Josh Todd scored twice to secure a 2-1 win for the St Mirren U20s over Dundee United in the SPFL Development League. 

The Englishman's double helped The Buddies come from 1-0 down to win 2-1 on a cold night at the Paisley 2021 Stadium.

Ali Coote had given the visitors the lead after 23 minutes when he smashed a powerful effort beyond Jamie Langfield from the edge of the box. 

Saints pressed for an equaliser before half time and went close when Conor O'Keefe twice forced saves out of Josh Donaldson. 

The leveller came with less than 15 minutes remaining when Todd scored a terrific solo goal.

He picked the ball up in midfield before driving at the Dundee United defence, nutmegging one of their defenders to send himself clean through before sending it into the back of the net.

And the midfielder was at the double less than ten minutes later when he put Saints ahead. A ball was whipped into the box from a free kick on the right hand side to meet the toe of Todd as he beat a ruck of players in the box to prod the ball home. 

But Dundee United had one last chance before St Mirren could claim victory. A foul by Saints' Luke Barclay right on the edge of the area saw Charlie Telfer step up and rifle an effort goalward, only to see it beaten away by Langfield.

The win sees the U20s stay in 14th place in the SPFL Development League level on points with Hearts and Kilmarnock.

Match gallery pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography and John Millar - © millarpictures

The St Mirren Under-20 side are back in action this evening as they play host to their counterparts from Dundee United.

The SPFL Development League encounter between the young Buddies and Tangerines will take place at The Paisley 2021 Stadium and it will kick-off at 6:00pm.

The referee for this fixture will be David Dickinson.

Entry to this match is FREE.

For more news on the SPFL Development League please click HERE.

This coming Saturday (4th February), St Mirren head over the Erskine Bridge to face Dumbarton in a Ladbrokes Championship fixture at The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium and then a week later Saints are on the road again this time to Methil for a William Hill Scottish Cup match-up with East Fife at Bayview Stadium.

The info on Travel Clubs heading to The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium and/or Bayview Stadium for these matches is as follows:

Tile Bar Supporters Bus

Dumbarton v St Mirren - 04/02/2017

The bus going to the league match at Dumbarton will leave at 2:00pm.

Bus seat tickets are now available. 

East Fife v St Mirren - 11/02/2017

The bus going to Bayview Stadium for the Scottish Cup tie against East Fife will leave at 12:00pm (noon).

Bus seat tickets will be available from Saturday 4th February.

Cockles Wilson Supporters Bus

Dumbarton v St Mirren - 04/02/2017

The bus will leave at 2:00pm for Dumbarton.

Tickets for this bus are now on sale from The Bankhouse.

East Fife v St Mirren - 11/02/2017

No info yet.

Chivas Travel Club

Dumbarton v St Mirren - 04/02/2017

The bus for Dumbarton will leave the Court Bar at 2:00pm.

Bus tickets are now on sale from behind the bar.

East Fife v St Mirren - 11/02/2017

No info yet.

North End Travel Club

Dumbarton v St Mirren - 04/02/2017

The North End Travel Club bus to Dumbarton will leave the Sneddon at 2:00pm.

Bus tickets now available in the Brewer's Tap, £6 each.

East Fife v St Mirren - 11/02/2017

The bus to the East Fife game will leave the Sneddon at 12:30pm.

Bus tickets will be on sale on the bus to Dumbarton and afterwards in the Brewer's Tap, £7 each.

A selection of pictures from the hospitality lounge at the Paisley 2021 Stadium after Saturday's match against Falkirk.

Hospitality pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography

Jack Ross gives stmirren.com his thoughts after the Saints lose narrowly at home to Falkirk in the Ladbrokes Championship.

Rory Loy's 77th minute goal wasn't enough to stir up a comeback for St Mirren as they lost 2-1 at home to Falkirk.

Peter Houston's side went ahead on 11 minutes with a controversial goal from John Baird. The striker then doubled the Bairns' lead just after the hour mark when he swept home.

Loy got his first goal for The Buddies with a tidy finish that nestled into the back of the next beyond Danny Rogers. But despite Jack Ross' side trying to put pressure on the visitors, it wasn't enough to gain a point as they look to move themselves from the foot of the table.

Saints almost got off to the perfect start though with less than a minute on the clock when new loan signing Cammy Smith almost opened the scoring. The debutant picked up the ball in the middle of the park and drove forward with it before unleashing a shot from outside the box that went whistling by. 

It was a bright start for the Buddies who continued to put on the pressure in the early stages with Rory Loy winning a corner kick after his attempted cross inside the box was blocked. 

