DERBY day hero Ricki Lamie thinks his stoppage time equaliser against St Mirren spared his blushes — because he felt he gifted Saints a goal when he allowed Gary Mackenzie to elude him and head home.

Mackenzie bagged his first goal for the Buddies at one end after 30 minutes, below inset, before Morton defender Lamie notched his maiden goal for his club right at the death to guarantee the spoils were shared at the end of a frantic Hogmanay clash.

Lamie revealed he also thought he had scored earlier in the game, when he hit the crossbar not long after Saints had broken the deadlock.

He could only look on as his header hit the frame of the goal and there was more anguish when Gary Oliver bravely tried to net the rebound, only to be kicked full force in the face by the home side’s Gary Irvine and sustain a badly broken nose.

Lamie said: “I tried to make amends because I was disappointed that the big man [Mackenzie] got away from me for their goal.

“I got blocked off at the back post and there was a yard in it, and he’s stuck it in the net.

“I thought I’d scored earlier, it was just a glance and I couldn’t believe it came off the underside of the bar.

“Then there was then a massive shout for a penalty and Gary [Oliver] was very, very brave.

“I don’t know that I would’ve stuck my head in at that height.” Lamie reckons his last-minute leveller exemplifies the belief in the Ton camp at the moment and says the point it rescued could prove as important as the emphatic victory over St Mirren earlier in the season.

He said: “We showed our team spirit and that’s got us a long, long way to where we are just now this season.

“It kind of sums it up that we’ve got our reward.

“On a personal note, it was a great day but psychologically we’ve been on a great wee run.

“It might’ve knocked us on Saturday, under the conditions and how hard we worked, not to come away with something.

“It gives us a real boost.

“The elation in the dressing room probably matched the 3-1 win in the derby at Cappielow because it means as much, if not more psychologically.

“It was a massive, massive point and hopefully it helps bring us to where we want to be.”

Lamie has had to wait two and a half years to find the back of the net in a Ton shirt and he celebrated wildly, sprinting straight to the bench to his team-mates and boss Jim Duffy.

He told the Tele: “If I had to pick the setting, the stadium and circumstances, being down to 10 men and things, it was kind of scripted, I think.

“That’s what you’re after, a 93rd-minute goal in the derby, you couldn’t really ask for anything more.

“I’ve been getting regular reminders from the boys and folk around the club.

“And from the house!

“I’ve never been prolific, but it’s good to chip in every now and again.

“I couldn’t name a person who hasn’t reminded me that I hadn’t scored before, so it was just sheer elation.

“The away fans were away down the opposite end so it was just tunnel vision.”

Reliving his goal-den moment, the popular big defender added: “It was an inswinger and I would usually go around the back for knock-downs.

“We overloaded the box at that late stage in the game and it was a great ball in. Someone’s gambled and the ball fell nicely after a ricochet.

“It nearly got blocked on the line but I was happy to see it go in.

“I was nearly in the dugout before it hit the net - I don’t think anyone could believe it was me who scored it!”