Jack Ross gives his thoughts on today's 1-0 win over Inverness that sees The Buddies extend their lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship to six points.

Gavin Reilly became the first Saints player in more than quarter of a century to bag 20 goals in a season as the Buddies edged past Inverness Caley Thistle.

The striker's big moment came just before the half hour mark as he collected a pass from Cammy Smith before thumping the ball high into the net to reach a tally no Saints player had managed since Barry Lavety back in 1992-93.

Jack Ross' side should probably have been further in front by the break, Stelios hitting the bar with a tremendous long-range shot, and it was unlikely they would have things all their own way in the second half.

Sure enough, Caley Thistle looked a different side and felt they'd scored when Liam Polwarth's cross hit the post and headed towards goal, the officials feeling Craig Samson had scrambled it clear before it crossed the line. The keeper also kept out efforts from George Oakley and Connor Bell as Saints made it six games unbeaten.

Oakley started on the bench but was called into action sharpish when new Caley Thistle signing Nathan Robertson had to go off injured. It was the hosts who made all the early running, neat play allowing Lewis Morgan to wriggle some space to get a shot away but Mark Ridgers managed to hold it. A tremendous move then almost gave Saints the lead as Stephen McGinn performed some trickery in the middle of the park, releasing the ball to Morgan just before the captain was clattered. With ref Willie Collum playing advantage, Morgan got to the byline and cut the ball back for Cammy Smith, whose shot was blocked by Liam Polwarth. As Smith claimed for handball, the ball sat up nicely for Kyle Magennis who fired a shot a yard or two over Ridgers' top corner.

Caley Thistle didn't really trouble the Buddies defence until Aaron Doran found former Buddie John Baird, who flashed a shot past Samson's far post. The striker's next effort was deflected over by Harry Davis and moments later Saints took the lead. McGinn slid a great pass to Cammy Smith who found Reilly, the striker's heavy first touch taking him away from his man and setting him up perfectly to thump home his 20th goal of the season.

The visitors tried to respond quickly, Doran shooting tamely at Samson after being picked out by Baird before Joe Chalmers curled a shot wide. However, it was Saints could have doubled their lead before the break, Morgan sending Stelios away and he cut onto his right foot before cracking the bar from long range.

The visitors came flying out of the traps in the second half, Doran shooting narrowly wide before Polwarth went even closer. Samson left the midfielder's cross and could only watch as it hit the post, the Saints keeper scurrying back to claw it away. The Caley Thistle players and fans appealed for a goal and it did look as if the ball had crossed the line before Samson rescued the situation, however the officials remained unmoved.

Saints had been getting forward often enough but seemed reluctant to shoot, Cammy Smith going some way to putting that right when his 20-yard drive was turned behind by Ridgers. Ian McShane also went close as his shot from the edge of the box was deflected narrowly wide. Caley Thistle almost took advantage of their good luck when Carl Tremarco found Oakley a few yards out but he was far too casual with his shot, which was straight at Samson.

Saints had the ball in the net 10 minutes from time but Ridgers had been fouled. Moments later Morgan fired the ball across goal for Reilly at the back post but he couldn't wrap his foot around it to steer it home. Morgan then burst forward before shooting wide before two of Caley's subs almost drew them level, Jake Mulraney charging to the byline and picking out Connor Bell whose close range shot was well blocked by Samson. There was to be one more chance for the visitors but Oakley headed wide as Saints moved six points clear at the top of the Championship.

Full Time: St Mirren 1-0 Inverness

St Mirren: Samson, L.Smith, Baird, Davis, Stelios, McGinn, McShane (Mullen 72), Magennis, C.Smith (Irvine 90), Morgan, Reilly
Subs Not Used: Stewart,  MacKenzie, Erhahon, O'Keefe, Sutton

Inverness: Ridgers, Raven, Tremarco, Warren, McKay, Chalmers, Trafford, Polworth, Doran (Mulraney 75), Baird (Bell 81), Austin (Oakley 9)
Subs Not Used: Esson, Brown, Calder, Seedorf, Bell

Referee: William Collum
Assistant Referee: Sean Carr
Assistant Referee: Calum Spence

Attendance: 4,448

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography

St Mirren Football Club can announce that youth academy player Andrew McDonald has joined Elgin City on loan until the end of the season. 

The 19 year-old has made one first team appearance as a substitute in a 4-3 win over Albion Rovers in the IRN-BRU Cup back in 2016. 

All at St Mirren wish Andrew the best of luck in his time at Elgin.

St Mirren host their first match at the Paisley 2021 Stadium in 2018 as Inverness Caledonian Thistle make their second trip to Paisley this season. 

