Saints march on as last-gasp Glenn goal secures top-six spot
St Johnstone snatched the Premiership’s last top-six spot at the death after a dramatic win over Ross County.
The Perth side dominated from start to finish against the Staggies – but had to wait until four minutes from time to capitalise, when substitute Glenn Middleton smashed home from close range.
With St Mirren still ahead against Hamilton Accies, it looked like Middleton’s strike would do little more than send Saints into their bottom-six fixtures on a great run of form.
But, after news filtered through of Accies’ late equaliser, the Betfred Cup-winning Perth side held their nerve to book their place in the top half of the table.
For the goalscorer, it was a huge moment. “It was massive,” said Middleton, who had earlier missed after being one-on-one with County keeper Ross Laidlaw.
“It meant quite a lot for me personally. It has been tough for me over the last season but if you keep doing the right things day-in, day-out, then you take advantage when moments like that come. “It is huge for all the boys here. “I only came in during the January window but they have been working to get there all season and I have seen how hard they have worked for it.
“It is good to make that step up into top six.”
There was plenty at stake for both sides as they took the field, but Saints started more aggressively.
From the start, the Perth side looked more comfortable on the ball, more patient in the build-up and more penetrative when the moment to strike arrived.
And Callum Davidson’s men were rarely troubled in a first half.
David Wotherspoon, deployed on the left of a central midfield three, was a key man for Saints.
He had County keeper Ross Laidlaw scrambling to keep his cross-cum-shot from sneaking into the top-left corner with 11 minutes on the clock.
The Staggies tried to stretch their hosts on the break, but there was always a body in blue perfectly placed to mop up.
Israeli striker Guy Melamed saw an effort blocked by Keith Watson as Saints turned up the pressure, then, after Wotherspoon recycled possession, Ali McCann saw a 20-yarder tipped wide by Laidlaw.
Melamed’s cultured technique has been on display more frequently in recent weeks and he used it again to pick out the perfect through-ball for Kane with 33 minutes on the clock.
But the striker couldn’t find a finish to match the set-up and Laidlaw’s block kept the scores level.
Liam Gordon (header) and Callum Booth (shot) both came close for Saints before the break – and the pattern continued into the second half.
With relegation scrap rivals Kilmarnock stretching ahead at Motherwell, the Staggies needed to find some impetus. But Saints refused to cede control.
John Hughes brought on Iain Vigurs and Michael Gardyne for Billy McKay and Charlie Lakin in an attempt to alter the flow of the game – and County’s best chance arrived minutes later when Coll Donaldson swiped Keith Watson’s knockdown wildly over the bar from eight yards out.
Saints carved out a golden chance with 12 minutes remaining when Middleton, slipped through by Stevie May, accelerated past Watson and found himself one-on-one with Laidlaw.
He sent his effort wide but made up for it with four minutes to go when he collected May’s pick-out, turned his defender, and lashed past Laidlaw to ensure Saints will finish the season in the top half for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons.