150-match milestone is a keeper
Clark hits mark with wonder save
ZANDER CLARK marked his 150th club appearance with a wonder-save to spare St Johnstone from slipping further down the table.
But the Perth keeper admits it is a landmark he barely imagined he could reach when he was cleaning boots at McDiarmid Park as a youth prospect.
St Johnstone swiftly cancelled out Ross Draper’s opener with a Craig Conway penalty kick just five minutes later in the first half.
They then had the better of the second half, only to face a late County assault before the final whistle.
Clark first brilliantly tipped a Keith Watson header over the bar and minutes later pushed a Josh Reid thunderbolt to safety.
It was a fitting way to mark the occasion from one of Scotland’s best uncapped keepers and Clark, who joined St Johnstone youths from Hamilton in 2008, said: “To hit this landmark is pleasing, hopefully there are many more matches to come.
“When I signed here 12 years ago, I’d have bitten your hand off to play one senior game.”
But the keeper’s personal moment did nothing to disguise his side’s continued struggles after a ninth league game without a win.
With a little more killer instinct though, they might have overturned County’s strong first half with a victory.
Clark said: “For their opener, I’ve reacted but the rebound falls right to Draper’s path off my foot. You could say it was bad luck but we could probably be set up better from the throw-in.
“We didn’t start the game well enough. Once we went a goal down, we got that kick up the backside we needed. We started imposing ourselves on the game and dominated most of it. We got back into it with a great penalty from Craig but when you don’t put ut chances away, you ou know you’ll come e under pressure in n the last 10 minutes. s.
“Sure enough, I’d d saves to make. . Watson attacks the ball and gets a great header on it.
“It was one of those you just throw an arm at it. I’ve managed to get enough on it to turn the ball over the bar.” Just past the 20-minute mark, a confident home start was rewarded. Jason Naismith, on his debut after joining from Peterborough, delivered a quality cross from the right. It was knocked clear by Clark and Draper pounced to drive the ball low into the net from 10 yards. Within five minutes, though, the Perth side drew level . Watson struggled to reach a slack Coll Donaldson passpas before tripping Conway C – and he stepped st up to take ta it himself, driving dr into the right-hand rig corner. The T visitors had the best of the second sec period but lacked lack inspiration and a clinical touch. Clark Cl then spared them at the end.