The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McDiarmid comeback sees Saints extend run
ST JOHNSTONE 2 HEARTS 2: Wright insists Perth side deserved three points
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright insisted his side deserved to take all three points last night despite twice having to come from behind to secure a draw at McDiarmid Park.
The visitors took an early lead through Arnaud Djoum before Blair Alston equalised for the hosts. Oliver Bozanic made it two for the Jam Tarts just before half-time but Matty Kennedy secured a draw with a penalty Hearts were adamant should never have been given in the second half.
The result extended Saints unbeaten run to seven games with Wright saying: “I was disappointed to lose two points as we should have won the game.”
McIntyre continued: “We need to take more risks and get crosses into the box. That happened tonight.
“It is fantastic to get a hat-trick and he says it is either the seventh or eighth of his career. So to do that at the age of 38 – he deserves a lot of credit.
“I am delighted for him and more so for the whole team.”
McIntyre was also quick to praise Miller’s team-mates for securing three points that moved them to within one of second-bottom St Mirren in the Premiership table.
“It gets the monkey off the back, having not won at home,” said McIntyre. That stat is gone and thank goodness for that.
“It is also three games unbeaten and we are coming into a really tough period.
“First and foremost we wanted to win the game. It didn’t matter how we did it but to score four goals was fantastic.
“We got a wee bit of luck with a couple of deflections but the most important thing for me was that we were trying to do the right things in the right areas.
“There has definitely been progress. It was clear to see that tonight.
“I thought the players showed a great hunger at times even though it was sometimes scrappy.
“Games at this level are difficult to win but we got the breaks at the right times.
“I thought you could see a confidence appear in our play when we scored the second and third goals. We started to knock the ball about nicely.”
There was a late injury blow for Dundee, though, with central defender Darren O’Dea unable to complete the match.
McIntyre said: “Picking up the injury for Darren is a blow. It is too early to say in terms of the severity of the injury but I think he has a small tear in his groin.”
After beating fellow strugglers St Mirren 3-1 at the weekend, Hamilton boss Martin Cannning said it was, “one step forward, two steps back” for his side.
He said: “There was no pressure on shots, it was too easy. At no point in the game did you feel Dundee were putting us under real pressure.
“It was a game we shouldn’t be conceding four goals in. It was too easy, too soft.”