Craig Samson says keeping his 40th clean sheet for St Mirren in Saturday's win over Brechin City was a nice personal accolade, but admits all focus remains on the team achieving their targets this season.

Saturday's clean sheet was Samson's fourth of 2018, 11th of the season and 40th overall for Saints.

But with 10 important games left this season starting this Friday against Dundee United, Samson says the most important thing is the team.

The Buddies are currently 17 points clear of United heading into this weekend's match though The Terrors have three games in hand. 

It's a big match for both sides and one Samson says will be be good for all involved.

Speaking after Saturday's win over Brechin, Samson said: "It was important to keep the wee run of clean sheets going.

We have been good with them in this quarter despite losing quite heavily to Livingston. In terms of games I think we have had five in this quarter so far. I wasn't aware that was 40 I had for St Mirren but it's a nice little achievement. It's more about the end goal of this season and what we can achieve as a team. 

"We know where we are at the moment. We know that teams are chasing us but it's a game at a time. The more games that we win then the harder it is for teams to catch us. If we just keep going the way we've been going then we'll be fine.

"Livingston are on a great run at the moment, Morton are on a great run at the moment but we've only lost two games since December and that's a massive achievement for the football club. If we take care of our own business then we can finish the job off but there's a long way to go. Friday night is a massive game. We know how good Dundee United can be. We are going into the game trying to get all three points. 

"It's a good one for everyone involved," he continued. "It's a good one for the fans, the players, the staff, everybody. But I think at the moment they are all good ones.

"If you look at the crowd we had on Saturday it was fantastic. It was Brechin at home and there was over 4000 people there which is really really good.

"The club is galvanised and no matter whether it is Dundee United or anyone else we are going into games in a positive state of mind. Dundee United will hopefully take care of itself when we go up there. We know what is at stake, they know what is at stake and it should be a good match for everyone to watch."

Saints got back to winning ways on Saturday with the 1-0 win over Brechin after defeat away to Livingston the previous week.

Some in the press had questioned The Buddies' performance but Samson disagrees with that assessment.

I read a couple of things from different media outlets at the weekend saying that we stuttered over the line against Brechin at the weekend," he said.

"Brechin are a side that are probably deserving of results they not had this season. We've only beaten them 2-1, 2-1 and 1-0. It's not as if at the beginning of the season we gave them a spanking 5 or 6-0.

"We took the game very seriously on Saturday and knew it was going to be very tricky. 1-0 is a good result and it's three points. If we keep ticking off three points off it doesn't matter whether you are getting three points against Brechin, whether you are getting three points against Falkirk, Dundee United, Livingston etc. they all just count the same. If we can go and keep winning matches then we know what we can achieve.

"I think the first 20 minutes of the game we were very dominant in the match and we could have been a few goals up. But credit to Brechin, they hung in there at that point it stayed at 1-0 and they knew if they could get to 1-0 at half time they'd have an opportunity in the game. They came and gave a good show of themselves.

"Whether we were at our best or not, they did very well and they deserve credit for the way they played. We won the match 1-0, we've came away happy, we've won the game and we move on to Friday night."

St Mirren have scored 70 goals this season. Can you name every St Mirren goalscorer in 2017/18? 

Take the quiz below and see if you can get all 17 in four minutes.

St Mirren in the Community is currently recruiting dynamic, motivated and enthusiastic coaches to deliver a diverse range of community football programmes and initiatives, in and around the Paisley and Renfrewshire areas.

Successful candidates will be self-motivated, open minded and certified to a minimum level 1.2 'Coaching Young Footballers' on the Scottish Football Association's coach education pathway.

Role: Part Time - working under direction from the Community Manager

Location(s): Based at The Paisley 2021 Stadium and locations throughout Renfrewshire

Days/Times: Various - Monday-Sunday, daytime and evenings

The post requires:
- Children's pathway - Minimum Level 1.2 'Coaching Young Footballers'

An excellent opportunity has arisen to join the St Mirren in the Community team. We are seeking to recruit exceptional individuals who are good communicators to play a pivotal role in our mission to provide first community programmes and initiatives using the power of football for the people of Paisley and Renfrewshire. 

