Robinson wants his winner to be the closing line on Martindale’s Livvy CV
SCOTT ROBINSON hopes his first Premiership goal for nine months will secure Davie Martindale the Livingston job. The midfielder doesn’t make a habit of scoring but will net fewer more important than his match-winner at McDiarmid Park, which sealed three consecutive wins under Martindale’s stewardship following the departure of Gary Holt. Not only that, but it also ended St Johnstone’s clubrecord 11-match unbeaten run. With visitors Ross County next up in the Betfred Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night, Robinson’s 65th-minute strike was timed to perfection. And the substitute believes it would now be close to impossible for the board not to rubber-stamp Martindale’s appointment.
‘Since he took charge, the boys have responded to him. We’re a hard-working team anyway, but he is very enthusiastic and demanding. He insists on high standards all the time and the players buy into that.
‘Now we have another massive game and the chance of reaching Hampden is a huge incentive.
‘I’ve been there twice before with Hearts in League Cup semifinals and it doesn’t get much better than playing at the national stadium.’ Having come on for Scott Tiffoney when his fellow sub was injured just ten minutes after replacing Matej Poplatnik, Robinson kept a cool head to drill the ball low and wide of Zander Clark in one flowing movement.
It cancelled out Chris Kane’s 54th-minute equaliser after Jon Guthrie had headed Livingston in front.
The hero was quick to praise man-of-the-match Josh Mullin for his part in both Livingston goals.
Robinson, whose last goal was in a 2-2 home draw with Celtic in March, said: ‘A couple of minutes before, I had been screaming at Josh to deliver the ball over the
top. I told him I would try to play on the shoulder and he played it to perfection to put me through. ‘Most people would have tried to lob the keeper but I thought if I kept it low I would have more chance. It’s been a long wait but I’m delighted to be back among the goals.’ Saints defender Danny McNamara couldn’t hide his disappointment at the Perth team’s failure to impose themselves on the game after enjoying the lion’s share of possession. Describing it as a collective failure, he said: ‘I don’t think you can point a finger at any one player. As a team, we didn’t flow the way we usually do.’ Callum Davidson’s team will have the chance to atone when they travel to Dunfermline tomorrow in their bid to reach the last four of the Betfred Cup. ‘We have to take this result on the chin and ensure we respond well on Tuesday,’ said McNamara. ‘This is a really important part of the season and, with one unbeaten run over, it’s time to start another. There’s no reason to think we can’t go on another and make our way up the table.’
For on-loan Millwall man McNamara, the visit to East End Park will be a whole new experience. ‘I’ve never been involved before at this stage of a cup competition,’ he said. ‘The chance to play in a semi at Hampden is a massive incentive. But Dunfermline are a decent side and it’s a one-off game.’ Saints will need to add a cutting edge to their game after Stevie May and David Wotherspoon had chances to score, while Kane headed against the crossbar in the first half. After holding Celtic to a draw six days earlier, the Perth side had clearly been on a high, but they discovered just how quickly the unwary can be knocked off their perch.
ST JOHNSTONE (4-4-2): Clark 6; Kerr 6 (Rooney 72), Gordon 6, McCart 6, McNamara 6; Bryson 6 (Davidson 84), McCann 6, Tanser 6, Wotherspoon 7; May 5 (Melamed 67), Kane 5 (Hendry 67). Subs not used: Parish, Booth, Craig, Conway. Booked: McCann, Kane. LIVINGSTON (4-4-2): Stryjek 6, Devlin 6, Fitzwater 6, Guthrie 6, Serrano 6; Bartley 6, Sibbald 6, Mullin 7 (Holt 77), Pittman 6; Forrest 5 (Brown 61), Poplatnik 5 (Tiffoney 46; Robinson 54). Subs not used: McCrorie, McMillan, Taylor-Sinclair, Ambrose, Emmanuel-Thomas. Booked: Pittman, Bartley. Man of the match: Josh Mullin Referee: John Beaton.