Callum McGregor and Wilfried Nancy involved in heated spat as feud turn personal and brutal
Superb St Mirren stun Celtic to win Premier Sports Cup – report, player ratings, star men and flops
St Mirren stunned Celtic to win the Premier Sports Cup with a 3-1 victory at Hampden Park.
The Buddies claimed their fifth major trophy – and the League Cup for the first time since 2013 – with an impressive performance over the holders in one of the greatest results in their 148-year history.
Striker Jonah Ayunga was the hero by netting two goals in the second half. Captain Marcus Fraser had given St Mirren an early lead but Celtic levelled through Reo Hatate midway through the first half.
Stephen Robinson’s players thoroughly deserved their victory. After leading the club to three top-six finishes in the Premiership and European football, the 51-year-old Northern Irishman now has a piece of silverware to put in the St Mirren trophy cabinet.
It was a horrendous afternoon for new Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy, who has lost his first three matches in charge of the club – all in the space of the week. His stuck with a back three and the defence once again looked leaky, while there wasn’t enough cohesion in attack.
Celtic fans directed their ire at the hierarchy once more, with chants of “sack the board” ringing around the national stadium. The day, however, belonged to the men from Paisley, who will party long into the night.
St Mirren broke the deadlock just two minutes in when Fraser met a Keanu Baccus corner kick and glanced the ball beyond Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel via the inside of the post.
Celtic’s defence started the game in a jittery fashion and Dan Nlundulu squirted an effort just past the post as the Buddies searched for a quick second goal.
The holders settled and put pressure on the St Mirren rearguard. Shamal George had to look very sharp to turn a Kelechi Iheanacho header away, but the resistance was broken on 22 minutes when Hatate slid in to drive home a Kieran Tierney cross at the far post.
The game settled thereafter, although Celtic were forced into a substitution before the break when Iheanacho – just back from a hamstring injury – pulled up when sprinting for a through ball. He was replaced by Johnny Kenny.
The second half was even until St Mirren scored again on 64 minutes. Alex Gogic stabbed a high looping ball into the Celtic box and Jonah Ayunga strolled in unmarked to head the ball over Schmeichel.
Celtic were becoming ragged and St Mirren punished them on the counter attack with a fine goal on 76 minutes. Miguel Freckleton sent Declan John free down the left and he squared for Ayunga to net his second goal of the game.
Celtic tried to find a way back into the game, with George making two excellent save to deny Colby Donovan on 83 minutes from a low, skidding shot and then Luke McCowan’s deflected effort in stoppage time.
The final whistle was greeted by wild celebrations from the St Mirren players and their supporters, while the despondent Celtic players looked crestfallen in the centre circle.
Top player
Jonah Ayunga wrote his name into St Mirren folklore with his two goals. The 28-year-old from Beaminster arrived in Paisley four years ago and has been front and centre of their recent success.
He took his goals very well and his physical strength unnerved the Celtic backline. He linked the play and gave St Mirren a focal point.
There were no failures in the St Mirren team, but Ayunga’s composure ensured the cup was going to Paisley.
Flop player
Take your pick from a number of Celtic players. Defensively they were disorganised and too often spooked by St Mirren’s physicality. Anthony Ralston, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales appeared unsettled by the back three they are being asked to operate.
Ahead of them, Callum McGregor could not exert his influence and Reo Hatate faded after a strong start.
Daizen Maeda continues to flounder in front of goal and it was noticeable how poor Celtic’s forward line became when Kelechi Iheanacho went off injured.
St Mirren v Celtic player ratings
St Mirren: George 8; Fraser 8, King 7, Freckleton 8; McMenamin 6 (Richardson 5), Baccus 7, Gogic 8, Phillips 7, John 8 (Tanser 5); Ayunga 9 (Mooney 5), Nlundulu 7 (Mandron 5).
Celtic: Schmeichel 5; Ralston 4 (Donovan n/a), Trusty 4, Scales 4; Tounekti 5 (Forrest n/a), McGregor 6, Engels 4 (Yang n/a), Hatate 6, Tierney 6 (McCowan n/a); Maeda 3, Iheanacho 6 (Kenny 3).
