(Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
St Mirren star Jamie McGrath is confident that if the Buddies can start taking their chances in front of goal then their season will “really take off” as they aim for a spot in the top six this term.
(Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The Irishman returned from injury over the weekend as the Buddies drew with St Johnstone despite dominating much of the play and the Republic of Ireland international thinks results could have been better in the last few weeks because of their wastefulness.
“It was very frustrating. We tried to get it down and play as much as we could but the conditions were hard,” McGrath said.
“We started well and had most of the control, but we didn’t create too many chances so overall we are disappointed. For the last few weeks we could have picked up better results than we’ve had, so the message at the end of the game is we need to turn good performances into wins.
“Coming here you’d normally take a draw, because it’s a difficult place and St Johnstone make it hard for you. But we were the better team, so to only get a point is frustrating.
“When you are on top, trying to create something and get that goal is massive because it’s a different game in this league when you go one up.
“I think if we keep doing what we’re doing, dominate games and then we will start getting that first goal. If we can do that things will really take off.”
The McDiarmid Park draw with McGrath’s first appearance since he was stretchered off during the defeat by Rangers in Paisley and the St Mirren star confessed he was worried he was looking at a lengthy stint on the sidelines after his collision with Rangers’ Ianis Hagi.
After making his return in Perth however, St Mirren favourite McGrath is now with his international teammates preparing for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
“Thankfully I’m back a lot sooner than I expected,” he added.
“When it happened I thought I might be out for a while, when you’re on the ground you always think of that worse-case scenario. I’d never had that sort of issue or that sort of pain before.
“Hagi caught me with his tailbone and it got me in the hip area.
“I tried to play in for the next few minutes and soon after Connor played me in with a good pass, but when I tried to get there my whole hip seized up. I just couldn’t get off the ground and was worried it was my kidneys or around that area.
“But after a few days, it started to feel better and the physio was great with me because he didn’t rush me back at all. It was going through my head about the international games because, although I didn’t know if I was in the squad at that time, you don’t want to be coming out of the frame once you’re in
there.
“You want to stay in as long as you can so that was my initial thought when it happened.
“It was good to get ninety minutes against St Johnstone and I’m looking forward to it now.”
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