BUDDIES LIFELINE
Craig Ritchie
St Johnstone missed two penalties but still the Buddies couldn’t make them pay on a miserable afternoon in Perth.
In a season where their luck has been out, St Mirren appeared to be handed a lifeline as the hosts spurned two second-half spot-kicks, with the score sitting at 1-0.
Instead, a toothless Saints never even came close to finding an equaliser and they were made to pay the price as Matty Kennedy’s late strike put the tie beyond doubt, following David Wotherspoon’s opener.
Defeat leaves St Mirren boss Oran Kearney without a win from his opening six games since taking the reins back in September.
But despite having bagged just four points from their opening 10 games of the season, Saints have somehow yet to drop to the foot of the table.
On another afternoon, they could have easily been on the end of a drubbing.
But they could also argue that they should have had a first-half penalty almost caught out St Johnstone stopper Zander Clark as he backpedalled at the far post to punch clear from under the bar.
The St Mirren bench were up in arms shortly afterwards as they had a solid shout for a penalty turned down by referee Andrew Dallas.
St Johnstone defender Jason Kerr appeared to go through the back of the Buddies striker – but instead of pointing to the spot, Dallas issued the free-kick the other way and handed Mullen a yellow card for simulation as the entirety of the Saints outfield players swarmed the whistler.
Despite things clearly not going their way, backed by a large travelling support, St Mirren appeared to be growing into the game.
Two half chances for Mullen saw the striker first header wide of target before blazing over the bar after Paul McGinn robbed Scott Tanser down the right flank.
But they again had Samson to thank on the stroke of half-time as the keeper produced a fine save to tip Matty Kennedy’s header on to the crossbar after David Wotherspoon headed Ricky Foster’s cross back across the face of goal.
Intent on starting the second half on the front foot, instead Saints appeared to riding their luck as Watt produced one of the misses of the season just three minutes in.
Kennedy’s ball to Tanser saw the fullback drift in behind the Buddies defence before cutting back for the striker but he somehow blasted wide of goal after being left unmarked following Alfie Jones’ slip inside the box.
At the other end, Matty Willock