Saints use Melamed and their mindset to overcome Killie
Burke (5), Tshibola (32) ST JOHNSTONE 3 Melamed (54), Davidson (68), Mccann (72) Saints capped an excellent week by coming from two goals behind to claim three points and move above Kilmarnock and into eighth place.
Last weekend they beat Hibs to reach the Betfred Cup Final and, on yesterday’s form, they’ll fancy their chances in the final against Livingston next month.
It was a performance – and a display of mental toughness – which delighted manager Callum Davidson.
“The first half was funny because that was probably the best we’ve played recently so I was disappointed to be two goals down,” he said. “We used the ball well and my only criticism was how we defended both goals. I asked the players at half-time to keep showing that belief and I believed the next goal would be crucial.
“Fortunately, we got it and that gave us the chance to come back at them and I thought the players were brilliant second-half – their attitude, the way they got on the ball and into spaces, and when the chances came we took them.
“Some of them were scrappy goals but it was also a fine finish from Ali Mccann to win it.
“I’d told them to keep playing forward and retain that positive mindset and that’s what they did.”
Saints fell behind as early as the fifth minute and they had only themselves to blame for that.
They should have gone in front straight from the kick-off when Ali Mccann’s dexterity enabled him to create space for a shot from 15 yards. A goal seemed certain but the midfielder scuffed his shot, allowing Danny Rogers and Clevid Dikamona to scramble the ball clear.
Chris Burke made no such mistake when he found himself with a similar opportunity. The ball fell kindly for him after Jason Kerr and Nicke Kabamba came together while attacking George Oakley’s headed pass.
Burke sent Scott Tanser to his right then veered to the wing-back’s left before beating Zander Clark low to his right.
David Wotherspoon was inches away from equalising with a 25-yarder and Guy Melamed’s scissor kick was blocked on the line.
Yet, while they failed to make their pressure count, Killie increased their lead.
Burke’s deep cross was volleyed goalward by Nicke Kabamba, whose effort was inadvertently blocked by Aaron Tshibola. Fortunately for the midfielder, he reacted quickest to the loose ball, spinning to lash the ball behind Clark from close range.
The visitors were entitled to be baffled by the scoreline and Melamed then saw a netbound shot blocked by Rossi but Clark turned a venomous drive from Burke behind for a corner as Killie sought a killer third goal.
Saints got the goal they needed nine minutes after the restart when Melamed forced the ball home after Chris Kane had helped on Tanser’s cross.
Goals change games and the equaliser they merited came midway through the second half when Killie failed to defend a Wotherspoon free-kick.
Jason Kerr nodded it back in to the danger area, Melamed could only help it on and Murray Davidson lunged in to prod the ball home for his first league goal of the campaign.
Four minutes later, Melamed rolled the ball to Mccann and he drove it low inside Rogers’ post from the edge of the penalty area.