Greenock HSFP Black hosted St Mirren at the Lady Octavia Sports Centre in Greenock on 11 October 2025, with kick-off at 9:00am in a league fixture. The 80-minute contest, overseen by referee Nigel Craig, ended in a thrilling 4-2 victory for the home side.
Deploying a 4-3-3 formation, Greenock HSFP Black set up with Liam Shambach in goal, protected by a back four comprising Ben O'Brien at right back, Lyle Buchan and Jay Kane as central defenders, and Robert Miller on the left. The midfield trio featured Sam Lyons on the right, Ashton Kerr centrally, and Kieran Boyd on the left, tasked with both defensive duties and supporting the attack. Up front, the front three consisted of Dylan McAllister on the right wing, Kaiden McKinnon leading the line as striker, and Zack Weston on the left wing. The substitutes available were Murewa Seun-Oremade, Ethan Lynch, Aaron Smith, and Taylor Carson.
The match burst into life early on when Dylan McAllister opened the scoring for Greenock HSFP Black in the 10th minute. Receiving the ball inside the box, McAllister expertly finished with his right foot to give the hosts an early advantage. However, St Mirren responded swiftly, levelling the score in the 20th minute with a composed right-footed finish inside the box, signalling a competitive encounter.
Greenock HSFP Black made their first change in the 35th minute, with Murewa Seun-Oremade replacing Sam Lyons on the right midfield, aiming to inject fresh energy into the side. Just two minutes later, Kieran Boyd restored the lead with a stunning long-range strike from outside the box, curling a left-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper to make it 2-1. The half concluded shortly after at the 40-minute mark with Greenock HSFP Black holding a slender lead.
The second half saw further tactical adjustments. At the 50th minute, Ethan Lynch came on for the tiring Dylan McAllister on the right forward position. Five minutes later, a double substitution saw Aaron Smith replace striker Kaiden McKinnon, while Taylor Carson took over from right defender Ben O'Brien, signalling a shift in both attack and defence.
Aaron Smith made an immediate impact, scoring in the 60th minute with a precise right-footed finish inside the box, extending the lead to 3-1. The home side's dominance was further emphasised five minutes later when an own goal from a St Mirren player increased the advantage to 4-1, a cruel blow for the visitors.
Greenock HSFP Black continued to rotate their squad, bringing back Sam Lyons on the right midfield in place of Kieran Boyd and reinstating Kaiden McKinnon as striker for Zack Weston in the 70th minute. Despite these changes, St Mirren managed to pull a goal back in the 72nd minute with another right-footed finish inside the box, reducing the deficit to 4-2.
The match concluded with Greenock HSFP Black securing a hard-fought and entertaining victory, demonstrating resilience and attacking prowess throughout. The tactical flexibility shown by the home side, combined with clinical finishing, proved decisive in overcoming St Mirren on home soil.
