SHOT-SHY SAINTS HAVE NOTHING IN THE FESTIVE BLANK
Tommy Wright and Jim Goodwin will praying for shooting boots this Christmas after the top flight’s lowest scorers played out a dull stalemate.
On a day when even the impressive travelling support’s Santa suits and beards would struggle to keep out the cold there was little on the park to warm the souls as both saw Hamilton close to within a point in second-bottom spot.
With only 29 goals between them ahead of kick- off it was no surprise the game finished the only goalless 90 minutes in Scotland.
But Buddies boss Goodwin still saw enough in his side to give him hope they can pull of a minor festive miracle against Celtic on Boxing Day.
He said: “A point away from home is always a good result and this is a difficult venue.
“We prepared well for a battle, we knew it wouldn’t be pretty and the pitch would be heavy.
“In terms of the balance of the game I felt we were better but on clear-cut chances St Johnstone had the better ones. We worked Zander Clark a few times, dominated the first half and played the majority of the game in their territory.
“But a point was fair on the balance of how the game went.
“A point and a clean sheet on the road are positive and we are in a good place right now. Hopefully we can carry that into the last two games before the winter break.
“I’d love to get a win going into the second half of the season – hopefully we can catch Celtic on the hop.” The
Buddies edged the play and were denied twice before the break by Clark but at the same time had Vaclav Hladky to thank for making two key saves to preserve a point – their fifth in the last three games.
It’s three clean sheets in a row for St Johnstone but boss Wright was less than impressed with ref John Beaton who waved away appeals for a firsthalf penalty when Matty Kennedy fell under a Paul McGinn challenge.
He said: “I don’t know whether it’s a penalty or not but there were a few decisions I couldn’t figure out.
“There’s no such thing as a homer with referees any more. A team that had more fouls than us ended up with
fewer bookings.” The home side opened bright ly and Michael O’Halloran forced a good save from Hladky after only 50 seconds.
But the Buddies worked their way into proceedings and Jon Obika stung Clark’s fingertips with a 20-yard drive in 18 minutes.
There were screams for a penalty from St Johnstone moments later when Kennedy was bundled over in the box by an untidy McGinn challenge but Beaton waved play on much to Wright’s frustration.
O’Halloran passed up a gift in 26 minutes when he sprung the offside trap to latch on to a Callum Hendry flick but Hladky was sharp off his line to deny the winger again. The goalies were eyeing a Christmas bonus and Clark did well to hold a fierce drive from Junior Morias before Cammy MacPherson’s 20-yard effort was tipped wide just before the break.
The game was badly needing a spark after the break, with both sides lacking someone brave enough to put a foot on the ball.
It took a 60th-minute flashpoint to get the fans off their seats.
Anthony Ralston hacked Morias and seconds later Murray Davidson tripped Ilkay Durmus – with both sinners seeing yellow.
Clark was forced to repel a 30-yard drive from Sam Foley with 20 minutes left before Sean McLoughlin struck the side netting for the Buddies after connecting with a wicked inswinging free-kick from Durmus.
With just minutes left Obika’s effort was blocked by Liam Gordon and up the other end Hladky denied Perth sub David Wotherspoon.
St Johnstone boss Wright said: “A draw was probably a fair result but we had the two best chances.
“We should have taken at least one. We didn’t do enough. Too many players dwelt on the ball and were not as positive as we should have been.
“A win would have put either team four points behind Hibs but we didn’t capitalise on our chances.”