St Mirren v Broxburn Athletic

Report

ST MIRREN                        3        OBIKA (2), MULLEN

BROXBURN   ATHLETIC   0

St Mirren Hiadky , Waters , McCarthy (Andreu 67m) , Magennis , Flynn , Obika , Durmus (Mullen 60m)  , Foley , Morias , Fameo , MacPherson ( McGrath 60m) . subs McGinn , Cooke , Erthalon , Lyness

Referee David Munro   Assistants  Mr D. Potter , Mr. C.Drummond

attendance  4372

St Mirren booked their place in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a deserved 3-0 win over Broxburn Athletic.

After a goalless first-half, Jon Obika opened the scoring in 54 minutes to finally make the breakthrough.

Two goals in the closing minutes from Danny Mullen and Obika put the seal on the win as Saints saw off the stubborn East of Scotland League side.

It took until the final few moments to wrap up the match, but it could have been a more comfortable afternoon had the Buddies opened the scoring with a chance inside the first 60 seconds. Calum Waters low ball across the box was laid on a plate for Obika who didn’t catch the shot well enough and clipped over the bar.

The Buddies asserted themselves in the opening stages and had the vast majority of possession and territory. Junior Morias curled into the arms of Broxburn goalkeeper Connor Wallace with eight minutes played, while Ilkay Durmus dragged an effort wide on 15 minutes.

Obika sent a tame effort into the arms of Wallace on 22 minutes after a neat exchange with Morias and really should have had Saints ahead three minutes later. Morias charged down the left-hand side and slide the ball across the area where both Obika and Durmus were waiting. The former got a toe onto the ball but it somehow creeped centimetres wide of the post. The English forward then headed past the same post just after the half-hour mark.

For all the dominance Saints were failing to make Broxburn goalkeeper Wallace work, but that would change after the interval with the goalkeeper making a good stop to deny captain Kyle Magennis on 50 minutes.

Durmus should have had St Mirren ahead two minutes later but somehow smashed wide from eight yards.

Thankfully, the wait for the breakthrough only lasted another two minutes with Obika opening the scoring on 54 minutes. It was a scrappy goal for Broxburn to lose with a low Waters effort coming off an unfortunate Broxburn defender and ricocheting off Obika into the net.

The Buddies fitness told after that and only heroics from Wallace kept the scoreline down. The goalkeeper made terrific saves to deny Morias twice, while he did well to push away a Mullen volley. Arguably the pick of the bunch came when he denied Jamie McGrath a debut goal on 79 minutes. The Irishman curled towards the far corner from the edge of the area with Wallace at full stretch to tip the ball round the post.

Wallace would make further saves in the final 10 minutes to stop Obika and Morias attempts, but Saints finally added a second to secure their place in tomorrow’s Fifth Round draw with Mullen curling home from 20 yards.

Mullen then turned provider a minute later when he slammed the ball across the ball to meet the chest of Obika to put the icing on the cake for the Buddies.