A 90th minute leveller from Toyosi Olusanya gave St Mirren what had seemed like an unlikely lifeline as they survived a dominating Brann performance to take a draw to Norway for the second-leg of this third round Europa Conference League tie.
Felix Myhre had given Brann the breakthrough with 15 minutes of regulation time remaining after an evening in which St Mirren, encouraged by the heroics of keeper Ellery Balcombe, had defended resolutely. Myhre’s goal seemed to puncture their spirit before Olusanya came off the bench to bundle in a leveller.
There was another layer, too; as Brann looked to run the clock down in the latter stages of the game, Shaun Rooney had refused to throw the ball back to the Norwegians after another player had gone down complaining of cramp. St Mirren’s goal was not a direct return from the throw-in but it was enough to invoke a furious response from the visitors.
Not that Stephen Robinson was having any of it. “It was a minute after the throw [we scored]…the players refused to throw it back because they felt the player was time wasting,” he said. “I asked the boys about it and they felt they were time wasting as they kept going down with cramp. You could argue they are 16 games into their season and they are going down with cramp…you figure that out.”
It keeps the European dream alive, although St Mirren will be under no illusions as to the magnitude of the second leg challenge.
Balcombe, signed this summer on a season long loan from Brentford, was responsible for keeping the scoreline at bay as the visitors knocked the ball about with ease and repeatedly found a way through the St Mirren backline.
Brann looked to take an early grip of the game with St Mirren’s Marcus Fraser an early booking after he received a yellow after catching Felix Myhre late. With just seven minutes gone, it ensured a nervy tightrope for the defender.
The Norwegians looked to improve themselves immediately as they dominated possession without creating too many clear cut chances.
Bard Finne had a decent chance for the visitors when he lobbed an effort straight at Balcombe as those inside the SMiSA braced themselves for the ball hitting the back of the net.
Mikael Mandrin had the best chance of the half for St Mirren when he found himself collecting inside the box but he couldn’t get the ball under control and the chance was lost.
Alex Gogic and Jaden Brown were forced into some last ditch blocks as Brann looked to up the ante before Balcombe again keep Brann at bay as he denied Bård Finne for close range.
Joachim Soltvedt then dragged an effort wide of the target as Brann continued to knock on the door.
Saints might have snatched a lead just before the break when Mandron glanced a header just wide of the bottom right-hand post from Caolan Boyd-Munce’s free-kick with a set piece looking the most likely avenue for St Mirren to find any joy.
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Balcombe almost blotted his copybook with a rash moment when he attempted to usher the ball behind for a goal-kick just after the restart but fumbled and panicked and in the process fouled the Brann attacker. A yellow card and free-kick from Sander Kartum followed with Balcombe redeeming himself as he pushed the effort away.
Myhre gave Brann what was a deserved lead but St Mirren will be sore about the manner in which Brann claimed it.
Just as Stephen Robinson’s side thought they might take something from the game Myhre netted with 15 minutes of regulation time remaining, a sickener for the Paisley side given the passage of play that had led up to the goal.
As Balcombe and Alex Gogic celebrated the Cypriot’s goal-saving block on a night when St Mirren bodies had thrown everything they could to repel what was in front of them, Myhre – the best player on the park – lashed home a driving effort from Brann’s corner to finally find a way past Balcombe.
St Mirren roused themselves for a final push. Scott Tanser picked out James Scott who treed up Olusanya to bundle the ball into the net. They remain massive underdogs but it is a vital lifeline to hang on to.
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