The applicant will: 

1. Have an unrivalled passion for delivering community football programmes and initiatives
2. Proactively promote the consistent application of St Mirren in the Community's mission, values and beliefs

Skills Match:

Essential 

• Minimum requirements of level 1.2 'Coaching Young Footballers'
• Good leadership and organisational skills
• A confident and vibrant personality
• Availability to take part in daytime, evening and weekend work
• PVG Scheme disclosure

Desirable

• Sports First Aid or equivalent qualification/training
• A current driving licence and access to a car

If you think that you could enhance the St Mirren in the Community team, please send your CV and cover letter to ross.paterson@stmirren.com. 

Only successful applicants will be contacted.

St Mirren Football Club is an Equal Opportunities Employer. This post includes regulated work with children and all offers are subject to references and a PVG Scheme membership.

St Mirren chairman Gordon Scott was presented with the Scottish Fans Supporters Association's (SFSA) Best Family Club award for 2017 at Saturday's match against Brechin City. The award was presented on behalf of the SFSA by Buddies, Euan and Murray McAllister. 

The SFSA is a not-for-profit members body open to everyone and currently has over 70,000 members. The award came following their second Scottish Fan Awards poll to their members.

The presentation of the award followed a fun-filled afternoon in the St Mirren Family Stand that saw local community groups given the chance to buy two adult tickets and up to 20 children's tickets for just £20 along with a range of different activities. 

Colin Bright, who acts as the Paisley Panda mascot on match days, was behind the family fun initiative and said: "The match experience for fans is something I have been working on for a while with various match day activities added over the last year or so; 'Bung a Baw', social media competitions, free sweets for kids and live music among other items. However, after speaking to our two SLO's (John Allison and John White) we felt we could move it up a level and do so much more. 

"With funding from SMiSA and The St Mirren Fans Council we are implementing a full programme of entertainment at all weekend home matches between now and the end of the season.

"Saturday was the first of those and it was a great success. The kids in the Family Stand loved our new hand clappers, face painter, balloon artist and the star of the show, a football freestylist Chris Draper. This is just the start and for our next home game we plan even more!" 

St Mirren Chief Executive Tony Fitzpatrick said: "Winning the SFSA Best Family Club award was fantastic and there was no better day for us to collect it than on Saturday. Colin Bright and the SLO's deserve great credit for their efforts to create a family fun atmosphere on Saturday in the Family Stand before and during the match. It's vital that we keep encouraging the next generation to come to St Mirren matches and feel welcome. There is a real feel good factor around the club at the moment and this continues that feeling."

Pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography and John Millar © - Millar Pictures

A gallery of pictures from the Westmarch Suite following St Mirren's 1-0 win over Brechin City at the Paisley 2021 Stadium on Saturday. 

Thanks to Maximum Approach for their support as match sponsor.

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography

Gary MacKenzie made his return to Jack Ross' starting 11 on Saturday afternoon, in the side's 1-0 win over Brechin City.

The Buddies were well on top throughout but only had one goal to show for their dominance. In the end MacKenzie believes the three points are all that matters.

Speaking to Buddievision, the centre half said: "I spoke with the manager and he told me I was going to be playing. But I've had no questions prior to that, because the boys have been doing so well. It's part of football and I understand that if the team is doing well - we're top of the league - you sometimes just need to wait your turn. It was good to get back out and get a win with a clean sheet. It wasn't the nicest in the end, but the three points is the most important thing.

"We limited them to very little, I think Sammy had a save and someone hit the post, but we could have made it so much more comfortable for ourselves in the first half. We started the game really well, we had a few chances and didn't quite take them - we missed the penalty.

"You almost feel the game going a bit flat, which really suits them, and it's hard to then get back out of that and get the momentum back in our favour. We had to dig in and you just need to do what you have to do to get over the line. That's something the team has learned to do over the last year; to grind out a result or get a result. Like I said, the three points is the most important thing at this point of the season."

St Mirren took the lead through a Kyle Magennis free kick on the 15 minute mark, getting his first goal of the season in the process.

Saints' afternoon could have been a little more comfortable had they taken one of a number of chances they had created including a missed penalty from Ian McShane on the 21st minute. 

