Last-gasp time again as Saints fans enjoy capital trip
Kerr sparks wild scenes with 94th minute leveller
HIBERNIAN ............................................... 2
ST JOHNSTONE ........................................ 2
Someone is soon going to have to write a book on St Johnstone’s late goals at Easter Road.
Scenes of jubilant fans clambering over the away section’s advertising hoardings are becoming ever more frequent. And it shows the passion of football is not lost.
The 94th minute was seconds from disappearing on the electronic board at the Edinburgh stadium but Perth supporters know better than to head for an early exit.
In 2017, stalwart Steven MacLean prodded home at the back post to steal a win. He proceeded to jump into the crowd with celebratory hugs distributed all round.
In 2018, Joe Shaughnessy’s bullet of a header gave Saints another dramatic three points. He bounded over to the travelling fans to share the moment in style.
And in 2019 the latest instalment was written when skipper Jason Kerr led from the front to gloriously nod home a late leveller for 2-2 to spark wild scenes.
There was only one place Kerr was heading.
“They’re always hectic in the away end,” Kerr said of the fans. “That is why we go over there and celebrate with them – you can see how much it means to them.
“Obviously in the last minute it feels that little bit better. It’s what every player and the fans love to see, the passion of football.
“That’s the best goal for me. It’s the one you dream about but I didn’t actually think it was going in at the start. I got up well and was delighted when it went in off the post. “I went for the knee slide with the celebration but it was a horrible effort. We’ve scored late goals at Easter Road before and the fans think we’re going to get it. “As a centre back I’m always looking to get my head on corners and crosses. It’s good to replicate last season and the fans must love coming here.” Those fans would not have loved watching home defender Adam Jackson rise above all to head Stevie Mallan’s 25th minute free-kick beyond Zander Clark. Saints weren’t being dominated, far from it, but they remained behind at the interval. Tommy Wright’s men huffed and puffed without blowing Hibs away. But in the 68th minute an exquisite reverse pass from Liam Craig set Michael O’Halloran free inside the box. From a tight angle he blasted into the roof of the net. Even at this point one Perth fan was overexuberant with his celebrations and found himself pitchside. He was quickly shepherded away by Easter Road security. Celebrations hadn’t calmed when Hibs immediately went back ahead, though. In less than a minute, Florian Kamberi flicked a Glenn Middleton cross into the bottom corner. For the remainder Saints were on top. But as the minutes passed it appeared to be another afternoon of disappointment. That was until Danny Swanson’s cross from the left flank whipped towards the back post where determined Kerr nodded across goal and in off the woodwork. It was his heroic actions that brought this Easter Road story to a close. “The boys were absolutely brilliant out there to show the character they did,” Kerr said. “We did the same to come back against Livingston. “It just shows the character we have with such a young squad. For me to get that last minute goal, it just made it all that bit sweeter. “People had the right to question our character. Last season we had a bad stat in that we didn’t really bring a game back when going one down. “The last two games have been good in that sense. “It actually felt like a win – but also we were quite disappointed with the draw. We should have won. “We dominated for the majority of the game and have beaten better Hibs sides.” Kerr had a word for youngsters Ali McCann and Wallace Duffy, adding: “It was a really young squad. “I thought Ali McCann did really well in the midfield, especially with the likes of Scott Allan and Stevie Mallan in there. “Wallace Duffy did well at right back too and that is good to see. Hopefully we can kick on now.”