Search for first victory continues as Saints hit bottom
Little between the teams but Killie pick up points
ST JOHNSTONE ................................ 0 KILMARNOCK ................................... 1
It’s a marathon not a sprint but St Johnstone must ensure they don’t end up chasing the pack.
The race is going to be a long and eventful one but, in its early stages, the Perth club find themselves looking up at the rest from the bottom of the table.
Fortunes can easily be turned around after only four Premiership matches and pressing the big red panic button at this stage would be absurd.
But midfielder Liam Craig understands the importance of registering a first win of the season, sooner rather than later.
Through the week there was a belief swirling around the corridors of McDiarmid Park, a feeling of confidence suggesting that elusive victory would be forthcoming against Kilmarnock.
The Ayrshire visitors are now under the leadership of Italian Angelo Alessio, whose transition to Scottish football has been a touch turbulent. He arrived in Perth with a squad who were also searching for a first three points of the season.
They got them, albeit in pretty monotonous fashion.
In all honesty neither team was deserving of those points but Stephen O’Donnell’s scrappy first-half finish proved to be the difference.
“We needed to move the ball quicker and we had worked on that in training during
the week, but we didn’t do it enough,” a disappointed Craig explained to the PA.
“We’re not going to panic but it’s disappointing four games into the season to not have won a game. We now need to work hard over the next two weeks.
“We need to start winning soon because you don’t want to get cut adrift and then be playing catch-up all season.”
There was a distinct lack of quality with Saints’ final ball on Saturday and that greatly hampered their ability to finish on top of the podium come full-time.
Bursting out of the blocks at pace was going to be of great importance, especially when you consider, in their last five competitive games, the Perth side has fallen behind first in every one.
No imminent danger threatened early doors although a Rory McKenzie cross to the back-post did find central defender Dario Del Fabro who nodded narrowly wide of the mark.
In the eighth minute, Saints had a header of their own but Chris Kane’s attempt from a Matty Kennedy delivery was easily gathered by Kilmarnock’s Laurentiu Branescu.
Home fans were on their feet not long after the half hour mark when determined Michael O’Halloran beat the goalkeeper to the ball to bravely nod over the line.
But celebrations were cut-short with the assistant referee’s flag up on the far side to signal offside. It appeared a very tight decision with the Perth camp feeling aggrieved. Neither team seemed able to take this game by the scruff of the neck but, with 40 minutes on the clock, Kilmarnock made the all-important breakthrough.
Their goal stemmed from a home attack with Scott Tanser’s weak free-kick blocked by the wall, before Liam Millar was sent charging down the left flank beyond Ali McCann.
He cut-back into the box and, following a slight scramble and an unfavourable deflection, O’Donnell found the ball at his feet to nudge into the bottom corner.
Inspiration was required and Tommy Wright swivelled around and looked to Stevie May – making his first start since signing on Friday – and returning winger Drey Wright. Despite a couple of half chances and a late penalty appeal, there was to be no dream homecoming.
“We’re really disappointed with the goal we conceded,” Craig added. “To have a free-kick 25 yards from goal and then lose one, we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot. The second half we get into good areas but the crosses aren’t great. There’s one or two half chances without creating enough to work their goalkeeper.
“I felt we dictated the game after the break and, at worst, we should be coming away with a 0-0 because we shouldn’t lose a goal like that at this level.
“Big Zander Clark has not really had anything to do and I don’t remember him really touching the ball in the second half.
“We knew defensively Kilmarnock were good last year and defensively are strong again. But we need to be better at finding a way to break them down.
“If we do create chances we’ll score goals, especially when you have Drey Wright and Stevie May coming back in. The two weeks now are only going to help them get fitter and stronger.”