Preview:St Mirren (a) SCup replay

Last updated : 17 February 2009 By Firparkcorner

We have both reason for optimism and cause for concern. No side that is unbeaten in nine should be lacking confidence and even though we were relatively poor against Hamilton we can be happy with three valuable derby points.

Fitzpatrick came close

Mark McGhee returned to a 4-4-2 in that game and after the debacle of the 4-5-1 against St Mirren in the first tie that formation will surely remain. Sutton had to wait patiently for his chance to replace Porter but the arrival of Sheridan seems to have kept him in the same place. It is hard to imagine anything other than a Sheridan/Clarkson partnership up front with the one possible change being Fitzpatrick for Smith and returning O'Brien to the right hand side.

Our hosts have some injury problems with Haining, O'Donnell and possibly Dargo all missing out. The focus of their problems is left back though as Miranda is injured and new signing Camara ineligible. Robb has stood in recently but is a major doubt having been stretchered off against Falkirk so we could be facing someone lacking experience in this position.

Dorman scored in the first game and will be the main threat from midfield. At the risk of jinxing us completely, strikers like Hamilton and Wyness are not in the terrifying category and following a great start to the season Mehmet has slowed down his scoring pace considerably. We can be reasonably confident of keeping a clean sheet or only losing one goal and that could be the basis for victory.

St Mirren are also tight at the back though and it could well be that this game goes the distance. Hopefully we will avoided our first penalty shootout in several years by pinching a 1-0 win after extra time.