CASE OF BUD WISER

Saints can crack open beers as boss Robbo outsmarts under-fire Nancy

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

IT was Nostradamus' birthday. But not even the famous French prophet would have predicted the wild scenes at Hampden.

Sensational St Mirren secured the Premier Sports Cup in stunning style and left Celtic's new boss Wilfried Nancy facing a heck of an uncertain future.

The National Stadium has witnessed some incredible sights in recent weeks and here was another as Stephen Robinson's men wrote their names into the history books.

Marcus Fraser nodded the Buddies ahead after just 93 seconds, long before Jonah Ayunga's lethal second-half double sealed it following Reo Hate's leveller.

No one could call it a smash and grab. Celtic were a disjointed rabble yet again and new manager Nancy will come under serious scrutiny for sticking to a malfunctioning system.

But take nothing away from Saints. Robbo's men went right at the Hoops, causing a world of problems and defending for their lives when they had to.

They earned a sensational triumph and then some.

There might not have been many predicting this but there was something in the air from the off.

Saints blasted out of the traps and stunned Celts within seconds when Fraser got across Hatate to nod in the opener from a corner.

And it could have been two with Dan Nlundulu prodding wide soon after.

But Celts got a foothold and levelled when Hatate slid in at the back post to steer in a volley from Kieran Tierney's curling cross.

The Hoops suffered a blow when Kelechi Iheanacho hobbled off but looked to have got a grip on the clash.

Saints wouldn't be shaken though and went back in front after 64 minutes when Ayunga nodded in after a sublime clip into box by the outside of Alex Gogic's right boot.