Stephen Robinson senses support from Paisley as St Mirren approaches top-six success*

After defeating Aberdeen in injury time at the SMiSA, the Buddies moved up to fourth place in the Premiership.

According to Stephen Robinson, St Mirren is leading the whole of Paisley in their wake.

The manager of the Buddies relished the unique bond between players and supporters following his team’s thrilling 2-1 triumph over Aberdeen in injury time on Saturday.

With the two teams scheduled to play on Saturday, March 16 at Rugby Park, Saints have jumped ahead of Kilmarnock into fourth place in the Premiership standings thanks to goals from Toyosi Olusanya and Mark O’Hara.

And as the Saints aim for consecutive top six results, Robbo believes there is true strength in the team spirit at the SMiSA.

“I was just delighted for the fans that stayed and encouraged us,” the speaker stated. They all know that this team will fight to the death, so nobody panicked.

What a bunch of lads. Here, everyone is gathered together. The players, the supporters, and the board. We are depleting this team to the absolute last.I can’t blame the town for supporting these boys because, if I were from Paisley, I would have done the same.

“We are merely in the fourth position right now. Although we’d want to finish in the top six, this performance has given us a chance.

Robinson insists he and his backroom team were confident about the spot-kick award during VAR official Kevin Clancy’s agonising three-minute check.

“We had the live feed so we knew it was a penalty,” he revealed. “It was more about them checking the phases.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino watched on from the main stand after he arrived in Scotland to attend the IFAB meeting at Loch Lomond – and was treated to a cracker.

“I’m sure he enjoyed it anyway!,” Robbo laughed. “It was certainly and exciting finish.”

In the end, gaffer Robinson felt Saints were worthy winners and added: “We had 70 per cent possession and 14 shots – we deserved to win. We dominated the game and the players showed a great attitude.”

Meanwhile, Neil Warnock branded VAR a disgrace after Aberdeen’s injury-time heartbreak.

The Dons boss couldn’t believe the time it took for screen official Kevin Clancy to award the spot-kick which allowed O’Hara to make it 1-1 and insisted his players didn’t deserve to be on the losing side after Toyosi Olusanya snatched all three points for St Mirren.

Aberdeen are now 10th in the Premiership table —just four points above Ross County in the relegation play-off place.

Warnock said: “I’m not sure about the penalty. VAR is a disgrace. How can you wait on a freezing afternoon for four or five minutes?

“I still think they have to get people who have played the game in VAR. You shouldn’t be standing about for five minutes on a bloody freezing afternoon for VAR. It’s scandalous.

 

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