MY TURN FOR CONCUSSION
Saints boss slams Murray’s false fitness claim after head knock
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright has rounded on Murray Davidson for conning him over his head injury.
Saints remain unbeaten after five games in the Premiership but Wright claimed they were hampered against dominant Hibs by his midfielder’s false declaration of fitness. Davidson was concussed after only eight minutes against Celtic a fortnight ago but was back in the heart of the side.
However, he was replaced at half-time by Liam Craig, who took three minutes to set up the opener for Michael O’Ha l loran only to see it cancelled out by a Paul Paton own goal after an hour.
It was O’Halloran’s fifth league goal in five games but the equaliser was the least Hibs deserved as they were denied by sloppy finishing – and a wonder stop from Alan Mannus five minutes from time.
Quizzed about Davidson, Wright said: “He’d said he was ill and then said he was fit. I’m not happy he’s had to go off. You can’t tell your manager you’re f it and then have to go off after 45 minutes. I had to make an enforced substitution and I’m not pleased about that.
“If he declares himself fit he should be able to do 90 minutes. If a player says he’s OK to play, the responsibility lies with him.”
If Davidson felt queasy, Hibs boss Neil Lennon had the right to feel downright pig sick after watching his side dominate for all but the first 20 minutes.
Surprisingly, it was red-hot Simon Murray who was the biggest sinner, nodding a cross from Anthony Stokes over from six yards before taking a heavy touch 10 yards out that let David Wotherspoon clear.
David Gray volleyed over as half-time loomed and was denied the opener when Davidson headed over his own bar as the full-back prepared to pounce.
The second half seemed set to develop as the first half had ended and it took two fabulous blocks from Foster to keep Saints level just a minute after the restart.
Martin Boyle played a onetwo with Murray but his shot was saved by Alan Mannus before the full-back did enough to put off Stokes. Foster then jumped up and threw himself in front of Murray’s follow-up – and Hibs paid a heavy price when Saints ran straight up the park and opened the scoring.
Sub Craig was the creator. His low cross from the left was met at the back by O’Halloran, who stole in unmarked to smash home the opener.
That should have settled Saints but it was Hibs who quickly regained the ascendency, with their equaliser after an hour the least they deserved.
A long pass found Murray and his low cross into the box was turned into his own net by Paton as Stokes threatened.
Hibs almost took the lead minutes later when Boyle’s cross looked destined to be knocked in by Murray only for Steven Anderson to nod it over from underneath his own bar.
The away side nearly snatched it at the end but Mannus brilliantly touched a shot from Boyle on to the roof of the bar.