IT’S A FUNNY OLD KANE
Saints end slump with worst display
Callum Davidson was rel i eved to see St Johnstone’s winless run come to an end – but reckons it was the worst his men have played in months.
The Perth men came out on top thanks to Chris Kane’s controversial goal 28 seconds after the interval before Cammy MacPherson’s debatable red card for St Mirren.
St Johnstone’s first win in 11 games was welcomed by their gaffer – even if the performance didn’t please him.
Davidson said: “Football’s a funny game because that’s probably the worst we have played in all those matches in that spell.
“I thought the first half was a real tight game. Guy Melamed had the best chance of the half that he probably should have put away but apart from that there wasn’t a lot in it.
“I asked the players for a bit more energy at half-time and we got the early goal. Once we did that and they got a man sent off I didn’t think we were good enough.
“But I’m just delighted to get the win. I’ve stood here enough when we’ve played well and got nothing from it so I’m pleased. I thought we defended really well and put our bodies on the line as soon as one of their players got into our box. The three points are so important.”
St Mirren were less chuffed as there seemed to be a handball in the buildup to Kane’s goal and MacPherson’s yellows riled up the Buddies bench.
The Paisley Saints made a decent start but it was the Perth men who took charge of the first half. It was hardly the Alamo stuff but Davidson’s side were dominant without carving St Mirren open too often.
Melamed was lively and came close when Joe Shaughnessy blocked his drive and a couple of cross balls had the Buddies on the back foot.
They needed Jamie McCarthy to head a David Wotherspoon ball out from under his bar before the break but the Buddies survived.
St Mirren’s chances were even more limited. Eamonn Brophy made his first start but was feeding on scraps. Shaughnessy’s back-post header was about as close as they got. St Johnstone needed a cutting edge though – and it came early in to the second half.
Kane did the spadework and finished the move, dashing in off the left and forcing Jak Alnwick to save before burying the rebound.
St Mirren’s afternoon took another lurch for the worse when MacPherson was sent packing. The midfielder was booked just before the interval and was shown a second yellow and red just 10 minutes into the second half after a rash lunge on Melamed.
Goodwin’s men surprisingly sprung to life despite going down to 10 but were more open to getting hit on the break. Alnwick sensationally diverted Kane’s goalbound blast over the bar – although the officials missed it and didn’t give the corner.
Even the keeper was chuckling and he would have had a smile on his face again soon after had McCarthy’s header from Jamie McGrath’s freekick gone a couple of inches lower.
Goodwin handed new recruit Collin Quaner a debut from the bench but he limped off after just 18 minutes which summed it up for St Mirren.