St Mirren's unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership season ended with a 2-1 home defeat to Celtic on Saturday. The Saints took a first-half lead through a Nikolas Agrafiotis penalty but conceded twice after the break to the league leaders.
How did St Mirren lose to Celtic?
According to reports from The Guardian and Daily Mail Sport, St Mirren created a strong early impression in Paisley. They went ahead midway through the first half when Liam Scales handled a shot from Chris Mochrie, allowing Nikolas Agrafiotis to convert the resulting penalty. The home side managed 19 shots at goal across the match, testing the champions throughout. However, Celtic equalised six minutes after half-time through a Scales header and won the game with a Yang Hyun-jun goal on the counter-attack in the 68th minute.
The defeat was St Mirren's first in the league this campaign, halting a run of three wins and a draw from their opening four fixtures. The result leaves Craig McLeish's side second in the standings, two points behind Celtic. Their overall record stands at 10 points from four games, with seven goals scored and only three conceded.
What was the reaction to the performance?
Martin O'Neill, the Celtic manager, acknowledged the difficulty of the contest in comments reported by The Guardian. "We are going to miss him," O'Neill said of match-winner Yang, who is now set to depart for the Asian Games. "He's in really fine form at the moment. But he's signed off with a brilliant goal." The Daily Record's match report described the game as a "tough old night" for the visitors, who were pushed hard by a Saints side playing with tempo and invention.
Despite the loss, the performance against the reigning champions provides a positive benchmark. St Mirren entered the match as the only other unbeaten team in the division alongside Celtic. The team's current form of three wins, a draw, and this single defeat is reflected in their stats and sees them well-placed in the early table.
Who is currently unavailable for St Mirren?
The squad is currently dealing with several absences. Keanu Baccus, Killian Phillips, Liam Donnelly, and Malik Dijksteel are all sidelined, as per the latest club information on the injuries page. Their return will be important for squad depth as the season progresses, especially with a busy schedule ahead.
This setback does not derail what has been a strong start for St Mirren. They remain in a solid league position with a positive goal difference. The focus now shifts to preparing for the next challenge and maintaining their place near the top of the table.
What is next for St Mirren?
The team's next fixture is an away match against Dundee, who are currently fifth, on December 26th. This will be another test of their credentials against a side in the top half of the Premiership. Fans can check the full schedule on the club's fixtures page. The match at Dens Park offers an immediate opportunity to respond to the Celtic defeat.