The Buddies started off 2018 with a 1-1 draw in the Renfrewshire derby with Morton at Cappielow. Lewis Morgan, who completed his transfer to Celtic this afternoon, opened the scoring for Saints in a first half that saw Jack Ross' side well in control. But The Ton came into the game in the second half and grabbed an equaliser through Thomas O'Ware with around 10 minutes to go. 

Inverness also began the new year drawing 1-1 as they were held at home by Livingston. Aaron Doran put the Caley Jags ahead with just six minutes played, but they were dealt a blow when Iain Vigurs was shown red as the first half drew to a close. Like Morton did against Saints, Livingston scored a late equaliser when Alan Lithgow headed home. 

It's taken Inverness a bit of time to adjust to life in the Ladbrokes Championship. Just one win in their first nine matches saw them sit in ninth place, but despite that difficult start to the season a good run of form with five wins from their last ten league matches sees them sit just five points off a promotion play-off spot.

St Mirren have played Inverness twice this season, winning on both occasions. The first came back in September in an incredible match at the Paisley 2021 Stadium which saw five goals in a 13 minute spell as The Buddies ran out 4-2 winners. Saints then visited the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium at the end of November to face John Robertson's side for a second time. It was a feisty match with second half goals from Ian McShane and Gavin Reilly giving St Mirren a valuable three points. 

Despite their away loss to Saints earlier in the season, The Caley Jags have a fairly strong record at the Paisley 2021 Stadium with September's 4-2 defeat just their second loss in 12. They've also won six of the 12 and drawn four since The Buddies moved in to our home at Greenhill Road. But Jack Ross and his team will come into tomorrow's match in confident frame of mind following the two wins over Inverness this season and the sustained good run of form that sees Saints sit atop the Ladbrokes Championship. 

Saints will be aiming to extend their five match unbeaten run and maintain the points gap over Dundee United at the top of the table. Inverness, meanwhile, will be looking to pick up three points in an attempt to edge themselves towards the promotion play-off spots. Given the way the two games between these two have gone this season we are most likely in for another intriguing encounter. 

St Mirren Football Club can announce that a deal has been agreed for Lewis Morgan to join Ladbrokes Premiership side Celtic.

The 21 year-old winger, who netted his 13th goal of the season in 1-1 Renfrewshire derby draw on Tuesday, has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Brendan Rodgers' side.

Morgan has signed for the Hoops for an undisclosed fee, but has re-joined The Buddies on loan until the end of the season.

Morgan said: "I'm delighted. With the manager and the players they have I felt that was the best place for me to develop further and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

"I knew where my future lay and I was at peace with it. It probably gives me that peace of mind from others asking me what was happening." 

Speaking to the media yesterday, St Mirren manager Jack Ross said: "The situation is probably as good as we could have gotten as a club.

"Lewis deserves credit for that as well because there are not many players who would have been as supportive of the club and the stance we took.

"He was pretty much adamant as well that he wanted to stay here for the rest of the season. He'll stay here and hopefully help us be successful."

On Saturday 5th May 2018, the prestigious St Mirren Football Club Player of the Year Awards Dinner will take place in the Normandy Hotel, Renfrew.

Please join us to spend an evening in the company of the St Mirren first team and management, supporters and friends to celebrate the end of yet another season in the famous stripes.

The ‘Player of the Year Awards Dinner’ is now without a doubt the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of this famous old club’s social activities and this year will be no different.

Our speakers are simply “top drawer”... prepare to laugh the night away and enjoy an evening in keeping with the fine traditions of the Club.

Former criminal defence Lawyer Bill Copland with hilarious stories of his legal career and he will be joined by former Principal Head of PE at Buckhaven High, Willie Allan MBE who is surely one of the funniest speakers on the circuit.

Keeping everything in order on the night will be well known Saints' supporter and journalist Bill Leckie.

The evening will also see Steven Thompson inducted into the club's “Hall of Fame”

The evening will consist of:

* Three Course Meal

* St Mirren Player of the Year Award 2017/18

* Young Player of the Year Award 2017/18

* Official Website Player of the Year Award 2017/18

* Black & White Magazine Player of the Year Award 2017/18

* Fans Council Player of the Year 2017/18

* Steven Thompson inducted into the club's “Hall of Fame”.

* Every guest will also receive a special souvenir event brochure and special corporate gift to commemorate the event.

* Raffle

* Grand Auction

Individual places are available at £75 + VAT per person, with a minimum of two places on a shared table basis. Tables are available in multiples of TEN at £700 + VAT or TWELVE at £840 + VAT.

To reserve packages or to enquire about event and awards sponsorship opportunities, please contact Commercial Manager, Campbell Kennedy on (0141) 840-1337 or email commercial@stmirren.com.

You can also download a booking form by clicking HERE.