"I think if you look back at the games we've played against Brechin this year, they've made a game of it. The two previous games they can count themselves unlucky not to get something, so we knew it was going to be tough. Which is why it was important that we started the game well and try to be ruthless to put any hope that they had to bed.

"That's maybe then why that nervousness or anxiousness comes into the game the later it goes on, because we didn't quite do that. The other side of that is you then need to role your sleeves up and you don't concede and you get the three points however possible.

"I think after last weekend, it was really quite poor, people on the outside might start to question whether you're feeling pressure or you're having a wobble. So I think it was important today, regardless of how we did it, to get the win."

Saints' next game is on Friday night away to Dundee Utd, after Tuesday's original fixture at home to Falkirk was rescheduled to March.

This will be the fourth and final time the Paisley side will play their Championship rivals this season, with The Buddies winning two out of the three previous meetings.

MacKenzie knows the team will have to be at their best to get a result at Tannadice. 

"That's the games that everybody should want to play in - it'll be on the television.

"We've done well against them and there'll be a lot of pressure riding on it, but we'll see who stands up to it."

During the January transfer window a number of players moved out on loan to play regular football. Here's a look at how some of them got on last weekend. 

Robbie Leitch and Darren Whyte faced each other on Saturday as Queens Park hosted Forfar Athletic in League One. Leitch was a first half substitute for the home side as he replaced the injured Dominic Docherty on 37 minutes. Darren Whyte played the full 90 minutes as the sides drew 2-2. The result kept The Spiders bottom of the table while Forfar remain two points clear of Albion Rovers. 

Cameron MacPherson, who scored his first Stranraer goal last Tuesday, helped The Blues to an important 1-0 win over Alloa Athletic. That moved Stranraer to within a point of Jim Goodwin's side who occupy the final play-off spot. Jordan Kirkpatrick started for The Wasps while Ross Stewart, who seemed set to miss a few weeks of action due to injury, returned as a second half substitute. 

Veteran striker Darryl Duffy started for Airdrieonians but was powerless to help them fall to a 3-0 defeat away to promotion chasing Ayr United. 

In League Two, Conor O'Keefe netted his first goal for Annan Athletic as they scored two late goals to win 2-0 at home to Stenhousemuir. The winger was a late substitute for The Galabankies and helped seal the win in the 91st minute. Evan Horne played the full match as Annan close the gap on Stenhousemuir to five points. 

Andrew McDonald played the full 90 minutes for Elgin City but it was a day to forget for The Black and Whites as they lost 4-0 away to Edinburgh City.

St Mirren manager Jack Ross gives his thoughts on today's 1-0 win over Brechin City as Saints move 11 clear at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship.

St Mirren regained their 11 point gap at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship with a 1-0 win over Brechin City at The Paisley 2021 Stadium. 

The Buddies controlled the match for large spells of the first half and took the lead through a Kyle Magennis free kick. Ian McShane had the chance to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot but saw his effort saved by Brechin goalkeeper Patrick O'Neil. In the end one goal was enough to see Saints pick up all three points and get back to winning ways. 

Saints got off to a quick start winning a succession of corners in the opening few minutes but couldn't profit from any of them despite the returning Gary MacKenzie going mightily close.

St Mirren cranked up the pressure with Cammy Smith having an effort from 25 yards saved by Patrick O'Neil before a good run from Liam Smith saw the full back get into a good position inside the box, but he fired over. 

A goal looked inevitable after the start made and it would come with 15 minutes on the clock. Gavin Reilly was fouled around 25 yards and referee Steven McLean awarded Saints a free kick. Kyle Magennis stepped up and powered his effort off the bar and into the net via a bounce off Brechin goalkeeper O'Neil. It was awarded as an own goal but it would be harsh to take the strike away from Magennis as he opened his account for the season.

Saints were in total control of the match and didn't seem keen to settle for just one goal. Cammy Smith pounced upon a poor clearance from O'Neil but scooped his shot over the bar. Then captain Stephen McGinn almost added his name to the scoresheet a minute later.  A blocked Lewis Morgan shot was played into the skipper's path by Reilly but his curling shot was pushed away by O'Neil. 

