Wright riled as Saints suffer heavy penalty
TOMMY WRIGHT reacted with fury to referee Greg Aitken’s penalty award in Dingwall — claiming it was a game-changing blunder.
The St Johnstone manager felt his team could have grasped a fourth successive win at the Global Energy Stadium were it not for the 54th-minute flashpoint.
Saints were leading from Denny Johnstone’s second-minute strike when Chris Eagles was brought crashing down by Chris Millar almost on the 18-yard line before Alex Schalk levelled from the spot.
Wright said: ‘Obviously the penalty decision is contentious to me. Our players are adamant it is outside the box.
‘I’ve seen it back and it’s impossible for the referee, from the view he had, to say 100 per cent it is in the box.
‘Chris Millar’s feet never go in the box, so it is a tough decision. You’ve got to make sure when giving those decisions you’re 100 per cent because there are big consequences.’
Wright, though, admitted Saints should have been better as County took the game by the scruff of the neck after the break.
He said: ‘We are disappointed. We had chances to kill the game off — and we didn’t. But it is a good point.’
County counterpart Owen Coyle felt his side deserved any luck they did take after collecting a point that lifts them off the foot of the table on goal difference.
He said: ‘Their player has clearly cemented Chris Eagles. The St Johnstone players’ complaint was that it wasn’t in the box and I couldn’t tell from my position.
‘If he has touched the white line at all, then that’s in the box. If it’s not, it’s probably the first decision we’ve had since I came in.
‘I would be surprised if anyone at that game — even the most biased of people — thought Ross County didn’t deserve the three points.’
County had struggled to hold leads in recent matches, but this time they conceded one within 80 seconds, with startling ease.
David Wotherspoon delivered a fine ball to Johnstone, who seemed to have far too much time and space to bundle a finish past keeper Scott Fox from close in.
After 24 minutes, Schalk fed Eagles to the left and the winger’s cross dipped to the back of the Saints box but Scott Tanser’s timely header prevented Schalk meeting the return ball.
The offside flag frustrated Saints early in the second half after Michael O’Halloran’s low drive hit the net but the hosts were back in business after a flurry of pressure earned a 54th-minute penalty.
Craig Curran rolled a pass towards the centre of the 18-yard line where Eagles was clearly brought down by Millar just inside the area. Schalk stepped up for the penalty and sent Zander Clark the wrong way for the equaliser.
Clark brilliantly denied County after 75 minutes. Jason Naismith’s low drive was blocked, Schalk struck the post on the rebound and Billy Mckay saw two follow-up attempts close-in thwarted by the Perth keeper’s sharp reflexes.
As County threw everything at Saints, Davis Keillor-Dunn whistled a strike only just over. At the other end, Liam Craig swiped a last-gasp free-kick just a couple of inches wide. ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Fox 6; Naismith 7, Fraser 6, Davies 6 (Lindsay 46), Van Der Weg 6; Gardyne 7, Chow 6, Routis 7, Eagles 6 (Keillor-Dunn 60); Schalk 7, Curran 6. Subs not used: McCarey, Dow, Mikkelsen, Mckay, O’Brien. Booked: Lindsay, Chow. ST JOHNSTONE (4-2-3-1): Clark 8; Foster 6, Shaughnessy 7, Anderson 6, Tanser 6; Millar 6, Craig 6; O’Halloran 7, Johnstone 7 (Cummins 70), Wotherspoon 7 (Alston 82); MacLean 6. Subs not used: Mannus, MacLean, Scougall, Gordon, Easton. Booked: Tanser, Foster. Man of the match: Zander Clark. Referee: Greg Aitken. Attendance: 3,636.