St Mirren host top of the table Dundee United tomorrow in the first of three home matches on the spin for the Buddies.
Saints come into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over Livingston last week at the Tony Macaroni Arena. Derby disappointment aside, it's been a decent start to the season for St Mirren with four wins from their last five matches.
United have got off to the perfect start in the league as the only side to pick up three wins from the first three league matches. They defeated Inverness Caley Thistle 1-0 on the opening day before back-to-back home wins over Queen of the South (2-1) and Brechin City (1-0).
Matches between the Buddies and the Arabs have been far from dull in recent times with the sides sharing 18 goals between them in their five meetings last season.
United's strike trio last campaign consisted of Tony Andreu, Thomas Mikkelsen and Simon Murray and they accounted for eight of the side's 11 goals against Saints last season.
While they have all moved on to pastures new, the Terrors have strengthened up top with the likes of James Keatings and the experienced Scott McDonald. United boss Ray MacKinnon has also bolstered his squad with fine additions such as Paul Quinn, Fraser Fyvie, Paul McMullan, Sam Stanton and Billy King all joining the Tannadice club this summer.
Jack Ross' first match as St Mirren manager came against United at the Paisley 2021 Stadium last season. It wasn't to be a winning start for the gaffer though as goals from Scott Fraser and Andreu saw the visitors run out 2-0 winners. It was a much closer affair on Christmas Eve when St Mirren travelled to Tannadice. John Sutton had give the Buddies a first half lead, only for United to peg Saints back almost immediately when Fraser scored a minute later. Murray grabbed the winner on the stroke of half time as he headed home Fraser's cross.
The two would meet again in Paisley - 10 days before they were set to contest the IRN-BRU Cup at Fir Park. Saints came out on top with their first win over United since 2013. Harry Davis gave the Buddies the lead inside 90 seconds. Andreu struck for United not long after the half-hour mark, only for Stevie Mallan to put St Mirren back in front four minutes later. Lewis Morgan grabbed a vital third on the hour mark rendering Andreu's second goal 10 minutes later meaningless.
But United would gain a measure of revenge as they saw off Saints to win the IRN-BRU Cup. Again it was Andreu who proved to be the scourge of St Mirren as he unleashed a brilliant volley put United ahead. However, Rory Loy equalised for the Buddies almost immediately to put the tie back in the balance. But with just 15 minutes to go, Danish striker Thomas Mikkelsen got above the St Mirren defence to bullet home the winner.
There would be one final meeting with St Mirren still fighting for Ladbrokes Championship survival when they visited Dundee in late April. Like most of the matches between the two it would prove to be another goal fest.
United took the lead in controversial circumstances after Mikkelsen appeared to foul Gary MacKenzie on his way to scoring. It was MacKenzie who got Saints on terms seven minutes before the break when he headed beyond Cammy Bell. But once again, Frenchman Andreu popped up to score his fifth goal against St Mirren when he drilled home from an indirect free-kick. Saints looked to have grabbed an all important point when substitute Josh Todd scored his first St Mirren goal with less than five minutes to go only for late heartbreak as Blair Spittal sealed all three points for the home side in injury time.
St Mirren are still without Kyle Magennis, Harry Davis, Dale Hilson, Josh Todd and Gary MacKenzie, while Gary Irvine misses out after his red card against Livingston. Jack Baird comes back in after serving his one match suspension.
Both sides will have aspirations of promotion this season and this match should be a good yardstick to see how each is fairing.
