WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: St Mirren 3 Raith Rovers 0
THREE goals in seven second half minutes carried St Mirren to the Bell's First Division title and their fans into football heaven.
The Buddies goals blast was too much for a spirited Raith team, who however, made Saints fight all the way to clinch the crown they wanted to cap a super season.
In truth, Raith might have been almost out of sight at half time as they had the better chances in an even first half.
Saints were electric in the first 20 minutes, but they couldn't find the finish to match some tremendous outfield play.
Indeed only a controversial "no penalty" decision in ten minutes, after Tommy Turner and Craig Dargo collided inside the Saints' area, denied the Fifers a spot kick.
Guido Van De Kamp made a great save from Shuggie Murray in 27 minutes, but the best chances of the first half fell to Raith late on, Ludo Roy producing a brilliant stop to deny Alex Burns in 33 minutes and Tommy Turner clearing a Jean-Phillipe Javary effort off the line ten minutes later.
Tom Hendrie's half time talk clearly worked as Saints came out firing on all cylinders.
Ansah Owusu came close in 48 minutes for Raith, but, three minutes later, Saints' victory surge started.
The Buddies' well-practised throw-in move worked as Junior Mendes forced a brilliant save out of Van De Kamp for a corner.
Van De Kamp punched Iain Nicolson's set piece out, Ian Ross, a 30th minute tactical replacement for Paul Rudden won the ball, it fell to Mark Yardley who, from 16 yards turned and volleyed past Van De Kamp into the postage stamp corner.
Five minutes later Saints grabbed the consolidating second goal as the game's Star Saint, Murray burst forward, hit the by-line then found McGarry with his cut back.
The young forward's back header was perfection itself as it looped over Van De Kamp and under the bar into the net.
Three minutes later it was party time in Paisley as Saints made absolutely sure of the title.
Junior Mendes's pressure forced ex-Saint Brian Hetherston to concede a corner. Mendes then ran for a short kick, taking two defenders out with him and Ian Ross's kick found Barry McLaughlin, the Paisley Daily Express Star Saint winner, unmarked to head past Van De Kamp.
That was it, Saints weren't going to lose now, the trophy was coming to Paisley.
But the excitement wasn't over. In 69 minutes Brian Hetherston, who had been booked in only eight minutes for a foul on McGarry, said something out of turn to stand-side assistant referee Gordon Thomson.
George Clyde spoke to his assistant and immediately produced the red card - not the return to Love Street "Bubbles" had envisaged.
Saints sent on Ryan Robinson and Barry Lavety to enjoy the party, Iain Nicolson and Junior Mendes going off but it made little difference, Saints were going to win.
There was still time for a great break through the middle by Scott Walker in 85 minutes, to set up McGarry to shoot over before, two minutes later, Ludo Roy beat away a great shot from Raith's Alex Burns.
Then, the final whistle blew, it was all over - SAINTS WERE CHAMPIONS.
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