Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren side will have to wait to confirm their top six place after Theo Bair earned Motherwell a point at Fir Park with a scrappy second-half leveller. The striker cancelled out Marcus Fraser’s first-half goal at Fir Park to claim his 12th goal of the season – and ensure that Saints can’t celebrate that second successive top six placing just yet.
St Mirren will be irked that they did not put the game to bed, particularly in a second period when they had enjoyed the bulk of possession and chances; Toyosi Olusanya and Keane Baccus both scorned chances to double the lead of Stephen Robinson’s side before Motherwell levelled the scores.
Motherwell had looked the more menacing of the two sides in the opening exchanges. Theo Bair dragged an effort wide after Jack Vale had slipped the striker in behind the Saints defence. With an offside flag up, it wouldn’t have counted although it did set out an attacking intention from the hosts.
Georgie Gent almost brought the opener just minutes later when he cut inside and whacked an effort off the post. The ball fell into Bair’s path but his effort was blocked.
St Mirren survived those opening minutes before finding their feet. Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly was forced to use his feet to deny an effort from Toy Olusanya after the striker had unleashed a low effort from just inside the box.
Ryan Strain came closer again when he thumped a rasping free-kick over the wall and onto the crossbar with the rebound also headed against the woodwork from the head of Mikael Mandron.
It was a stay of execution as the visitors took the lead. A corner caused all manner of issues for Motherwell with Andy Halliday skimming the ball. It fell to Fraser who had the simple task of knocking it into the net from close range.
Halliday switched off again to gift St Mirren another chance they ought to have taken. As Halliday allowed the ball to run across him in the box, Scott Tanser collected but he lashed his effort over the bar.
St Mirren lost James Bolton to injury before Strain failed to reappear after the break.
It did not upset their rhythm. Keanu Baccus thought he’d doubled St Mirren’s lead when he sent a low effort narrowly wide.
The miss proved costly as Bair restored parity. Jack Vale’s cross was headed on by Stephen O’Donnell with Bair bundling the ball into the net at the back post.
It was a frustrating outcome for St Mirren but for Motherwell it could prove to be an important point. Top six remains highly improbable but, with two games to go before the split, is a slim possibility.
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