Obika continues to show his importance to Buddies
When Jim Goodwin brought in Eamonn Brophy and Collin Quaner during the winter transfer window, Jon Obika’s future with the club looked to be in question.
The fan favourite striker seemed to have fallen down the pecking order in Paisley, with Lee Erwin, Brophy and latterly Kristian Dennis all keeping Obika restricted to substitute appearances at best.
The 30-year-old is never one to down tools though, and he’s been rewarded by pouncing when an opportunity has arisen.
With Brophy out over the last few weeks and Dennis cruelly ruled out for the rest of the season with an achilles injury, Goodwin has turned to Obika and the Buddies striker has so far delivered.
He got on the end of a superb counter-attack against Hibs to give St Mirren hope during their narrow midweek defeat last Wednesday.
And on Saturday he really showed what he was made of against Kilmarnock.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward led the line superbly for Saints, not giving the Killie backline a moment’s peace with his movement and physical presence.
He also harried Alan Power out of possession to net St Mirren’s crucial second goal, which sealed an all-important three points by putting the game beyond the Ayrshire visitors.
That goal was his eighth of the campaign so far, taking his total tally for the club to 20 in less than two full seasons.
That’s not a bad return at all for a striker that has until recently been playing for a team that’s struggled to regularly score goals.
Goodwin spoke of the significance of some of Obika’s strikes in the stripes, and with Dennis now likely to be out of the picture until next season St Mirren’s current campaign may well hinge on the performances of their number nine.
That worked out pretty well last season, when his crucial goal sealed a win against Hearts that ultimately ensured the Saints retained their top flight status.
Now Obika has the chance to take St Mirren even further by firing them to a top half finish.
St Mirren kept cool when it counted
Make no mistake, Saturday’s win over Kilmarnock was a massive three points in the bag.
Yes, the Ayrshire side are on a rotten run on the pitch and for large spells that showed at the SMISA Stadium.
But nevertheless St Mirren simply had to beat the Rugby Park side to keep hold of their top six spot.
That’s because top half rivals Dundee United and St Johnstone both picked up crucial wins as they look to hunt down the Buddies.
Jim Goodwin’s men knew going into the weekend that if they won they’d still be in sixth place come Sunday, and they held their nerve to make sure that was the case.
Saturday’s win over Killie was also significant because of the Buddies’ difficult week ahead.
First up is a visit from Celtic on Wednesday night. While Goodwin’s side can take great confidence from their recent win over the Hoops in Glasgow, Neil Lennon’s men will be desperate to get revenge for that defeat.
They have also won their last two matches and appear to be on a better run of form than they had been at the start of 2021.
Then comes a tricky trip north to face Aberdeen. Pittodrie has never been an easy place to pick up points, and while St Mirren have a chance to topple the struggling Dons the likelihood of a win there remains slim.
It was therefore absolutely critical St Mirren picked up maximum points against Killie.
While they might be overtaken in sixth by the end of this week, they then have their two games in hand to play against Motherwell and Hamilton.
From there they have the chance to fire themselves back into the top half if required.
Talented McAllister is growing into the jersey
Kyle McAllister’s talent has never truly been in doubt.
The 22-year-old is one of St Mirren’s most technically gifted players.
When he’s on top form, he’s one of the top flight’s most tricky dribblers and passers, with the tools to unlock even the most stubborn defence.
The Saints Academy graduate has been an ever-present this season, making 28 appearances in all competitions - albeit several of which have been from the bench.
His impact has been harder and harder for Jim Goodwin to ignore recently, with McAllister playing a big part in that monumental win over Celtic before bagging the opener against Killie on Saturday afternoon.
The ex-Derby County winger has really looked at home in the team since moving into the middle of the park, playing in the number ten spot.
From there his dribbling and eye for a killer pass are really starting to pay dividends for Saints, with his vision helping his side to break down backlines.
Playing alongside midfield maestros Jamie McGrath, Ethan Erhahon and Jake Doyle-Hayes has also helped the playmaker flourish, with their emphasis on possession football better suiting his style of play.
What was most surprising about his goal on Saturday, aside from the fact it was a header, was that it was his first goal for St Mirren since May 2019.
For a player of his talent and ability, he absolutely should be getting on the scoresheet more often.
If he continues to pick up more starts towards the end of this season, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t continue to find the net.
