LEVEIN: IT SAINT FAIR ON MY BOYS
Perth boss gutted at late collapse
RELEGATED Livingston stunned St Johnstone with a dramatic late smash-and-grab winner.
But it was an entirely selfinflicted disaster for the Perth side who missed a succession of chances to put this to bed after taking an early lead.
Saints pounded the West Lothian side from kick-off and although Adama Sidibeh gave them the lead, they were denied by a combination of stunning saves by home keeper Shamal George and woeful finishing.
But they should have been out of sight by the time criminally bad marking saw Cristian Montano level in the second half.
And after Nicky Clark had missed a one-on-one sitter in injury time, Livingston went up the park and sub Andrew Shinnie won it with almost the last kick of the ball.
It means Saints still trail Ross County by two points in the relegation play-off spot ahead of Wednesday’s crunch clash in Perth.
But Saints boss Craig Levein refused to slam his shot-shy stars despite having 25 shots towards goal and scoring just once.
Levein claimed: “When things are going against you at times, this is what happens.
“If we had have been four or five goals ahead at halftime it would have been a fair reflection.
“But we weren’t, we made a couple of mistakes in the second half and were punished for that.
“I don’t want to put it down to individuals missing chances or point the finger.
“There’s no point me caning people for making mistakes and missing chances because of the level of performance we put in.
“I have been searching for a really good performance for a while now and we got that today.
“Football is cruel sometimes and you don’t always get what you deserve.
“The players worked really hard, played well and created chances. I’m not going to sit here blaming people for missing chances.”
And Levein backed his men to bounce back for the massive Premiership showdown this week.
He said: “If we replicate that on Wednesday we’ ll give ourselves a chance to win. “I feel for the players, they’re hurting and they’re gutted in the dressing roon.
“But I don’t think it will be hard to lift them. They’re annoyed anno because of how much muc they put into the game gam here.
“WWe just have to focus on the tthings we did well. “IIt’s about rolling our sleeves slee up now ahead of Wednesday We night.
“I don’t see there being bei any more pressure than tha there has been, it’s just jus the same.”
Saints could easily have ha been three goals to the th good in the opening five minutes when Clark flashed a shot wide before the recalled Stevie May – who made his first start this year – was denied by George tipping the ball over his bar.
But the keeper made an even better stop to somehow keep out a header from Sidibeh from point- blank range after he got on the end of May’s headed cut-back.
It was no surprise when Saints’ early domination was rewarded with an eighthminute goal.
May was again at the heart of things when Graham Carey set him up. And although the former Scotland striker rather scuffed his shot, the ball fell perfectly for Sidibeh, who finally beat George and rippled the net.
Under-pressure Livingston were all over the shop and Cammy MacPherson – who was another recalled Saintee after not starting since September – volleyed inches wide of the target.
Then Sidibeh forced another save from George as the one-way traffic continued.
The Lions keeper continued his fine work after the break by spreading himself and keeping out Clark and then stood up well to keep out a MacPherson effort.
But for all of the visitors’ missed chances, they conceded a 73rd- minute equaliser when a high and deep corner from Stephen Kelly was volleyed in at the back post from the unmarked Montano off the post.
Even then Saints still missed a gilt-edged chance in injury time when Clark was sent through and sent his effort wide of target.
And they were made to pay when a home counter-attack saw substitute Stephen Bradley set up Shinnie to blast the ball home in the 95th minute and the goal survived a VAR check.