ST MIRREN interim manager Allan McManus praised the spirit of the Saints as they dug in to clinch a late draw with Falkirk on Saturday.

Saints fell behind in the ninth minute to a deflected Craig Sibbald free-kick. The Buddies held firm under pressure from the away side and got their reward when a terrific Tom Walsh strike in the 87th minute rescued a point.

McManus believes a draw was a fair result and praised substitute Walsh for his attitude after being left out of the team.

He said: “I thought a draw was probably a fair result. We started the game well then concede another freak goal, there is no point in moaning about that. 

“I keep saying when you are at the bottom of the table those things tend to go against you.

“The boys continued to play in the way we had asked them to. At half-time I told them to keep working hard, I thought we looked as if we were feeling a bit sorry for ourselves in the second half.

“All credit to Walshy who came on and gave us a bit of impetus, he’s been magnificent in training this week and it was a tough decision not to start him.

“But he’s been really professional about it and he thoroughly deserved his goal. It’s a good point and gives whoever is coming in something to build on.”