Double injury blow for Saints ahead of cup tie

ST JOHNSTONE: Defenders Gordon and Tanser doubtful for Somerset Park clash

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright’s injury worries are building-up in advance of a midweek trip to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

With midfielders Murray Davidson and Drey Wright ruled out of the 3-3 weekend thriller with Hearts, the Perth squad has been further depleted.

Central defender Liam Gordon was forced off shortly before the interval after a sickening clash of heads with Jambos centre Liam Boyce.

Perth-based Gordon, whose campaign has been undermined by injury, has been hugely influential in tightening-up the Saints defence in recent months.

But he has been ruled out of the Pittodrie trip after being sent to hospital by the Perth medical team as a precautionary measure.

Saints are following the concussion protocol drawn up to protect players and will be guided by expert advice before deciding if Gordon makes the weekend cup tie with Ayr United. Left-back Scott Tanser is rated doubtful after staying indoors at half-time nursing a thigh injury.

Wright watched Saints “batter” the capital club but fall victim to a controversial stoppage time equaliser from Sean Clare.

He vented his annoyance with referee Greg Aitken for two decisions in the countdown to the Hearts equaliser.

Wright said: “My players were magnificent. We feel hard done by. They didn’t deserve anything from the game because we were better but they got a point with a great strike.”

ST JOHNSTONE 3 HEARTS 3

Stevie May should have been ecstatic after celebrating his first brace for nearly three years.

But the Perth centre, who almost netted a memorable hat-trick with an audacious Beckham-style lob from the halfway line, admitted it felt like a defeat after Sean Clare’s controversial stoppage time equaliser salvaged an unlikely point for Hearts.

Hard on the heels of an arduous shift against title favourites Celtic, Saints turned in their most impressive 45 minutes of the campaign to overturn the Jambos’ 2-1 interval advantage.

And Tommy Wright’s resilient outfit were odds-on to secure a healthy ninepoint advantage on the capital club as the game nudged beyond the 90-minute mark.

Perth players and manager Wright were infuriated by referee Greg Aitken’s decision to ignore well-placed fourth official Steven McLean and award a throw-in to Hearts which paved the way to Clare’s beautifully struck 25-yard shot, denying Saints a third win of the season over Daniel Stendel’s Jambos.

“I think overall there are plenty of positives to take from the game but in the changing room afterwards it felt almost like a defeat,” admitted May, who stirred memories of his prolific farewell season at Perth with an energetic all-round display.

“To get in the lead and lose it so late with a decision that was right in front of the dugout...it looks quite clear to me that it’s our ball. That makes it tougher to take.”

May swept Saints into a 17th minute lead from a McCann cut-back and his 62nd minute spot-kick secured a 3-2 advantage going into injury-time, following Craig Halkett’s tug on Jason Kerr.

McCann netted an equaliser soon after the interval when he produced a composed, if deflected, 16-yard strike to round off a superb counter attack fashioned by Liam Craig and May.

Liam Boyce, a £150,000 Hearts transfer window recruit banking an eyewatering weekly wage, had stabbed in a leveller for Hearts in the 26th minute and talisman Steven Naismith headed home an overhead John Souttar kick after an eccentric piece of goalkeeping from keeper Zander Clark.

But the second half belonged to spirited St Johnstone, despite losing luckless defender Liam Gordon to a head injury which demanded hospital treatment.

“For me, it was a good game to play in,” observed May, who is now Saints’ top scorer with five to his name.

“It’s always good to get on the scoresheet with a little assist as well.

“Ali also had a goal and an assist. He had a great game again. He is coming on leaps and bounds. So it’s good to have players who can contribute.

Reflecting on his late, instinctive 45-yard lob, which almost caught out keeper Joel Pereira, May said: “To be honest, when I hit it I thought it was in.

“It sat up and I saw the goalie so I thought I’ll just have a go. It would have been nice if it had gone in because that would have been the game done.

“The keeper just got there at the last second and kind of threw his hands up. I thought maybe he was going to knock it in but he saved it.

“There were plenty chances for us to finish that game off, which maybe we should have done, but overall we should take positives from a really good second half.”

May’s effervescent strike partner Chris Kane deserved a goal to cap a menacing display but was out of luck with a poked shot which evaded both the advancing keeper and the target.

He was twice denied by the goalkeeper and McCann scooped a rebound over the crossbar.

With Anthony Ralston smashing a shot off the junction of bar and post, Saints had every reason to feel frustrated by the late Hearts leveller, which edged the Stendel’s side off the bottom of the table on goal difference.

Only once was keeper Clark tested after the interval as Saints ran the show.

Perth boss Wright might have been bewildered by a couple of refereeing calls in advance of Clare’s unlikely leveller, but he was full of praise for his players.

Wright said: “It was a poor decision, it was our throw in and the fourth official is right in front of it and he clearly says ‘blue, blue’.

“You can bring VAR into Scotland all you want but it wouldn’t have worked because the ref didn’t listen.

“Also, if that wasn’t a foul on Jamie McCart then I don’t know what is.

“You can say we should have dealt with it and that’s right – but it’s beyond comprehension that can happen.”