St Mirren 0 Kilmarnock 0

JIM JEFFERIES claims SPL refs are picking on Kilmarnock new-boy Manuel Pascali because of his choice of haircut!

The Killie chief was happy enough with his side’s point at Love Street — but was far from so over ref David Somers decision to book Italian Pascali, 26, for a tug on Garry Brady.

Now Jeffries reckons our refs have it in for the shaven-headed Pascali, who was also booked on his SPL debut last week.

He sighed: “We felt a bit aggrieved with Manuel’s booking.

“That’s his second now, but I think he was hard done by. He shaved his hair off a while back and, I suppose, he’s a bit of a fearsome looking character and, maybe, that’s why he caught the ref’s attention.

“He’s a good player, he competes and positions himself well.

“But the main thing for us is that the team’s looking all right and we have real competition for places.

“As for David Fernandez, I thought he was the man of the match, without a doubt.” Despite both sides hitting the bar — St Mirren’s Jim Hamilton and Killie’s Conor Sammon were the men denied by the woodwork — it was the performance of Saints keeper Mark Howard that denied the visitors a second successive SPL win.

And Saints boss Gus MacPherson admitted he has his keeper to thank for the hard-earned point.

He said: “It was a good game that should have produced goals. Killie had their chances but, thankfully, Mark did well and made some great saves.

“I think, in the end, the draw was a fair reflection.”

Still smarting from their controversial opening-day defeat at Parkhead, Saints were determined to get their first points on the board.

With centre-back Will Haining suspended for giving away the controversial penalty that resulted in Celtic’s winner last Sunday, highly-rated on loan Hoops kid Scott Cuthbert deputised.

MacPherson also handed starts to Gary Mason, Jim Hamilton and Spanish new boy Tonet.

But it was Killie who flew out of the traps, inspired by the brilliant David Fernandez, who almost created the opener after 12 minutes.

The former Celtic forward teased and tricked Franco Miranda and Cuthbert before whipping a vicious cross into the back-post area.

Rattle

His strike partner Sammon rose above John Potter to win the header, but directed the ball a fraction wide.

Saints looked to hit back eight minutes later when Stephen O’Donnell exchanged a one-two with Hamilton, but the young midfielder’s 25-yard strike looped high over the bar.

The momentum was almost immediately back in Killie’s favour, though, as Fernandez and his midfield colleague Mehdi Taouil continued to stretch the hosts.

Twisting and turning his way forward, Taouil was next to come close for the visitors when he cut in from the left to curl a 25-yard effort at goal, though home keeper Howard held it well.

Despite the visitors’ offensive threat, Saints were never overrun and it was MacPherson’s men who started the second half brightest and they came closest to breaking the deadlock eight minutes in.

New boy Jack Ross burst forward on the right flank and delivered a pinpoint cross towards Hamilton.

The experienced striker rose to win the header — only to see the ball rattle the crossbar.

With the momentum behind his team, MacPherson then produced what could have been his trump card 20 minutes from time, when he pitched Love Street hero Andy Dorman into the action.

But, instead, it was Killie who seemed to get a lift from that switch and, but for terrific goalkeeping from Howard, they would have made their dominance count nine minutes from time.

Danny Invincibile fired in a cross after good work on the right wing and former Derry City striker Sammon met it perfectly on the forehead.

It looked net bound until the agile Howard threw himself across his goal to pluck the ball out of the air.

Moments later, more good work from Invicibile led to another Sammon chance.

But, this time, the Killie striker was denied by the bar before Howard smothered the ball to snuff out the danger and hand his Buddies a vital point.

ST MIRREN: Howard, Ross, Cuthbert, Potter, Miranda, Mason, O’Donnell, Brady, Tonet (Dorman 68), Hamilton, Mehmet (Wyness 79). Subs not used: Smith, Murray, Brighton, Barron, McGinn.

KILMARNOCK: Combe, Fowler, Hay, Ford, Wright, Bryson, Taouil (Hamill 83), Invincibile, Pascali, Fernandez, Sammon. Subs not used: Rascle, Skelton, McInnes, Flannagan, Simmons, Lilley.