Peter panned
Fans hound Pawlett for ‘dive’
PETER PAWLETT took pelters from the Perth faithful in a hero and villain showing on his return to McDiarmid Park in an explosive Tayside derby.
The winger lit the fuse with the only goal of the game for Dundee United after an hour before picking up yellow cards for an overexuberant celebration and a dive after a challenge from Murray Davidson.
As sending-offs go it was cheap but United boss Tam Courts defended his player, who was heckled by the home fans throughout, and insisted the club would consider an appeal.
Courts said: “The first was very harsh for over an overexuberant celebration. At the second I had quite a good view because it was almost in line with the dugout. Peter’s known to be quick dribbler. He ran across the St Johnstone player and there was a minimal touch which is all you need to go down and it seemed to be a very harsh decision.
“He’s a big part of what we do and is the match winner and I want him remembered for that because he did very well today. Once we review it we’ll decide whether to appeal, from my perspective there seemed to be a touch.
“It was a really big moment, it was a counterattack situation and the pitch started to open up. I don’t think Peter would have looking to go down.”
Saints looked tired after Thursday’s energy-sapping draw with LASK in Austria and are still after a first win in 90 minutes this season.
United’s Trevor Carson was thrown in for a first start since signing from Motherwell after United were dealt a huge blow as No.1 Benji Siegrist picked up a knee injury in training.
Saints were fast out of the blocks and Chris Kane was first to threaten when he got on the end of a Jason Kerr flick from Shaun Rooney’s long throw but his header went just wide.
At the other end, Zander Clark was forced to dive full length to turn Nicky Clark’s fizzing effort round the post after Marc McNulty’s flick.
McNulty looked sharp and his clever touches round about the box were threatening to unpick the Saints defence with Jeando Fuchs coming close off one back heel.
Charlie Mulgrew had a close-range shot blocked as United began to boss the half and the fear among the home fans must have been Saints had not recovered from Thursday’s lungbusting efforts in Klagenfurt.
Stevie May, who only got five minutes in Austria, and the galloping Rooney were looking their liveliest threats.
Just before the interval Saints came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock when Rooney beat his man and fizzed a low cross into the six yard box that just eluded May.
With Mulgrew in the side United always pose a threat from set-pieces and the big defender flashed a header just wide from Pawlett’s corner after 51 minutes.
But they had Liam Smith to thank three minutes later when the full-back slid in to block May’s effort from eight yards after good work by Glenn Middleton.
You could sense a goal was coming and it arrived on the hour mark.
Dylan Levitt received a throw in 20 yards out on the left and swung in a perfect cross for Clark, who laid the ball off for Pawlett to poke home from 10 yards.
The game erupted with 12 minutes left when Pawlett was sent packing for going down under a challenge from Davidson.
The midfielder protested his innocence but ref Don Robertson wasn’t interested.
Moments later Middleton drew a one-handed save from Carson with a shot from the edge of the box.