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“But you have to say St Mirren were comfortable in their shape as that’s the way they play.
“Sometimes you need a team to come out a little bit but they did their job well and we needed to do ours better in what was a real opportunity before the game and an even better one after the sending-off. We haven’t managed to take it.”
Kilmarnock (4-4-2): S Walker 6 — J Wright 6 (F Murray 75min), A Taylor 6, L Mayo 6, B Chrisene 6 — D Armstrong 4, B Alston 6 (J Jones 63, 4), R McKenzie 6, L Polworth 6 — S Robinson 5 (O Shaw 89) C Doidge 6. Booked McKenzie, Taylor.
St Mirren (3-5-2): T Carson 7 — M Fraser 6, D Gallagher 6, C Dunne 7 — R Strain 6 (J Shaughnessy 84), K Baccus 7, E Erhahon 2, G Kiltie 6 (R Flynn 78), S Tanser 6 — C Main 7 (A Greive 84), E Brophy 5 (A Gogic 15, 7). Booked Dunne, Gogic, Shaughnessy. Sent off Erhahon.
Referee G Irvine. Attendance 7,008.
