Saints stunned by late Livi sucker-punch
ST JOHNSTONE players sunk to their knees after Nicky Clark screwed a splendid chance wide in stoppage time. That had been the 22nd visiting attempt on goal — yet it appeared, for all their dominance, Saints feared just having one paltry point to show for it.
Only in a season as tough and troubling as this for the Perth side could things deteriorate from there.
Livingston sprang up the pitch on the break and two inspired David Martindale substitutions teamed up to throw Craig Levein a sickening sucker punch.
With starter Bruce Anderson also playing a lead role, Steven Bradley teed up Andrew Shinnie to crack home a winner. Livingston celebrated a league victory for only the fifth time in their relegation season.
Saints remain two points adrift of Ross County but this was a golden opportunity passed up to hurdle out of the play-off spot ahead of Wednesday night’s showdown between the two sides.
Adama Sidibeh scored his third goal for the club but Saints should have had more when enjoying the upper hand.
A team that has occasionally struggled to create two or three chances in a match suddenly enjoyed a flurry of openings against a group that began with holiday heads on.
Yet goalkeeper Shamal George was inspired. Among his handful of top-class saves, denying headers from Stevie May and Sidibeh in a harrowing early period for the hosts was inspired.
You could say the opener was overdue, even on eight minutes. May’s scuffed attempt landed invitingly for the Gambian to fire home from close range.
George brilliantly forced away from Sidibeh and Cammy MacPherson missed by inches.
After the interval, Clark and MacPherson were thwarted by a keeper who doesn’t belong in the second tier next season.
St Johnstone’s frustrations increased when dropping their guard for one crucial moment on 72 minutes. Cristian
Montano was left unmarked to volley home from a Stephen Kelly corner at the back post for his first Premiership goal of the campaign.
Even though several Saints were wilting, they should still have claimed victory. The excellent Graham Carey sent a stunning pass over the top for Clark to scamper clear on goal.
There was disbelief that the most natural finisher at the club didn’t even hit the target.
Worse was to follow in the fifth minute of stoppage time, forcing Levein into immediate action to raise the spirits of his devastated players.
News of County’s home humbling by Motherwell was a relief but increased the feeling that a huge chance was spurned. Levein said: ‘If we were four or five up at half-time, it would have been a fair reflection. Football is cruel sometimes.
‘If we replicate that on Wednesday, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win. I don’t think it will be hard to lift them.’