BY KYLE GUNN 

ST Mirren boss Oran Kearney still harboured frustrations of the Motherwell defeat as he prepares to welcome Dundee United this weekend.

Saints suffered their sixth successive league defeat on Wednesday night as the Steelmen secured a 2-1 victory in Paisley. 

The Buddies are due to face the Championship outfit in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup this weekend, but gaffer Oran Kearney is still irritated by the midweek defeat. 

He said: "I have the same frustrations as I did at the time. I’ve watched back, in particular that three or four minutes (between the St Mirren equaliser and Motherwell’s second goal). It’s weird.

The Gazette: Jake Hastie, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Alloa, scored the opener Jake Hastie, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Alloa, scored the opener

"It’s the same emotion that it was then - I felt as if we’d done the hard bit by staying in the game, number one and then number two, getting our goal to get us back in the game.

"My big worry, honestly, was when our guys were celebrating, and we’re taking the ball back to reset, is that we go absolutely gung ho for this and leave the back door wide open.

"We craved and craved and craved the goal, and got the goal and forgot to go and finish it off.

"So, frustrating from that point of view. Again there were some really good strong parts to the game and some really big performances, but again just disappointing because it’s coming to that point now where ideally we can’t keep talking about performances, we need results as well."

To make matters worse skipper Stephen McGinn had to be subbed off on Wednesday night with a hamstring problem.

The Gazette: Skipper McGinn is a doubt for tomorrow Skipper McGinn is a doubt for tomorrow

And, as one midfielder joined the casualty list, the Northern Irishman gave an update on Kyle Magennis who has started working with the physio again.

He continued: "Stephen will probably be a doubt for Saturday at this point in time. They say when you’re down there, that’s how your luck rolls. 

"It seems to be we roll from last week the penalties to this week, the injury and the turnaround as it was.We’ve got to keep on standing up, being strong and going again. 

"It’s his hamstring - I think we’ve got it early enough so hopefully we’re not talking a pile of weeks but he’s definitely a bit sore. 

"Kyle started training again, back out on the grass again, so he’s moving and running. 

The Gazette: Kearney believes Saints would be better off if Magennis was fit Kearney believes Saints would be better off if Magennis was fit

"Again, it’s take three with Kyle at this point of time in relation to how disappointing a season it’s been for him and how frustrating the season has been for him in relation to injuries he’s had.

"He’s been such a loss and for me, if Kyle stays injury-free this season, we’d probably have at least 8-10 more points on the board, from what I’ve seen of him and how I feel about him. 

"It’s been a huge loss for the club this season and a huge loss for him personally because I think he was looking forward to his first full season at this level and going out with a point to prove."