Kat

Wee Tierney.

1-0 St Mirren, Gogic

Great save by Kelly from a Tait header.

Then Slattery booked for a wee shirt tug moments later. I know it won't benefit us this game but Carroll paid the price for a similar challenge against Livi a few years back, it'll be interesting to see if that's highlighted. Shaw off injured, Tierney on.

Richard Tait lucky to avoid a red. Not even a yellow as well, awful challenge.

Interesting lineup, I hope Van Veen remembers to track back. I'm going to assume it's almost a 352 with Goss playing just off of VV. Hopefully the tinkering with the formation pays off. Plenty pace on the bench for later in the game if necessary.

Kelly, O'Donnell, Solholm, Carroll, McGinley, Shaw, Maguire, Slattery, Tierney, Roberts and Van Veen. Quite happy to see a few changes in the lineup today, first starts for Shaw and Tierney. Hearts never got a sniff at Fir Park, obviously doubt it'll be the same today at Tynecastle, three points would be most welcome.

Conditions are wild, making it difficult for both sides. Almost a terrible start but I think they have been limited to one effort since then. The big Hibs centre back loves a roll about.

Yeah Cummings has got a move to Australia lined up with Central Coast Mariners.

Lasley and Alexander at Firhill tonight watching Thistle vs Killie. Not seen much of Rudden in action other than when the Jags pumped Accies earlier in the season. He had a tremendous effort wrongly ruled off from the half way line.

Morton have been rotten this season, I know Dunfermline have been similar form to them as well but it was a great result for them beating the Pars 5-0 on Imries debut as manager. If it wasn't for the winter break I feel we would have won at a canter as no doubt that break will have stifled our good form. As long as we progress to the next round that's the main thing, I think we will win 2-0, hard fought victory. I assume the Well Bois will be dusting down that Dougie Imrie songbook as we speak.

Another defensive midfielder we're apparently interested in taking is Alex Gogic from Hibs, but St Mirren and Ross County are also sniffing about. Accies fans seemed to love him but I personally thought he was Lillian Gish, I just remember Curtis Main and Gboly giving him a torrid time.

Jermaine Hylton leaves Newport County after agreeing his release.

It was the same with Mario Bilate in 2014/15, just as we were about to get his scrawl on the contract we were gazumped by United at the very last minute who offered almost double. He proved to injury prone but typically he scored a stunning late winner for them against us up at Tannadice. We however managed to to nab Chris Porter from their grasp but I think that was thanks to John Boyle.

He had a tough start to his career, broke in at a young age under Jim Gannon but injuries issues set him back and I don't think he got back near the first team until McCall became the manager. He seems to be well liked at Millwall. The games on council telly shortly as are quite a few FA cup games today.

Nadir Ciftci joins St Johnstone until end of the season.

Richard Brittain changed his mind about moving to Perth as his wife had taken seriously ill. St Johnstone wanted 50k to cancel but I'm not sure how that materialised as some sources said it was paid some say it wasn't. Motherwell wise, we cancelled a pre contract deal for a Finnish International called Harri Ylonen who signed during Kampman's era, same with a Faroe International who scored an equaliser against Scotland not long after but his name escapes me.

Love the fact that in the last four home games we limited Hearts, Dundee Utd, St Johnstone and Livingston to very little chances around our box and dominated all of the games. Spfl also mentioned we finished the best of the rest in terms of points in 2021, tremendous turn around considering where we were going into the New Year Derby with Hamilton last year. Quite a weird feeling having only 500 in attendance, takes me back to a Celtic game years ago at Parkhead when they weren't doing too well and the stadium was a ghost town with a surreal atmosphere. On the game itself it could have been more convincing had Goss and Wollery scored with their efforts, it was great to see us restrict Livi to very little. Quite impressive that we have been able to keep the continuity going especially with the midfield and centre of defence having to be chopped and changed due to injuries. Hopefully the break will allow us to get a full compliment back.

I would have still been happy to see Watt starting today, his attitude has always been top notch and if his performances did drop then you can bench him but tbh I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last we see of him. He mentioned a few months ago that his next contract had to be right financially, personally I hoped he would get a crack at a decent side in England, surprised at the sideways move as I thought Utd had some money problems. Hopefully Alexander has a fire irons in the fire for a potential replacement.

That's the ballot been done, anyone heading along on Boxing Day?

Not the first time it's happened tbf, but it's rare having the same ref for two games on the bounce, mind you glad to see it's not Madden listed for the ref for our St Mirren game.

The match day programme has Steven McLean listed as ref but it's Nick Walsh, who is also the ref for next week's game.

I had the fear at the game on Tuesday as he immediately signalled he was done, but at the end of the game he bolted over to celebrate with Watt suggesting it was better than first feared.

Yeah we are. Dundee United have that half black and tangerine number, they'll be in white.

Willie Collum the ref today so obviously it will be his show as per. Tough game ahead, surprised with Hearts benching a few regulars. Hopefully the international break has served as well. If we could pull off a win we would only be three points behind them.