However, the visitors were ahead with just 11 minutes on the clock when John Baird opened the scoring. But Saints felt aggrieved by the manner in which it was scored. Falkirk won a throw-in on the left side with Myles Hippolyte running a good 10 or 15 yards further forward before finding Baird who ran through and dispatched the ball beyond Billy O'Brien. The Buddies supporters and coaching staff were left furious as the officials failed to pull the play back despite the Bairns gaining a clear advantage.

Falkirk then started to look dangerous and could've stretched their lead soon after with Fraser Aird and Hippolyte both going close. 

Saints were dealt a blow when Gary MacKenzie was forced off with an injury, but began to grow back into the game as they looked to grab an equaliser. Smith was looking lively in his first start for the Buddies and forced a good save out of Rogers before the Falkirk defence cleared with Stevie Mallan lurking. Then Loy made the opposition 'keeper work with a looping shot that was well held. 

The visitors were keen to try and put some breathing space between the sides and could've done twice through Craig Sibbald. The 21 year-old looked certain to score as he burst into the box, only to be denied by O'Brien who did brilliantly to block. A minute later Sibbald cracked the Saints cross bar with a volley. O'Brien was made to work again when Hippolyte smashed a low drive down the face of goal.  

Half Time: St Mirren 0-1 Falkirk 

Stephen McGinn came on early in the second half in place of Mallan to a rapturous applause from the home support. And it looked to be a positive change when he sent Pål Fjelde in down the right hand side before the Norwegian's cutback found Smith in the box. The loanee saw his shot saved well by Rogers before the goalie captured the ball at the second attempt. 

Frustratingly for the Buddies though, Falkirk were two ahead just a few minutes later when John Baird got his second goal. Aird played the ball down the side to Lee Miller who crossed the ball into Baird. The striker did well to control the ball before putting it beyond O'Brien to double the visitors advantage. 

Saints looked to hit back quickly and some excellent defending from Peter Grant denied John Sutton what would surely have been an easy headed goal by leaping just above the Englishman to knock the ball out for a corner.

The game hit a bit of a lull, but with around 15 minutes to go Saints halved the deficit to give themselves a fighting chance of taking something from the match. Some neat footwork by Loy got the striker through on goal where he drilled the ball into the back of the net. 

The Buddies had one last big chance to salvage a point, but only after O'Brien made a tremendous stop to deny Luke Leahy. In the dying embers of the match Saints won a corner from which Jack Baird rose the highest to bullet towards goal but agonisingly it went beyond the post and meant St Mirren left the match empty handed.

Full Time: St Mirren 1-2 Falkirk  

St Mirren: O'Brien, Fjelde, Baird, MacKenzie (Webster, 22), Irvine, Storie (Todd, 82), Mallan (McGinn, 55), Morgan, Smith, Loy, Sutton
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Stelios, Clarkson, Magennis

Falkirk: Rogers, Leahy, Muirhead, Kerr, Baird (Gasparotto, 90), Sibbald, Hippolyte, Grant, Miller (McHugh, 89), Aird (Kidd, 90), Watson
Subs Not Used: Thomson, Gallacher, Shepherd, Craigen

Referee: Alan Muir
Assistant Referee: Michael Banks
Assistant Referee: David Dunne

Attendance: 3,316

Match gallery pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography and John Millar - © millarpictures

Loan signing Cammy Smith is in for his debut as Jack Ross makes two changes to the side that defeated Dundee 2-0 in the Scottish Cup last Saturday.

Smith comes in along with Rory Loy in place of Kyle Magennis and the now departed Kyle McAllister. 

Stephen McGinn official completed his return to St Mirren yesterday and is on the bench. He could make his second debut this afternoon, while there could also be first appearances for Stelios Demetriou and Josh Todd who both make the bench. 

Kick off is at 3pm and we'll have all the action covered on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Supporters out with the UK & Ireland can watch the match live on St Mirren TV for just €6.99. 

St Mirren: O'Brien, Fjelde, Baird, MacKenzie, Irvine, Storie, Mallan, Morgan, Smith, Loy, Sutton
Subs: Langfield, Stelios, Webster, Clarkson, McGinn, Todd, Magennis

Cammy Smith is ready and raring to go should he be called into action against Falkirk tomorrow. 

The attacking midfielder put pen to paper last night to complete his loan move to the Saints from parent club Aberdeen.

And 21 year-old says he can't wait to get going after training with his new side for the first time this afternoon.

