We’ve got to get physical like Saints, insists Boyd

Asuperb solo goal from Michael O’Halloran saw the visitors leave Ayrshire with all three points but, for home captain Kris boyd, the abiding memory of the perth club’s victory was their deployment of the dark arts.

O’Halloran, like David Wotherspoon in the first half, had been allowed to run for 30 yards with the ball at his feet before scoring, unhindered by a meaningful challenge from any of Lee McCulloch’s players.

by contrast, Tommy Wright’s hardened professionals were more than willing to nip danger in the bud by resorting to any means necessary.

richard Foster and stefan scougall had no compunction about bringing down Jordan Jones when the winger had burst past them into space. both players were cautioned, as was Murray Davidson (for taking out Chris burke) and Wotherspoon (who did likewise with Dom Thomas).

More cynical than saintly, the visitors nonetheless got the job done and boyd believes that his team-mates need to adopt an equally ruthless approach.

‘It wasn’t a surprise,’ said boyd. ‘st Johnstone grind down teams and punish you when they get an opportunity.

‘I think it’s a reflection of where we are in terms of, to give an example, Jordan Jones turns on the halfway line, it’s one-on-one against the defender and scougall pulls him back and takes the booking.

‘For their winner, Michael O’Halloran picks up the ball in the corner, drives across our 18-yard box and nobody takes him down.

‘I’m not saying you want to see fouls everywhere but you need a street-wise mentality.

‘sometimes you need to commit fouls, get behind the ball and make it difficult for teams.

‘There’s a reason why st Johnstone are top six every year. It’s an example of if you go and do the dirty things in football then you’ll win games. They do that really well.’ boyd (below) is convinced that saints would not have conceded either of the goals that they scored. ‘It was a great finish (by Wotherspoon) on his left foot but, had it been one of our players running at the st Johnstone back four, there would probably have been a foul,’ he said. ‘That’s the way st Johnstone play football and it’s been a success. If there was ever a time for a wake-up call then it’s saturday. You need to be street-wise on the pitch. ‘Tommy Wright builds his team around experienced players — they have brought in younger ones but they need to earn their place. ‘We have young players and it’s great they’re coming through the academy and we’re giving them a chance but — and this goes for some of the older ones as well — if you have someone with the pace O’Halloran has, then he should have been shown down the line. ‘but it’s a learning curve. However, if we can play as we did for spells on saturday then we know we can hold our own in this league. ‘When I look at the overall picture, there were a lot of positives. ‘We played well in spells but it’s about fine lines in football. I miss a chance, the ball hits the bar, and after that they got a bit of belief after we had dominated.’

boyd, who had been starved of ammunition during the first half, had equalised with a heat-seeking missile of a free-kick from 30 yards and the hosts should have drawn at the very least.

Alan Mannus made superb saves to deny boyd and substitute Lee erwin before O’Halloran’s late show.

The winger, on loan from rangers, will add quality to their merciless efficiency, according to midfielder scougall.

‘Michael’s winner was fantastic — I lost count of the number of players that he took on,’ he said. ‘It was a great strike and a great goal.

‘every team needs one or two players to provide that little spark. It’s good having hard-working players but you also need that something extra. Mikey gave us that today and it bodes well for the rest of the season.

‘They were on the front foot until we got that late goal and, at the end of the day, we’re the ones with the three points.’