SUPER sub Alex Samuel rescued a point for Morton in Friday night’s Renfrewshire derby then dedicated his goal to his own personal saviour.

Swansea loan striker Samuel came off the bench to turn home a last-minute equaliser against arch-rivals St Mirren and send the travelling support into raptures.

The devout Christian celebrated by going down to his knees and pointing to the heavens, and he revealed that the strike, and everything he does in life, is in tribute to ‘the man upstairs’.

Speaking exclusively to the Tele, Samuel explained: “I’m buzzing really. Denny [Johnstone] has had a great shot that the keeper saved well.

“I was just in the right place at the right time to put it home, which is nice. It’s important to be in positions like that to put the ball in. The ball came out quite quickly and I just had to react, and just managed to put it over the keeper – I think he nearly got a touch on it!

“It’s not the best goal you’ll see, but a goal’s a goal, you know? I’ll take any goal no matter how it comes to me. It’s nice to get important goals like that tonight.

“Every goal I score is for God, for my saviour Jesus Christ.

“That’s the reason why I do it [point both index fingers up in celebration]. It’s not just for show – it’s to say ‘thank you’ to the big man upstairs.

“I’m a Christian. I go to church every Sunday and it’s awesome to be a Christian. I was 16 when I found it and went to church and got saved. My life has been so amazing from there, you know? Especially my football. Your faith helps you because you know you’re being looked after every step of the way.

“To go on that pitch and know God is with you every step of the way means you can just play your game. It’s awesome to have that.”

Family is also an important aspect of Samuel’s life and he revealed that his girlfriend Rachael Greenway’s mother and father made the journey up from Wales to attend the big game.

He added: “My girlfriend’s parents, Angela and Martin, came up to see me and they saw me score which was great.

“They’ve seen me play before but this was the first time they had come up to Scotland to see me, and they loved it.

“They were in the away end in the middle of the Morton fans, so that was great. I don’t think they were setting off the blue smoke bombs, though! I think they were in the quieter part.

“I also had all my friends and family watching at home, so it was nice that it was televised so they could watch it.”

As well as the experience of being new to his family, it was actually Samuel’s first taste of the Renfrewshire rivalry having only arrived on loan after the 0-0 draw at Cappielow in August.

And he added: “I joined a couple of games after the first derby this season so I didn’t experience the home game and was surprised by tonight.

"It was a really feisty game and I thought our support was fantastic. The atmosphere was really good and I was really excited for my chance to come on and do something.

“All players love playing in a derby because the adrenaline is up and you want to do well for your club – for Morton – and the 
supporters.”