The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Classy display as Saints see off Accies
Another win and another clean sheet for in-form McDiarmid keeper Clark
Just days after seeing his credentials for a Scotland call-up ignored by national manager Alex McLeish, Zander Clark was handling the acclaim coming his way for posting a new club record.
Never before had any Saints keeper enjoyed five successive clean sheets in the top flight of Scottish football.
The fact that the towering 26-year-old had pulled off the extraordinary feat on the back of a 6-0 hammering meted out by Celtic made the achievement even more remarkable.
It was allied to a fifth win in a row for manager Tommy Wright to equal a record set by Willie Ormond way back in 1971 and his predecessor Steve Lomas en route to third place five years ago.
Temporarily perhaps but Saturday night saw the Northern Irishman’s swashbuckling side in fourth place and just three points off the top of the pile.
It all makes for an intriguing return to action after the international break, with top six rivals Kilmarnock in town.
Wright has been pressing Clark’s case for a Scotland call-up and, embarrassingly for McLeish, Killie’s Jamie MacDonald was absent from the Rugby Park line-up against Hearts, hard on the heels of being summoned into the set-up for Nations League games with Albania and Israel.
But after a scintillating performance in which he was untested by a poor Accies outfit, the keeper was content to enjoy another clean sheet and tiptoe through a diplomatic minefield when he met the press.
Strikes from Murray Davidson, Matty Kennedy and David Wotherspoon along with Ziggy Gordon’s own goal could easily have had company in a one-sided affair.
“It is always pleasing knowing the manager thinks that highly of you.
“If I put in performances that warrant a call-up I’ll take it,” said Clark, who has now gone seven hours and 36 minutes undefeated.
“With Jon McLaughlin pulling out there could have been a sniff but I’ve not lost any sleep over it. Of course I have ambitions.
“It’s every footballer’s dream to represent their country.
“It would be pleasing to be in it but I’ll just keep plodding away doing what I know I can do.
“If I keep having clean sheets can you ignore it? I don’t know, can you?
“If it doesn’t happen I won’t dwell on it and let it affect my performances at the club. Doing well for this club is my first priority.”
Saints fans have seen any number of players enjoy Scotland recognition only after they have moved on from McDiarmid Park.
Wright’s dismay has struck a chord with the support but Clark skirted round the issue.
“It’s pleasing to get a club record but it’s not entirely down to me. Each and every one of us can be proud,” he said.
“There have been some helluva good keepers at this club. But everybody has been excellent. After the Celtic game we wanted to get back to being hard to beat.
“We knew with that mindset we had attacking players in the final third that could nick us points here and there.
“It is never nice being on the end of a defeat but when it is heavy like that one it’s hard to remain upbeat for a couple of days. I was down in the dumps after the Celtic game for a couple of days.
“It’s one you tend not to look back on. But now we can probably say it has been the catalyst for the last five games.
“But you want to put it right. It’s in the past now.”
Summer signings Kennedy, Tony Watt and Drey Wright have provided the attacking impetus Wright had sought.
Their movement and interplay was a joy to behold for the home support after a poignant wreath-laying ceremony featuring a lone piper, veterans and a minute’s silence in memory of 10 players who gave their lives in the First World War.
Midfielder Davidson bundled home from close range after 20 minutes, when keeper Gary Woods failed to deal with Wright’s driven cross.
The former Colchester winger has been a revelation and another cross veered off luckless defender Ziggy Gordon past a stranded keeper.
Star turn Matty Kennedy made it three 10 minutes after the interval after latching on to a Watt delivery.
He smashed another shot off the bar with Accies on the ropes.
The former Cardiff City player could have had another when sub Chris Kane sought him out after latching on to a woeful back pass from Delphi nTs hi em be.
Kennedy couldn’t provide the finish but Wotherspoon was rewarded for a lung-bursting support run with a simple tap-in.