After a robust show, St Mirren cruise their approach into the third spherical of the Scottish FA Youth Cup with a 5-1 victory. 

On a bitterly chilly Monday evening in Paisley on the SMiSA Stadium, St Mirren U18s performed host to Alloa Athletic U18s and the 2 sides battled it out underneath the floodlights. 

Final 12 months, each side fell sufferer to losses within the third spherical of this competitors, Alloa shedding 5-0 to Hibernian as St Mirren fell on penalties to Dunfermline Athletic.

St Mirren are the one facet on this fixture to have made an look within the ultimate of this competitors, going through Celtic within the 2004/05 ultimate at Hampden the place Celtic received 2-0. 

The hosts kicked us off at 7:30 and it solely took them eight minutes to seize the opener as Struan Thompson picked up the ball from 20 yards out and struck it low and powerfully previous the Alloa goalkeeper. 

Evan Mooney would then obtain the ball on the appropriate facet of the field from an ideal swinging cross from the left however he didn’t hit the goal. 5 minutes later, nevertheless, an impressive run from a St Mirren winger met the boots of Mooney who slotted a shot within the backside nook to rectify his earlier likelihood. 

Ten minutes of stagnation then got here throughout the sport as each side struggled to search out an finish product. This was ended by a move low throughout the field that fell to Thomas Falconer who tapped it in on the again put up making it 3-0 to the younger Buddies. 

Alloa had few possibilities within the opening half that have been of observe but it surely wasn’t a nasty efficiency because the defence stood sturdy and took moments of talent to interrupt the system. However with the referee able to blow for half-time, Ryan Shiels pressed the Paisley facet’s defence earlier than a mixup on the again noticed the ball fall to him, he received a contact and put within the aim to offer the Wasps an opportunity going into the second half. 

The second half was kicked off by Alloa however St Mirren confirmed no indicators of slowing down as they’d likelihood after likelihood going broad of the put up.

At 20 minutes into the second half, Evan Mooney doubled his tally because the Alloa goalkeeper got here out however didn’t clear the free ball. Mooney went round him and smashed it at the back of the web for St Mirren’s fourth aim of the evening. 

Simply as the sport was winding down, St Mirren received one final aim for the cherry on the cake. A smooth ball was performed by means of the defence to Billy Hutchison who hit it first time to rocket it into the aim. 

That was all she wrote for this recreation, St Mirren will now face Caledonian Braves within the third spherical as they give the impression of being to go additional than final 12 months.

After the sport, Stephen McGinn, supervisor of St Mirren U18s spoke with Youth Soccer Scotland. He stated: “The previous few years have been disappointing within the Youth Cup. We play Caley Braves away within the subsequent spherical, a recreation we’re wanting ahead to and we need to placed on an analogous efficiency.”

For Alloa, the sport didn’t go the best way they wished to however they’d their positives that they are going to take out of the sport. Their defensive construction was strong and took rather a lot for St Mirren to interrupt it down.

St Mirren can put this win all the way down to the skilful skill of the gamers, the cross-pitch passing was an ideal assist, and the imaginative and prescient of the full-backs to modify the play from one finish to the opposite made Alloa work more durable. 

St Mirren Participant of the Match: Evan Mooney

Mooney bagging a double is sufficient to win Participant of the Match and set him other than the remainder of his teammates in such an excellent general crew efficiency. 

Alloa Athletic Participant of the Match: Ryan Shiels

Shiels had an excellent efficiency up entrance for Alloa, constantly pressuring the defence to attempt to drive a mistake, even reaping the advantages of it within the first half. 

St Mirren Magic Second:

Evan Mooney’s second aim was the magic second for St Mirren, breaking the second-half impasse gave them the arrogance to take the sport dwelling comfortably.

Alloa Athletic Magic Second:

For Alloa, Ryan Shiels’ aim earlier than half-time gave them the hope that there may’ve been one thing within the recreation for the Wasps as they might go into the break with their heads excessive. alternative for his teammate he confirmed nice pace and creativeness to get his crew a possibility.