Alex Jakubiak earned St Mirren a William Hill Scottish Cup replay against Motherwell after firing a second-half equaliser on his first start for the club.
Motherwell chose to start with the strong wind at their backs and led through Mark O’Hara’s goal after a first half which saw a number of chances at both ends.
The visitors appeared to be managing the game well after the break but on-loan Watford striker Jakubiak found the net with a deflected effort in the 74th minute to seal a 1-1 draw.
It was St Mirren’s first goal against Motherwell this season after losing five goals in two league games. The man who scored three of those goals, James Scott, was sitting in the stands on crutches after suffering an injury shortly after moving to Hull on transfer deadline day.
Saints started well and Ilkay Durmus hit the post from 12 yards after Liam Donnelly’s pass had put Peter Hartley in trouble. Two promising attacks were halted when referee Andrew Dallas awarded Motherwell soft free-kicks inside their box before the visitors came into the game.
Wingers Rolando Aarons and Jermaine Hylton both had decent efforts saved before Well took the lead after getting the break of the ball twice.
Lee Hodson’s interception inadvertently set up Christopher Long, whose unconvincing effort was stopped by Vaclav Hladky. The rebound fell for O’Hara, who drilled through a ruck of bodies from 16 yards.
Both sides continued to create chances. Hladky saved Long’s ambitious effort at the second attempt before Mark Gillespie made an impressive reaction stop from Jakubiak and Hartley survived a handball appeal from the rebound.
Jon Obika and Long had efforts saved at either end before the former turned Declan Gallagher to set up Durmus, but Hartley came to his defensive partner’s rescue with a headed block.
Motherwell controlled the early stages of the second half but Hodson got in behind them just after the hour mark, only for Obika to fail to make contact with his low cross from close range.
Long soon had a couple of chances but scuffed a shot wide before being foiled by Conor McCarthy’s last-ditch challenge.
The visitors looked in command until the equaliser came out of the blue. St Mirren worked the ball to substitute Kyle McAllister after a move down the right and he found Jakubiak in space. The forward took a touch and hit an angled shot which deflected into the far corner.
Motherwell stepped up a gear and Liam Donnelly and O’Hara fired just wide before the latter made way for new signing Tony Watt.
Saints lost Hodson to a hamstring injury before Durmus forced a good save and new right-back Cammy MacPherson curled just over.
The replay will take place at Fir Park on February 18.
