ST MIRREN manager Jack Ross set his sights on winning the Irn-Bru Cup after thumping Welsh side The New Saints 4-1 in the semi-final. The Paisley side now take on Dundee United in the final next month and Ross sees no reason why his players can’t go on to lift the trophy, 30 years on from Saints defeating the same opposition in the Scottish Cup final.

He said: “Winning things in football doesn’t come round very often regardless of the competition and we believe we can go and do that. We believed that before today’s game and nothing changes having got through to the final. The fact it’s two clubs of ours and Dundee United’s stature should help add to the attraction of it. It’s 30 years since the club beat Dundee United at Hampden and although we’ve got a lot to do before then, it really is something for everyone to look forward to.”

There was an element of Jekyll and Hyde about their performance over the 90 minutes here. Desperately poor in the first half and trailing to a Ryan Brobbel goal, Ross sent on Lewis Morgan at the break and St Mirren were a side revitalised, scoring four goals and even missing a penalty. TNS, who had former Motherwell defender Steven Saunders sent off for a wild challenge on Stephen McGinn, had no response.

Ross added: “In the first half we were a disgrace and I said that to the players at half-time. I was so angry with them as it’s no reflection on how we do things. And the second half was - and that’s why we won the game. Lewis Morgan made an impact last week and we thought about starting him again this week. But that impact he made again today definitely helped us. Stevie Mallan’s courage to get on the ball in the second half and Stephen McGinn’s drive to drag us back into the game were also great.”

Morgan’s introduction made a notable and immediate difference and on the hour mark St Mirren drew level. It was a terrific strike from McGinn as he accepted a pass from Stelios Demetriou, advanced forward a couple of strides before unleashing a shot that sailed into the top corner.

Saunders’ red card four minutes later put the Welsh club up against it and St Mirren made them pay from the resultant free kick. Stephen Mallan had put a first-half effort straight over the stand but he was far more accurate at the other end, bending his shot beyond the wall and into the far corner of the net.

St Mirren were by now fully in their stride and should have scored their third after 78 minutes. Morgan’s cross into the box was stopped only by the hand of Scott Quigley and referee Keith Kennedy gave the penalty. John Sutton, though, could not take advantage, his kick easily saved by goalkeeper Paul Harrison.

Remarkably, however, Sutton would make amends just a minute later as St Mirren went immediately went back on the attack. Stelios fed Kyle Magennis down the line who sidestepped a tackle before showing great composure to pick out the lurking Sutton who finished well.

All fight had by this point gone out of TNS and they conceded a weak fourth in the final minute, a short free kick from Mallan finding Rory Loy who drilled a low shot beyond Harrison to complete a positive afternoon for St Mirren ahead of their crunch league game away to Ayr next weekend.

Ross added: “There’s a cloud over us in the league but now we’ve got a couple of wins in a row and we go to Ayr next week in a better frame of mind.”