St Mirren’s sensational February continued in dramatic fashion as a 115th-minute strike from Roland Idowu finally broke Airdrieonians’ resistance to send the Buddies into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
Fresh from their landmark victory over league leaders Hearts on Tuesday, Stephen Robinson’s side showed immense grit to navigate a “stern test” at the Excelsior Stadium, keeping their hopes of a historic cup double firmly on track.
Devaney’s Moment of Magic
The visitors started brightly, and it was Manchester United loanee Jacob Devaney who stole the headlines early on. Building on his impressive midweek display, the teenager opened his St Mirren account with a “special” goal, lifting a delicate finish beyond Harry Stone after being found by Mikael Mandron.
However, the Championship hosts refused to lie down. After surviving a strong penalty claim and a fierce effort from Lewis Strapp, Airdrie levelled through Euan Henderson. The striker’s clinical finish—his 17th of a prolific campaign—stunned the travelling support and forced the tie into an exhausting extra 30 minutes.
The Idowu Breakthrough
As legs tired in extra time, the Premier Sports Cup winners began to flex their top-flight muscles. Roland Idowu, who had been frustrated by a string of saves from Airdrie keeper Stone, finally found his mark five minutes from the end. Latching onto a long ball, Idowu opted for power over placement, rifling a strike into the net to seal the win.
“It sat perfectly for me so I just took the strike. We know winning a trophy is possible now—we’ve done it before and we know what it takes.” — Roland Idowu, Player of the Match
Fitba Focus Verdict: Saints Are Marching On
That is now five games unbeaten for Stephen Robinson’s men. After a shaky January, the Buddies are beginning to look like the formidable unit that dispatched Celtic in December’s League Cup final. With the quarter-final draw looming, few teams will want to face a St Mirren side that currently believes the “impossible” is well within their reach.
Up Next: St Mirren return to Premiership action, but all eyes will be on the Scottish Cup draw as they chase a legendary trophy double.
Co-Founder of Fitba Focus and MMA UK. A lifelong Rangers fan and former player, he combines over a decade of sports media experience with a deep-seated passion for the Scottish game. From the Ibrox stands to the lower-league terraces, Frankie is dedicated to providing honest, fan-led analysis of the full Scottish pyramid.
