THE SAVIOUR
Hero keeper Mitov digs Saints out of a hole as they escape relegation play-off in day of drama
IT wasn’T quite the Great Escape – but for st Johnstone and their jubilant fans, this was an unforgettable survival sunday drama of absolute blockbuster proportions.
In many ways it came down to a first-half sliding doors moment where their relegation fears were gone in 60 seconds.
That was the time between Saints hero Dimitar Mitov saving Theo Bair’s spot kick at Fir Park to preserve his side’s lead and Aberdeen equalising against Ross County in Dingwall.
Two huge moments 185 miles apart that swung the fight to avoid the relegation play-off firmly in Saints’ favour.
But that was only the start of the drama as Saints – five points adrift when Steven MacLean was sacked back in October – were put through an emotional wringer in the second half before finally leapfrogging County into 10th spot and avoiding the dreaded play-off with Raith on goal difference.
In the end, the sight of sub Max Kucheriavyi piggy-backing on Craig Levein’s back as Saints partied on Fir Park summed up a quite remarkable afternoon.
The Perth men had heroes all over the park.
Mitov cleaned up at their endof-season awards do earlier this month. But the Bulgarian keeper produced his biggest moment of a stunning season by a country mile as he brilliantly saved former Saint Bair’s penalty with his side a goal up.
That opener had arrived through Nicky Clark who kept his word to bury any chance that came his way on a pressure cooker afternoon.
Then there’s Adama Sidibeh. The frontman only joined St Johnstone for buttons less than four months ago.
But he has written his name firmly into Saints folklore and saved the club a small fortune in the space of four days after netting the crucial second goal just four days after nodding a 91st-minute equaliser against County to set up yesterday’s frantic day of drama.
All three previous meetings between the sides this season ended in draws. But that outcome was no use to Levein’s men this time round. The mission in Motherwell was simple – win and hope Ross County didn’t.
Saints almost went ahead in the strangest of circumstances when Sam Nicholson cannoned a clearance off Clark inside his own area and Liam Kelly was forced to claw the rebound out from under his own crossbar.
By that point, County had already gone a goal ahead in Dingwall.
But after 18 minutes, Levein’s men did likewise.
Just like Wednesday night, it came from Graham Carey’s wand of a left foot that slung a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty. Clark pounced to divert it past Kelly.
Yet under absolutely no pressure, Saints appeared to literally hand Well a route back
into the game right on the half hour mark when Dan Phillips inadvertently stuck a paw on Georgie Gent’s corner kick.
Mitov had other ideas as he threw himself to his right to push Canada international Bair’s spot kick to safety.
If that was good, it almost immediately got even better when news filtered through to the away end that Ester Sokler had levelled matters in Dingwall. Suddenly, Saints were in the safety of 10th spot.
And it got even better in the first minute of first-half stoppage time as Sidibeh nodded Saints two goals ahead after some dreadful Well defending.
Paul McGinn headed a Carey cross straight up in the air and as Kelly and Bevis Mugabi hesitated Sidibeh nipped in between them to nod home his fifth Saints goal, and his third in the last three games.
Boos from the home support greeted the half-time whistle but within two minutes of the restart, it was the away fans making all the noise after Aberdeen got a second goal in the Highlands.
The supporters were still to be put through the ringer, though. Ryan McGowan blocked Bair’s effort from point-blank range before Liam Gordon did likewise from Lennon Miller on the rebound.
Mitov was back in action on the hour mark when he leapt to clutch McGinn’s header.
Then Blair Spittal struck the inside of the post and the ball bounced right back into the Saints keeper’s arms.
Up in Dingwall, County had levelled and the Dons were down to 10 men. The stress levels were soaring again.
Levein watched stoney faced and Moses Ebiye did nothing to help his mood when he slid home to reduce the arrears in injury time.
The full-time whistle went soon after but cheeky Well fans stayed back for the ultimate wind-up as they cheered for what they pretended was a late County winner.
That proved to be fake news and the truth eventually filtered through that the Dons had delivered a favour by holding on against County.
Cue bedlam as Saints partied on the park, Kucheriavyi lept on Levein’s back and the 700 travelling Saintees went mad in the stand.