St Johnstone far too strong for rock-bottom Caley
ST JOHNSTONE 3 Craig (14), Davidson (62), Swanson (81) INVERNESS CT 0
ST JOHNSTONE ended a four-game wait for a victory against Caley, whose meek resistance saw them slide to the bottom of the table.
Goals from Liam Craig, Murray Davidson and Danny Swanson meant a fourth straight defeat for Richie Foran’s men.
Saints boss Tommy Wright said: “A very solid performance and result and, as always, it’s great for the players to get a clean sheet.”
Foran was less happy. “That’s our worst performance of the season,” he said. “We need more defensive-minded players. I know what we need and I’ll get them.”
It was in the midfield area that the difference between the two sides was to be seen in sharp focus, with Saints the more accurate passing side. Too often, Caley broke from the back, created a good position around the half-way line and then tossed the advantage away, with a sloppy forward pass.
That left them with high balls into the box, and for the most part, Steven Anderson and Joe Shaughnessy had more than enough experience to deal with that.
Josh Meekings and Carl Tremarco did their bit from the full-back positions to add weight to Caley’s attacking options but Saints had a mobile and competitive midfield for protection.
It was indeed the Perth side who kept their shape better and they were assisted by the 14th minute goal from Liam Craig which eased home pressure.
Swanson was the most influential Saints man, played wide on the left with the licence to cut inside on to his right foot and test Owain Fon-Williams in Caley’s goal.
David Wotherspoon patrolled the right flank and if he had less success than Swanson reaching the box, he did more than enough to keep pacey Tremarco in his own half.
If Caley had scored the early goal, then perhaps that would have offered them the confidence to play their way out of the recent poor run of results.
It was Saints that won that edge, though, and although both sides had an equal share of position, the home players bothered the keeper much more often than their opponents.
Guinean Lonsana Doumbouya was their best forward going player and provided a few telling crosses, when he moved from the centre into the corners of the pitch.
The visitors could have done without Gary Warren’s second half contribution, picking up cautions in the 60th and 61st minute to leave his team mates seriously toiling.
And he had barely trudged off the McDiarmid Park turf, when Murray Davidson rifled in a second just 60 seconds later.
Swanson broke into the box and killed off Caley in the final 10 minutes with a low strike.
There was little Christmas cheer for the Perth club in the attendance, when the stores in town were contributing to Saints’ lowest Premiership crowd this season – 2549.