Simo Valakari backs Makenzie Kirk to find net again soon after tough day

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari is confident Makenzie Kirk will quickly shrug off his tough day in front of goal against Hamilton.

Saints advanced to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup with a 1-0 victory over the Championship strugglers, with Adama Sidibeh scored an 87th-minute winner after coming off the bench to replace Kirk.

That was the Gambian forward’s first goal since a double at Kilmarnock last August.

Kirk had been more productive during Sidibeh’s drought, scoring eight goals in an impressive first season with the club, and the 20-year-old could easily have snared a hat-trick on Saturday, only for the clinical touch to desert him.

But Valakari was keen to look at the positives, saying: “When you analyse his games where Makenzie hasn’t scored, in every single one of them he has had one good chance – minimum.

“For me, that is the sign of a good striker. It’s down to the mathematics.

“He keeps putting himself in the right positions, so we know that the goals will come.

“We have been talking with him; he’s a very calm-headed boy. He knows he can finish, that he has that quality.

“But he also knows what the life of a striker is like. That you’re going to miss some chances.

“So don’t worry about them, don’t get frustrated. Be there and there is always the next chance.”

Saints have won four games in a row for the first time since January 2019 while Valakari beds in eight transfer window signings.

There were starts on debut against Accies for Latvian defender Daniels Balodis and Swedish midfielder Jonathan Svedberg.

Wide man Stephen Duke-McKenna, on loan from Harrogate, helped wear down the visitors with an encouraging second-half display on the right flank.

And centre-half Zach Mitchell, 20, played the final minutes after signing from Charlton until the end of the season.

“We are a better team with these new players – Daniels and Jonathan starting,” said Valakari.

“They showed their quality and not in the easiest of circumstances. ‘Dukes’ and Zach came on later on to finish the game for us.

“It was a typical cup tie. Credit to the opponent for being organised and making it difficult.