From the resultant corner The Buddies were awarded a penalty as Kostadin Gadzhalov brought down a Saints player inside the box. Ian McShane, returning to the side, stepped up to take the spot kick, but was denied by O'Neil who dived to his right to push the attempt away.

But The Buddies still created good openings with Cammy Smith the next to be thwarted by the Brechin goalkeeper. Cammy then found Liam Smith inside a good area in the box five minutes later with the loanee firing just over the cross bar. 

Saints continued to push for a second early after the interval - this time Cammy Smith was denied by the bar rather than O'Neil as the forward smashed the ball from distance. 

The woodwork then came to St Mirren's rescue three minutes later as Brechin almost found themselves level. Liam Watt had a go from distance and has goalkeeper Craig Samson beaten only for the shot to smack off the post. 

The game went a bit flat with neither side creating much. Brechin's Dylan Mackin was denied on 75 minutes by a good save from Samson. The Buddies tried to grab a second to kill the match in the final 10 minutes with substitute Jack Baird sending a header over from a corner and Lewis Morgan shooting into the arms of O'Neil.

One goal proved to be enough though as Saints regained their 11 point lead over Livingston heading into the final 10 matches of the season.

Full Time: St Mirren 1-0 Brechin City

St Mirren: Samson, L.Smith, MacKenzie, Davis, Eckersley, McGinn, McShane (Flynn 60), Morgan, C.Smith (Baird 78), Magennis, Reilly (Hippolyte 68)
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Stelios, Hill, Mullen

Brechin: O'Neil, Dyer (Layne 68), Dale (Storie 76), Tapping, Watt, Spark, Morrison (Orsi 53), Gadzhalov, Crighton, Mackin, E.Smith
Subs Not Used: G. Smith, Fusco, Graham

Referee: Steven McLean
Assistant Referee: Stuart Stevenson
Assistant Referee: David McKniff

Attendance: 4,358

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography and John Millar © - Millar Pictures

St Mirren will look to get back to winning ways this week as they take on Brechin City at the Paisley 2021 Stadium in the Scottish Championship on Saturday.

This will be the third time the teams have met this season, with the other two games finishing 2-1 in favour of The Buddies.

The first game took place in Paisley back in September and was a tough old slog for the home side, who relied on a 79th minute winner to rescue the three points. The Buddies started the game brightly and took the lead after 14 minutes when Cammy Smith slipped the ball under the keeper to get his sixth goal of the season. The Angus side pegged Saints back just before half time though, when former St Mirren U20s player Kalvin Orsi got on the end of deep cross to head past the opposing Craig Samson. It was late in the second half before St Mirren restored their lead, Dale Hilson managing to get a toe on to the end of a Ross Stewart cross to score his one and only goal for the team.

The next game was a similar story with a similar outcome; St Mirren took the lead early on when Gavin Reilly raced away from the Brechin defence to calmly place the ball past their keeper. Again, Saints were pegged back though as Isaac Layne managed to get in front of Jack Baird and knock the ball past the oncoming Samson to level the score. And just like the previous match The Buddies got the winner in the second half. Cammy Smith was brought down in the box and was awarded a penalty, which he stepped up to take himself and converted. 

Saints had been unbeaten in the league since the beginning of December, but that record was snatched away from them last week as they suffered a 4-1 loss at the hands of title challengers Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

January signing Ryan Flynn had got the Paisley side in front within the first two minutes of the game, but a brace from ex-saint Ryan Hardie and a Lee Miller strike gave the West Lothian side a comfortable 3-1 lead going in at the break. Saints plugged away in the second half, with debutant Myles Hippolyte having his effort cleared off the goal line, but to no avail. Livi’s win was completed in injury time, as a defensive mixup resulted in Scott Robinson lifting the ball over Craig Samson to make the score 4-1.

There could be a potential debut tomorrow, as this week Jack Ross added former AC Milan midfielder, Massimo Donati, to the squad. The Italian has been training with the team for the last couple of weeks after being released by Hamilton Academical in January.

Both title contenders Livingston and Dundee Utd are in action on Friday night as they face each other at the Tony Macaroni Arena. Saint's will be hoping for a draw, so they can potentially extend the lead at the top of the Championship on Saturday to 13 points if they overcome Brechin.