The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Saints are kings of the clean sheet
Defence is solid as a rock as McDiarmid men notch up six shut-outs in a row
ST JOHNSTONE 0 KILMARNOCK 0
Joe Shaughnessy is far too modest to blow his own trumpet but his manager Tommy Wright was not slow in lavishing praise on the Irishman and his defensive partner Jason Kerr on Saturday saying: “The two centre-backs were rocks. They were unbelievable.”
The duo, along with full-backs Scott Tanser and Richard Foster as well as goalie Zander Clark, were key in ensuring Saints secured a point and another clean sheet against a Killie team possessing the attacking threat of prolific marksman Kris Boyd and an in-form Greg Stewart up front.
And Shaughnessy admitted he is delighted to be part of such a resolute rear-guard.
He said: “After the Celtic game we maybe had to have a look at ourselves.
“We have worked hard to get clean sheets and it is paying off.
“Zander has made another brilliant save today and I think as a team we have defended a lot better in the last couple of weeks.
“Jason has been brilliant since he started playing so it is good to get the rewards for what we have been working on.
“Our relationship is getting better between the back four and the goalie.
“We understand where everything is going to be and you can see that in the performances – there haven’t been many clear-cut chances against us.
“We just know we have to keep going as we have a couple of big games coming up so it is only going to get harder.”
There was plenty of honest endeavour in the first half on Saturday but little in the way of goalmouth action with two well organised and disciplined sides cancelling each other out.
The first chance did not arrive until the 19th minute when Saints David Wotherspoon hit a 20-yard free-kick which was easily gathered by Killie keeper Daniel Bachmann.
Clark was a virtual spectator and did not have a save to make until the 44th minute from a weak Kirk Broadfoot header.
Just before half-time, Saints’ Matty Kennedy tried his luck from long range but his shot lacked power and was mopped up by Bachmann.
The second 45 followed a similar pattern to the first with both sides struggling to carve out clear-cut opportunities.
A chance did fall the way of Kennedy in the 59th minute inside the Killie box but he hit his shot wildly over the crossbar.
Shortly after, Stewart hit a curling effort from the right with Clark having to produce a stunning acrobatic save to deny the former Dundee striker.
St Johnstone then had a chance when Liam Craig shaped to hit a deep free-kick into the opposition’s box but instead he teed up Tanser with the leftback hitting a ferocious drive that flew just wide of Bachmann’s right-hand post.
Saints suffered a big blow in the 66th minute when Drey Wright had to be helped off by the medical staff with Danny Swanson replacing the winger.
The home side came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 83rd minute when Kennedy cut in from the left and hit a fierce curling effort that cannoned off the woodwork.
Deep in stoppage time, Stewart went close with another curling effort but the ball trickled just past the post with referee Willie Collum blowing seconds after for full-time.
Killie boss Steve Clarke felt his side should have had a penalty when Boyd went down in the Saints box in the 75th minute.
But Shaughnessy was adamant he had no case to answer and when asked about it he said: “What? Me and Boyd?
“No, I think Boyd knows as well there is nothing in it. So I don’t think so.
“I think he was waiting for me to touch him but there’s no way. It wasn’t a penalty!
“He obviously thought it was but I didn’t. It didn’t get given so it wasn’t.
“If it had been given it would have been very harsh but there is no way it is a penalty.
“He uses his strength well and he is good at backing in. You don’t want to get too tight to him because he is a proven goalscorer at this level but I thought we dealt with him pretty well.”