St Mirren v Hibs on as home side faces goalkeeper crisis

St Mirren’s match against Hibs will go ahead despite the club’s three goalkeepers being ruled out of action.

The second player to test positive for coronavirus after Jak Alnwick was also a goalkeeper, while a third shotstopper will sit out of the clash.

Although the third keeper returned a negative test, he will be excluded as a precaution – due to close contact with the others – on the advice of public health experts.

The players who tested positive will be excluded for 10 days, pending the return of negative results, and the third will be re-tested alongside the rest of St Mirren’s team on Sunday.

The club is working to get an emergency loan in before the match.

A club statement said: “The club have been informed that due to positive test results and track and trace protocols, our goalkeepers, Jak Alnwick, Dean Lyness and Peter Urminsky are all ineligible for tomorrow’s match.

“With less than 24 hours’ notice our only option is to attempt to bring in an eligible goalkeeper on loan and the club are working hard to do so and we will update fans as soon as possible once a deal is complete.”

Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, said: “I understand this is an extremely challenging situation for St Mirren but it demonstrates that the current testing regime is working, by detecting positive Covid-19 tests expeditiously, enabling the appropriate health boards to implement test and protect protocols that isolates those individuals who test positive, but allow football to continue safely and with confidence.”