Our match day programme, published in partnership with Curtis Sport, will be available from the Club Shop ahead of Saturday’s game.

This issue, for the Ladbrokes Championship match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, is a 48 pager with a £3 cover price.

The latest edition includes the following:

Front Cover – Cammy Smith.
The Gaffer - St Mirren manager Jack Ross with his thoughts on recent matches and his pre-match message for the fans.
Buddies News Update – News of the latest happenings in and around the Paisley 2021 Stadium.
Last Time Out – Match report and pictures of the recent Championship match away to Queen of the South.
Last Time Here - Pictorial look back to the game against Caley Thistle in Paisley last September.
The Opposition – Brian Corry runs the rule over Saturday's visitors, John Robertson's Inverness Caledonian Thistle side.
Hall of Fame – David Cochran highlights the St Mirren career of goalkeeper Campbell Money.
Player Interview – James Hunter talks with Saints' defender, Gary MacKenzie.
Action Shot (Centre Pages) – Danny Mullen.
Last Time Out 2 – Match pictures and report from the Championship match against Dundee United on 29th December.
Fans Corner – Ticket prices, travel clubs update, match info and dates for fans to keep in their diary.
Matchday Gallery – Pictures from the post-match presentations in the corporate suite after the recent home match against Dundee United.
Kit Sponsors 2017/18.
Football, Bloody Hell – Alan Gallacher gets out his crystal ball as he looks over the second half of the 2017/18 season.
Marketing Matters – Commercial Manager, Campbell Kennedy brings us up to date with all the commercial activities within the Club.
St Mirren Fixtures & Results 2017/18 – A handy reference page of all the fixtures for this season.
Team Lines – The two squads and match officials for Saturday’s match.

To buy this issue or to place your programme subscription for the 2017/18 season click HERE.

If you live outside the UK & Ireland, St Mirren TV is your way to watch Paisley’s top football side live in action each and every home match day.

This service, which is delivered by media students from the University of the West of Scotland, will cover all of St Mirren’s home games.

As usual the St Mirren TV team will be presenting all the action from The Paisley 2021 Stadium when Inverness Caley Thistle are the visitors on Saturday afternoon.

If you want to tune in here is the info you will need:

St Mirren vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Ladbrokes Championship
Venue: Paisley 2021 Stadium, Paisley
Date: Saturday 6th January 2018
Kick-off: 3:00pm GMT

To access this match day service:

1 Day Pass – €6.99 EUR
Season Pass – €69.99 EUR

To view Terms & Conditions and get started with St Mirren TV please click HERE.

For technical support with St Mirren TV please e-mail tvsupport@stmirren.com

We are giving fans the opportunity to vote for the man of the match and also put two lucky fans in with the chance of winning a £10 voucher for the Club Shop.

Every home game we’ll throw open the voting on the 60 minute mark for 20 minutes where votes can be cast on Facebook and Twitter. All you have to do is use the hashtag #SMFCMOM followed by the name of the player you are voting for, eg ‘#SMFCMOM MORGAN’.

With 10 minutes of the game remaining all the votes will be counted then the Stadium Announcer will confirm the winning player over the tannoy system.

From all the fans who nominate the winning player one will be picked at random from the Facebook account and another from the Twitter account and they will each be awarded a £10 voucher for the Club Shop. The winners will be notified through the account they posted from.

So get yourself ready on the hour mark of Saturday’s game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle and get voting with #SMFCMOM.

Paisley Panda will once again be hosting the ever-popular match day competition ‘Bung a Baw’ at Saturday’s match against Inverness Caley Thistle.

To take part in ‘Bung a Baw’ fans need to purchase a small foam ball which is numbered and they will then have a chance to throw their ball towards our club mascot Paisley Panda in front of the Family Stand. Each person will have 60 seconds to do this and the winner will be the person who has thrown the ball closest to the feet of the Panda. The winner will be confirmed over the PA system.

The competition is sponsored by The Linwood Farm Restaurant who are supplying a family meal voucher as the prize for the contest winner.

Each ball will cost £1 to buy. The balls will be available from sellers inside the Family Stand in the 30 minutes leading up to kick-off and then again in the first 5 minutes of half-time before the competition starts (subject to availability). Each ball is numbered and participants will also get a ticket with the corresponding number which they will use to claim the prize if they win.

‘Bung a Baw’ continues to be very popular so Paisley Panda advises that you get in early tomorrow to purchase your ball to take part.

As well as taking care of ‘Bung a Baw’, Paisley Panda will be giving away sweets to the kids in and around the stadium courtesy of the Black and White Army website.

Paisley Panda has also teamed up with the St Mirren Club Shop so you will be able to buy hats and scarves for the game from the 'Bung a Baw' stands.