SAINTS GO FORTH
Perth side leapfrog Hearts in Euro chase
TOMMY WRIGHT hailed his substitute keeper Alan Mannus for producing a stunning stoppagetime save to deny Ryan Bowman an equaliser. This victory puts St Johnstone into fourth place and in the chase for yet another European qualification.
Bowman’s header from ten yards out had goal written all over it but Mannus — on at half-time for the injured Zander Clark — dived full length to his right hand side and finger-tipped the ball on to the inside of his right-hand post. Agonisingly for the home team, the ball rolled along the line and was cleared away by Saints.
The goals came from a double from Liam Craig and Scott McDonald put Motherwell level just before half-time.
Wright was delighted with the away victory and the Perth boss said: ‘We were disappointed to go in 1-1 because we had controlled the first 40 minutes. The second half was an onslaught from them. They put a lot of balls into the box. But we always looked a threat and got that second goal.
‘They threw the kitchen sink at us for the last four minutes and we had to hang on but it’s an incredible save from Alan to tip it on to the post and that got us the three points.
‘This is another great away win and that all but secures top six, which is an incredible achievement for this club.’
With Hearts losing at Aberdeen at lunchtime, Saints knew a win would take them two points ahead of the Edinburgh club. They started the match in a positive manner and took the game to the home team. They found a flow and rhythm very quickly, so it was not a major surprise to see them take the lead after just eight minutes.
Graham Cummins sent over a cross ball from the right wing. It was inviting and, as the ball hung perfectly in the air, Craig attacked it to bullet home a header from six yards out. It was a well worked goal but the marking inside the penalty box by Motherwell was poor and must have alarmed Robinson.
After 20 minutes the home team got to grips with the play and started to stretch their opponents. They had a worthy shout for a penalty when Brian Easton appeared to haul down McDonald inside the box. Referee Greg Aitken waved play on. Robinson felt they should have had another penalty when Paton clipped Chris Cadden.
McDonald continued to be involved for the rest of the half. In the 42nd minute, he missed a sitter when he failed to hit the target from just four yards out. It was so uncharacteristic of the Australian striker. But he made amends 60 seconds from the interval from a similar distance. However, Saints really should have cleared the ball and had two opportunities to do so.
The equaliser gave the Steelmen a real lift and they took the initiative after the break. They pressed St Johnstone and had them penned in. Manus produced a stunning stop to deny Zak Jules, who then went off in the 90th minute with concussion.
The Lanarkshire club paid the price for not taking the lead when they were hit with a sucker punch in the 66th minute. A cross from the right wing, deep to the back post, was headed away by young David Ferguson, but he did not get quite enough on it. The ball landed at the feet of Craig and he drilled a powerful shot from 14 yards past Craig Samson. From an acute angle, it was a stunning finish from the veteran midfielder.
Craig should have had his hat-trick in the 77th minute when he was unmarked and struck the ball on the volley from 12 yards out but it flew a yard over the crossbar.
Saints were a goal threat during that period of play. Part of their success under Wright has been the strike partnership of Cummins and Stevie MacLean. They work to the maximum every week and also have talent, which shouldn’t be overlooked. They chase down defenders and they caused one or two anxious moments for the young Motherwell defenders as they came close to increasing their lead.
The game really opened up in the final ten minutes as Robinson urged his players forward in search of an equaliser. That created gaps at the other end and Danny Swanson was just inches away from making it 3-1 with a curling left-foot shot.
With three minutes remaining, Louis Moult had a chance at the back post. The striker’s leap was perfect but the direction of his header was off target.
Robinson was disappointed to lose in this his first game since being appointed manager on a permanent basis.
They are in tenth place just now and the Northern Irishman said: ‘I don’t think I can ask a lot more in terms of desire and commitment. We’d two penalty claims and one of them — on Chris Cadden — was an incredible decision that it wasn’t a penalty.
‘We were unlucky with Ryan’s header but on another day four or five wouldn’t have been a bad scoreline. That’s the positive for me — we took the game to a very good side and dominated large parts. It’s in our hands, if we can put a little run of results together.’ MOTHERWELL (4-4-2): Samson; Ferguson, McHugh, Jules (Blyth 90), Hammell (Bowman 68); Cadden, Clay, Pearson, Frear (Ainsworth 82); McDonald, Moult. Subs (not used): Griffiths, Lasley, Campbell, McMillan. Booked: None. ST JOHNSTONE (4-4-2): Clark (Mannus 46); Foster, Shaughnessy, Scobbie, Easton; Alston (Davidson 64), Craig, Paton, Swanson; MacLean, Cummins. Subs (not used): Millar, Smith, Coulson, Thomson, Hunter. Booked: Davidson. Referee: Greg Aitken. Attendance: 3,588.