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Former Motherwell man Mikael Mandron came back to haunt his old side as his controversial goal helped sink the Steelmen and sent St Mirren into the Premier Sports Cup final. The Buddies will be back at Hampden next month to face either Rangers or Celtic, who play tomorrow, after an emphatic 4-1 win under the Saturday night lights. But Motherwell - who fell at the semi-final stage last season as well - will be fuming with the manner of the opening goal that helped end their silverware dreams. Midway through the first half, referee Don Robertson awarded a debatable free-kick against Liam Gordon inside the Saints half for a foul on Mandron. The free-kick was taken quickly and, despite the ball clearly moving when it was launched forward, the Buddies raced upfield and won a corner. From the set-piece, Declan John's low corner wasn't dealt with and Mandron was able to take a touch and blast the ball beyond Calum Ward for the opener. Fuming Well players protested about the build-up to the goal, but it stood and their day only got worse when Dan Nlundulu's stunning effort just before half-time doubled their lead. Well sub Callum Hendry looked to have given them a late lifeline with an 83rd minute strike, but the Buddies responded just three minutes later when Calum Ward couldn't keep out Richard King's strike. And then Mandron compounded their miseey with an 89th minute curler inside the box, ensuring Saints boss Stephen Robinson - the last man to lead Motherwell to a final - got the better of his former employers. Motherwell made five changes for the clash. Stephen O’Donnell’s semi-final jinx continued as he failed to shake off an injury and make the squad, just as he did last season, leaving him yet to experience a last four tie in his professional career. And he was one of the alterations for the Steelmen from the midweek win over Dundee United. Stephen Welsh, Callum Hendry, Regan Charles-Cook and Callum Slattery also dropped out and in came Liam Gordon, Ibrahim Said, Emmanuel Longelo, Elijah Just and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. In four minutes Motherwell were claiming for a penalty when Elijah Just's strike took a deflection and struck the arm of Keanu Baccus in the Buddies' box, but referee Don Robertson and his VAR team weren't interested. Ten minutes in Stamatelopoulos rose well at the back post to get onto Elliot Watt's deep free-kick, however he was unable to keep his effort on target, as their bright start continued. Motherwell were popping the passes about, starting with Ward, and trying to probe for openings in behind the Buddies' backline. One such move cut Saints open and almost led to an opener in 23 minutes when Just cut the ball back inside the box for Maswanhise. The Zimbabwean took a touch and dragged his strike narrowly wide of Shamal George's far post in another warning to the Paisley men. However, two minutes later the Saints took the lead in controversial circumstances with a moving-ball free-kick leading to the corner which saw Mandron slam into the back of the net. The Steelmen's day almost got worse moments later when they gifted possession to Mandron 35 yards out and his attempt lob Ward, who was standing well outside his own box, was some distance off target from a good position. But Saints did double their lead five minutes before the break - and there was little complaint this time. The ball was played in to Nlundulu on the edge of the box and when he let the ball run across him, he unleashed an unstoppable strike to leave the Steelmen stunned going into the half-time interval. Motherwell should have fired their way back into the game in 56 minutes when a delightful touch out of the air from Just flicked the ball inside to Maswanhise. Yet again, though, he snatched at the shot and dragged it wide when he should have, at the very least, tested George from 12 yards out. Askou turned to his bench to introduce Callum Slattery for Said after 57 minutes and he made a quick impact, stinging the hands of George a few moments later and forcing him into a good stop with a fierce strike inside the box. More changes followed shortly after as Tom Sparrow and Callum Hendry made way for Jonny Koutroumbis and Stamatelopoulos. Saints are a difficult side to break down when they have a lead to hold onto, but Motherwell kept knocking at the door and Maswanhise was a whisker away from connecting with a deflected Just cross inside the yard box in 70 minutes. Motherwell's Watt got caught in possession close to his own goal-line in 75 minutes and Saints somehow failed to add a third when Mandron hit the post from inside the six-yard box, sliding in to try and turn the ball into an empty net. A last throw of the dice from Askou saw Regan Charles-Cook introduced for Maswanhise. And in 83 minutes Motherwell gave themselves a late lifeline when Slattery's first-time cross was slotted home superbly by substitute Hendry. However, the Buddies hit back within three minutes to restore their two-goal lead when Richard King's strike was saved by Ward, but it looped over him and bounced into the empty net. Saints grabbed a fourth and final goal when Mandron curled the ball home in the 89th minute and his effort survived a VAR check for a potential foul in the build-up. MOTHERWELL: Ward, Koutroumbis (Sparrow 65), Gordon (Welsh 45), Longelo, McGinn, Just, Watt, Maswanhise (Charles-Cook 76), Said (Slattery 57), Fadinger, Stamatelopoulos (Hendry 65). Scorers: Hendry 83 Bookings: Sparrow Subs not used: Connelly, Balmer, Priestman, Halliday. ST MIRREN: George, Fraser, Gogic, Freckleton, Richardson (King 71), Baccus (Donnelly 71), O'Hara (Tanser 88), John (McMenamin 88), Philips, Mandron, Nlundulu (Ayunga 63). Scorers: Mandron 25, 89, Nlundulu 40, King 86 Bookings: King Subs not used: Mullen, Idowu, Dijksteel, Mooney. HT: 0-2 Ref: Don Robertson
