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Jim Goodwin: St Mirren strikers need to find their scoring touch

Jim Goodwin: St Mirren strikers need to find their scoring touch
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Saints drew 0-0 with East Kilbride in the Betfred Cup before losing on penalties.

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin insists his misfiring forwards need to find their scoring touch to have any chance of salvaging their Betfred Cup campaign.

The Paisley outfit's hopes of progressing from the group are slim following their penalty shootout defeat to Lowland League side East Kilbride after a goalless draw.

St Mirren dominated the game but were unable to break down East Kilbride's defence and get the better of goalkeeper Alan Martin.

Saints required a last-minute penalty to defeat Edinburgh City last Wednesday and Goodwin knows they must carry more of a threat in the final third.

He said: "We expected to win the game and I thought we had enough on the park to do that. We just couldn't break them down.

"It's concerning. In the last two games you would expect us to dominate possession and be in control of the game, which I felt we were.

"But we're lacking creativity and urgency at the top end of the pitch. Apart from the first half against Dunfermline, defensively we've looked all right. The problems are at the other end.

"We should be able to break down these teams, although they make it difficult for you putting 10 men behind the ball.

"We had some good chances and their goalkeeper ends up as man of the match and deservedly so. He made some great saves.

"But the bottom line is we're the Premiership team playing a team from the Lowland League. We should have enough out there to win the game."

St Mirren have picked up just four points from their three Betfred Cup group games and Goodwin knows even if they win their final match against Albion Rovers on Tuesday they will have an anxious wait to see if they will progress.

He said: "We should have been looking ahead to Tuesday with an opportunity to win the group. As it stands we're still in but I can't remember too many teams winning a group with seven points.

"If we do then that will be something else.

"We have to try and pick ourselves up, play Albion Rovers on Tuesday and try to win the game and see where it leaves us. It's as simple at that."

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General view of St Mirren Park from 2009
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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