by Holly McCormack at Somerset Park

St Mirren embarked on their first game of the pre-season tonight, in what was a 3-1 victory away against Ayr United. Goals from Michael Higdon, trialist Stephen Glass and John Potter sealed victory for the buds.

Danny Lennon had already stated that this would be a game of two halves, with a first eleven starting the first half and the second half being played by the named substitutes. This was to ensure that the players are worked backed into playing gently, and so they don't peak too soon. A number of trialists were bidding to stamp their authority on the game, and looking for a possible transfer deal. The trialists included American Niko Gkionis, Sean Lynch, Stephen Glass and a German defender, Michael Laletin.

St Mirren started the game brightly and created a few chances from the offset. Michael Higdon was keen to prove his worth to the new manager, and after just four minutes he linked up with Steven Robb, but his shot was blocked within the Ayr United box. It was Higdon again though who would show initiative and dispossess Bobby Donnelly, he then fooled Ayr keeper David Crawford to curl the ball into the bottom left hand corner. It was a well taken goal from the St Mirren number nine and just the start to the game that St Mirren were looking for.

Ayr United were not there just to make up the numbers though and immediately after Saints went ahead, Ayr created a few chances themselves. Steven McKeown thought he was through on goal but the ball ran away from him and it was no problem for Saints number one, Paul Gallacher. Seconds later it was Bobby Donnelly who tried his luck, but Gallacher was more than up to the task and had the loose ball covered. Ayr continued to press for an equaliser though and after ten minutes they had another long range effort on goal, but it was well out. Minutes later it was Alistair Woodburn who would try his luck for Ayr, but again this was no problem for Gallacher.

St Mirren were also creating plenty chances. The game tonight saw the return to St Mirren for David van Zanten, and as ever proved to be a rock in defence. After twenty minutes of play, Garry Brady sent it long to an advancing van Zanten, but it was just too long and went out for a goal kick. van Zanten moments later combined well with Jon McShane, but St Mirren were unlucky again to not double their tally. Another trialist who was out to impress tonight was American Niko Gkionis and he nearly scored from the head after a van Zanten cross, but the ball was confidently taken by David Crawford.

Ayr United were rewarded for their consistent pressure on the Saints goal, with a goal after thirty-one minutes. It was Woodburn who played the pass to Andy Rodgers, who made mince meat of the St Mirren defence. Rodgers dazzled the ball past both Peter Bradley and Jure Travner, and curled the ball past Gallacher to level the match. It was a well taken goal by the Ayr frontman and well deserved from the home team.

Higdon looked to double his tally and nearly had the chance when Donnelly lost possession to allow Higdon through, but the eventual ball went out of play and the game remained level. Just minutes later he had another chance when Robb played in a free kick from the left hand side, the ball sailed past Niko Gkionis, who really should have had a touch on it and it flashed past the head of Higdon. It was McShane who had the final say in the first half when he never took full advantage of a Robb free kick, his swirling shot just wide.

Half-time: Ayr United 1-1 St Mirren

The second half saw a completely different Saints side emerge, with Danny Lennon opting to give all players a forty-five minute run out. Niko Gkionis would be hoping he had done enough to impress in the first half, and three new trialists took to the field: Sean Lynch, Stephen Glass and German defender Michael Laletin.

It was nearly a dream debut performance for new signing, Gareth Wardlaw. Just minutes into the second half he was through on goal, but his final touch was just wide of the Ayr goal. It would have been a great start to full time football for the ex Cowdenbeath striker. Ayr also rung the changes in the second half with a number of trialists looking to impress for the Second Division side, including a Portuguese player named Fabio who continued to cause havoc up the right hand side of the pitch.

Wardlaw had his chance again with only twenty minutes left in the game, but saw another promising shot just dwindle wide. Also keen to impress was 21-year-old German, Michael Laletin who put in a solid performance throughout the second half and nearly scored when his header bounced off the crossbar.

St Mirren were to take advantage again in this game and it was yet another trialist who would smash the ball into the net from thirty yards. Stephen Glass took advantage of the goalkeeper being off his line, to deliver a thirty yard shot into an empty net. It was a well taken shot and Glass did well to avoid the defenders tracking back to defend the goal, and St Mirren took a deserved 2-1 lead.

St Mirren would again stamp their authority over their Second Division opponents, with a third goal just before full time. It was Club captain John Potter who initially mis-hit a shot with his left foot, to coolly collect and smash home on his right, and to wrap up the game at 3-1.

The performance from both St Mirren sides was pleasing and there was certainly nobody in the team who looked out of place, and hopefully as the team continue to expand and develop, we will become sharper in our next game which is against Dumbarton, on Monday night.

All four trialists who played for St Mirren tonight will be looking to impress Danny Lennon and they all definitely contributed positively to the match, and hopefully they will get another chance to prove themselves next week. It may have been raining heavily throughout the game but we can certainly take a lot of positives from this pre-season game, as we look to continue to strengthen the squad.

Full-time: Ayr United 1-3 St Mirren

Ayr United: Crawford, Trialist, Woodburn, Donnelly, Campbell, McKeown, Trouten, Keenan, Rodgers, Trialist, Easton.
Subs: Tiffany, Robertson, Trialist (GK), Trialists - Connoly, Johnson, Arbuckle, Ferreria, Vickers.

St Mirren (1st half): Gallacher, van Zanten, Travner, Murray, McGregor, Bradley, Gkionis*, Brady, Higdon, McShane, Robb.

St Mirren (2nd half): Samson, Love, Lynch*, Potter, Glass*, Faulds, Thomson, Dargo, Wardlaw, Laletin*, Barron.

* - Trialist

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