Mark O’Hara was delighted to pick up his first goal in St Mirren colours so quickly in Belfast.
And the Saints summer signing hopes their pre-season trip to Northern Ireland helps the Paisley club lay the foundations for a successful campaign ahead.
The Buddies first clash of their new campaign couldn’t have gone more smoothly, with the Saints easing to a 3-0 victory against Crusaders.
Academy youngsters Fraser Taylor and Lewis Jamieson combined to force home the opener, grabbed by the latter, before O’Hara nodded home from fellow new recruit Ryan Strain’s pinpoint cross just before half-time.
Teenage forward Keiran Offord grabbed the third after producing a fine finish from Jonah Ayunga’s clever pass, who also made his first appearance in the club’s new home kit.
St Mirren fielded an entirely different XI in each half, and O’Hara believes the trip to will stand the club in great stead heading into their first competitive fixture next week.
When asked if he was pleased to be among the scorers, O’Hara told St Mirren TV: “Definitely. It was a great cross from Ryan and I was there at the right place at the right time.
“It was nice to get off the mark so quickly. I like to arrive late in the box so hopefully if there’s crosses like that then I’ll be able to get a few more.
“It was beneficial, a good run out for us all getting 45 minutes under our belt. We played some good stuff and came away with a good win.
“We put in the hard work last week so it was good to get back on the pitch. We were feeling fresh and sharp and hopefully we can build on that.
“I’ve really enjoyed it so far. There’s a great feeling around the place and I think it’s a great set-up.
“There’s a great opportunity for us to be successful this season.
“It’s going to be a tough week, but it’s great to get away together and get some team bonding done.
“There’s a lot of new boys involved, so hopefully we will come away from it stronger and ready for the season ahead.”
While determined not to focus to much on the result, Saints boss Stephen Robinson admitted it was nice to make a winning start to the 2022/23 campaign.
He was keen to praise the performances of several of the club’s academy stars, who more than held their own at the Seaview Stadium.
Robinson said: “It was a great fitness exercise. I thought the first half we were very good. We told the boys to put our style and our stamp on it and we’re getting that balance right in terms of when to pass and when to play.
“We made sure we put a lot of passes and crosses into the box and create chances. We hit the woodwork twice and had numerous chances, so all-in-all it was a good 45 minutes for everybody.
“There were some very, very good performances from the young players. I thought they were excellent.
“As a manager you get a real buzz, because they’re our players. Young Murray Campbell is only 15 and was playing against really experience Irish league players and coped really well.
“Kieran Offord scores, still only 17. Dylan Reid was in there. Fraser Taylor was excellent in midfield too.
“Lewis Jamieson, the first time he’s really been with me, scored and hit the post.
“So there’s some really good performances and they’ll be a big part of the squad. They will get their opportunity.”
