St Mirren stunned champions Celtic with a first victory over the Hoops in Paisley for over a decade as they brought Ange Postecoglou’s side’s year-long unbeaten league run to an end.
Stephen Robinson celebrated his first victory over the Hoops as manager after his players produced a heroic effort to earn a shock victory for the Buddies. Mark O’Hara headed the home side in front just before half-time and Jonah Ayunga added a second after the break to leave the St Mirren fans in dreamland as they moved into third place in the table.
It ended Celtic’s perfect start to the league campaign and their unbeaten run after 38 Scottish Premiership games without defeat - a run that that was just a day short of 12 months since losing to Livingston last season. It gives Postecoglou - whose lead at the top is now two points - a bit to think about going into the international break, including whether he made too many changes with six alterations to the line up from midweek which might have backfired in Paisley.
It was a much-changed Hoops side with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Josip Juranovic both out of the defence and Aaron Mooy coming in for a start in midfield but nevertheless, on paper at least, it was still a strong Hoops line-up. However, they weren’t at their fluent best in the opening stages against a hard-working Buddies side who made life difficult for them. Neither side created any clear cut chances in the opening half hour.
But it was St Mirren who grabbed a shock lead before the break and at that time few could have argued with that. Celtic had been laboured and were caught out as Ryan Strain’s deep cross from the right was met by skipper O’Hara who bulleted a header beyond Joe Hart.
Postecoglou was forced to take action at the break with Jota and Reo Hatate on for Mooy and Daizen Maeda. But incredibly it was the home side who doubled their lead before the hour mark as the Paisley faithful went wild.
A long throw from Declan Gallagher caused all sorts of problems, skipper Callum McGregor only partially cleared it but Curtis Main nodded it back into the danger area and Ayunga outmuscled Stephen Welsh to send a close range header beyond a helpless Hart.
Postecoglou was stunned into action and Giorgos Giakoumakis and Sead Haksabanovic were thrown on in place of Liel Abada and David Turnbull. Yet St Mirren might even have had a third when O’Hara just failed to get a clean connection with another ball into the box that caused Celtic problems.
Matt O’Riley was introduced for Greg Taylor as the clock ticked down and it was getting to the desperation stage for the visitors but they couldn't conjure up a goal. Here's Record Sport's three talking points from Paisley.
Super Saints, Hoops out of sorts
So much of the focus will of course be on the champions who were so far off it in Paisley but St Mirren must take so much credit for an incredible performance. Stephen Robinson can be so proud of his players and it was a first win for the Buddies against the Hoops in Paisley since March 2010 - a 4-0 defeat that cost Tony Mowbray his job. There is no chance of such drastic consequences here but Ange Postecoglou can't escape criticism for making so many changes to his XI as his stand-ins failed to deliver.
Shades of grey
St Mirren were in action but not everything as black and white as the Buddies home kit clashed with Celtic’s new light grey third strip with both even wearing black shorts. The game was a hard watch at times up until the home side got the breakthrough to liven it up and trying to differentiate between the two sides was even harder. It must have been a challenge for the players and referee Don Robertson at times.
Ange appeal ignored
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou had urged the fans to follow the club in respecting the Queen during the minute’s applause but that fell on deaf ears for many. The visiting support unveiled a banner for the second time, this time with the message “If you hate the Royal Family clap your hands” and chanted that during the applause. Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker apologised in a week when the Hoops fans were slammed for anti-monarchy banners before their Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk. Postecoglou had said before the trip to Paisley: “There’s a minute’s applause, we will abide by whatever obligations and responsibilities we have as a football club. We will do that in a respectful manner. We want our supporters to do the same.”
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