St Mirren 3-1 Motherwell

Jan 20 2008 Gavin Berry At Love Street

Ian's Double Is His First In 13 Years

IAN MAXWELL bagged his first double for 13 years then joked he's closing in on Love Street top scorer Billy Mehmet.

The defender hit a rare brace to triple his tally for the season in Buddies' impressive win.

Maxwell scored twice after David Clarkson had cancelled Mark Corcoran's opener as Gus MacPherson's men made it three victories on the spin.

And their latest triumph means the on-form Paisley men have already beaten their tally of just two home wins for the whole of 2007 in the first month of the new year.

Delighted Maxwell - hailed as a "goal machine" by the Love Street Tannoy announcer - said: "I haven't scored twice in a game since 1995 for Queen's Park against East Stirling. You remember these things!

"The boys were winding me up afterwards but I have told Mehmet I'm closing in on him.

"Who knows what's happening, you just go on these wee runs.

"We got the goals at the right times and deserved the victory.

"I could actually have had a hat-trick as I hit a free-kick well that I thought was going in but the ball deflected off Corcoran.

"If that had gone in I reckon I would have come off!

"When you're a defender and go up for set pieces things just fall to you. You'll go through half a dozen games where nothing happens but sometimes it drops and you stick them away."

This was Well's first league game following Phil O'Donnell's death and they were looking to maintain their push for a European spot.

Yet it was the home side who started stronger and took the lead after only nine minutes with a brilliantly worked move rounded off by Corcoran.

David van Zanten started the attack with a ball forward to Craig Dargo who flicked it on to Andy Dorman. The Englishman fed Corcoran and he drilled a low shot through the legs of helpless keeper Graeme Smith.

But the Fir Park side showed their grit when they came back from two goals down to draw with Hearts last week and just a couple of minutes later they were level in this one.

Their equaliser had more than a touch of controversy about it though with Buddies protesting furiously that former Love Street man Steven McGarry had used a hand in the build-up.

Stephen Craigan's long ball found McGarry inside the box and he looked to have handled as he controlled the ball.

But ref Dougie McDonald let play go on and McGarry set up Clarkson to lash a ferocious drive into the net.

Buddies stopper Will Haining continue to protest as the Well players celebrated and he joined Maxwell in the book during a lively opening spell.

St Mirren's sense of injustice seemed to spur them on and they almost regained the lead on the half hour with Dorman's close-range volley forcing a good save from Smith.

The second goal did come though eight minutes before half-time and Well manager Mark McGhee will be furious with his charge's shocking marking.

Paul Quinn failed to pick up Maxwell at the back post as Corcoran's corner fizzed in from the right and the defender stooped to squeeze his header past Keith Lasley on the goal-line.

MacPherson'smen almost grabbed another to make the game safe before the break when Dorman raced on to Dargo's neat head flick but his low shot was saved well by the feet of Smith.

However, just five minutes into the second half Buddies got the two-goal cushion they craved. Dargo's low cross landed at Corcoran on the far side of the penalty area and he knocked it back in to Maxwell who was first to react, netting a neat side-foot shot.

Well then had two penalty claims waved away in quick succession as their hopes of a comeback were wiped out.

The first was when Haining was accused of a handball but McDonald looked to have called that one correctly.

However, the whistler should have awarded a spot-kick when Hugh Murray chopped down Stephen Hughes moments later.

And Buddies could have rubbed salt in Well's wounds by adding a last-minute fourth.

Dargo raced into a one-on-one with Smith but failed to convert with his shot saved.

REF WATCH

DOUGIE McDONALD should have given Well a penalty when Steven Hughes was fouled. But he kept a firm grip of the match, booking five Saints players.

Rating: 6/10.

MATCH STATS

ST MIRREN

SHOTS ON 12

SHOTS OFFF 2

OFFSIDE 1

FOULS 7

CORNERS 6

BOOKINGS 3

MOTHERWELL

SHOTS ON 8

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 1

FOULS 15

CORNERS 5

BOOKINGS 1