It's good to get down and get the first training session done with the lads," he said. "It was something I knew was in the pipeline for a couple of days and I spoke with the manager and he really sold it to me. Although we're down at the bottom of the league I firmly believe that we've got the players to manage to stay up. 

"I've been at Dundee United the last six months playing games, but then I fell out the team. I felt there was no point sitting about there and I spoke to the manager at Aberdeen and agreed it would be best to come out on loan to get as many games as I can. I feel it's a good opportunity and, like I said, when I spoke to the manager here he really sold it to me, came across really well and I'm looking forward to it. 

"I think for the next three or four months I just need to play as much as I can," he continued. "With playing games comes confidence and comes performances so hopefully I can play as many games as I can, find a bit of form and that's what I'm aiming to do. 

"I haven't played in a wee while, but I'm ready. I've been training every day and ready to be called upon.

"Coming in as a new signing you have to come in with enthusiasm and you have to be looking forward to it. There's 15 games left and there's points to be won. Hopefully that starts tomorrow."

Cammy confirmed that he had spoken to the likes of Craig Storie and Kenny McLean ahead of completing his temporary move to the Buddies to get a feel for the club.

I spoke to Craig Storie on the phone the other day and I text Lawrence [Shankland] and they both said very good things about the club," he admitted. "I even spoke to Kenny McLean before I came down and they were all very positive about the club and said it was a great set up.

"I came down last night and got made to feel very welcome and hopefully I can do the business on the park and help get some points on the board."

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Stephen McGinn on an 18-month contract. 

The 28 year-old midfielder rejoins the club he began his career with after leaving English side Wycombe Wanderers earlier this week.

McGinn, a Saints academy graduate, made 54 starts and 33 sub appearances in his first spell at the Buddies scoring eight goals - which included a famous winner against Rangers the last meeting between the sides at the old Love Street stadium.

The midfielder goes into the squad for tomorrow's game against Falkirk along with fellow new signing Cammy Smith.

Speaking on his return to the club, Stephen said: "I'm delighted. When I heard there was a chance to come back here, knowing the manager and knowing the club, I was desperate to come back."

St Mirren and Falkirk meet for the third this season tomorrow afternoon as they match-up in a Ladbrokes Championship fixture at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

After a solid start to the season the form of Peter Houston’s side has been indifferent since the turn of December but for all that they still hold on to fourth place in the Championship as they look to get themselves back into the promotion playoffs for the second season running.

The previous meetings between the sides this season have panned out in a 1-1 draw at Paisley on 1st October and a 3-1 win for The Bairns in Falkirk on 3rd December. The match in Paisley saw Craig Sibbald give Falkirk an early lead when his shot from a free-kick took a wicked deflection off the St Mirren defensive wall sending the ball spinning away from Saints’ keeper Jamie Langfield and into the back of the net. Saints eventually got a reward for their efforts thanks to a late equaliser from substitute Tom Walsh who sent the ball flying past Falkirk keeper Danny Rogers.

Lewis Morgan gave Saints an early lead at The Falkirk Stadium in December but Jack Ross’ side were reduced to ten men shortly before the half-time break when Jack Baird was red carded for an off the ball tussle with Lee Miller. It was Miller who pulled The Bairns level two minutes into the second half before late strikes from Bob McHugh and Myles Hippolyte sealed the match for the home side.

Peter Houston has kept things ticking over during the January transfer window going for consolidation in his squad rather than wholesale changes. The month started with the departure of goalkeeper Deniz Dogan Mehmet but Falkirk swooped quickly to sign former Hamilton and Queen of the South keeper Robbie Thomson. The versatile John Rankin then parted ways with The Bairns but his squad slot was filled up rather sharpish with the signing of Canadian internationalist Fraser Aird from Rangers.

Meanwhile over in Paisley, Jack Ross has all but overhauled his squad with to date the departure of seven players who have been replaced with seven coming into the club. The latest departure is 18-year-old Kyle McAllister who signed for Derby County with Aberdeen’s Cammy Smith the latest coming in the way on a loan deal from Premiership side Aberdeen.

St Mirren’s last win against Falkirk was back on 17th October 2009 when Brian McLean gave The Bairns the lead early in the second half at The Falkirk Stadium. But late strikes from Craig Dargo, Billy Mehmet and Tom Brighton saw The Buddies take the points back to Paisley.

Falkirk come into the match on the back of a Scottish Cup loss to Morton while Saints look to build on their win in the same tournament against Dundee. The matches between Saints and Falkirk tend to be exciting match-ups for the fans so there is a good chance we see more of the same tomorrow.