Draw wasfair in‘pain’ game
St Johnstone..1 Motherwell .... 1
Graham Barnstaple Motherwell ended a run of six straight defeats at Mcdiarmid Park with a 1-1 draw against St Johnstone, but boss Mark Mcghee admitted the second half was “excruciating.”
A bizarre own-goal by Saints keeper Zander Clark was cancelled out by a fortunate strike by Chris Kane, but the Perth side probably had the better chances thereafter.
Mcghee said: “I enjoyed the first half, not the second half, which was excruciating.
“The first half was all right, I thought we approached it the right way, but we ran out of energy in the second half.
“We had three or four who hadn’t trained all week and I think that showed.
“St Johnstone piled on to us and we found it difficult to get up the park, so I am satisfied with the draw.
“I would have taken a point on the way up here, to be honest.”
Saints started well but Motherwell scored in 12 minutes when Louis Moult’s pass sent Richard Tait down the right. His cross looked harmless enough, but Clark somehow managed to shove it under him and it skidded into the net.
Saints tried to get back on level terms and Craig Clay cleared a Tam Scobbie header off the line before Craig Samson threw himself full length to save Steven Mclean’s header.
Saints drew level in 62 minutes when Mclean’s header sent Kane through and it looked like Samson had blocked his shot, but it ricocheted off the Saints man’s face and flew into the net.
Samson, who had earlier saved a Murray Davidson header, was forced into action again late on to deny sub Blair Alston, who had darted through the defence but couldn’t find a gap.