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Robinson: Saints' play isn't just brute force

- BY RONNIE ESPLIN

STEPHEN ROBINSON admits it makes him laugh when his St Mirren side are branded hammer throwers - and insists they have the class to grab a cup final spot.

The Northern Irishman is well aware today's Premier Sports Cup semifinal against his former club Motherwell is billed as a battle between silk and steel.

But Robinson believes that is borne out of ignorance of what his Buddies players are capable of.

The Paisley boss led the Steelmen to the League Cup and Scottish Cup finals in the 2017-18 campaign, only to lose both to Celtic, and is now looking to guide St Mirren to their first final since they won the League Cup in 2013.

Ahead of the big Hampden showdown where the winners will meet either Celtic or Rangers in the final, Robinson, below, refuted a suggestion that his side employ the more physical approach.

He said: "People that talk like that watch two games a season. We are a very good football team.

"Our players that are over six foot are really poor in the air and I wouldn't call them physical.

"It actually makes me laugh when I hear that. They're very good footballers, very good technically.

"When you beat teams, when you cause teams problems as 'little St Mirren', there has to be a reason.

"You can't just be a good team, you have to be physical, dirty, you have to be hammer throwers. So we just laugh."