Watt sparks United’s charge towards top six
TONY WATT came in from the cold to score a classy strike that secured United a first away Premiership win of the season. Since being sent off in the defeat to Motherwell at the end of October, the striker had only featured for 37 substitute minutes in three games. But with Steven Fletcher absent through illness, Watt was thrust centre stage and he shouldered the responsibility in style. The game was screaming out for a moment of penalty-box quality and, for all his faults, the 29-year-old can certainly conjure them. Watt had his back to goal, and St Johnstone captain Liam Gordon keeping close tabs, 16 yards out when he was fed by Dylan Levitt. A terrific turn and razor-sharp release gave Remi Matthews no chance to stop Saints suffering a third successive defeat. Watt tossed his United top into a section of the away fans at the end. He’s been linked with Salford City in recent days, so might that be a hint to the latest move of Watt’s nomadic career? ‘I don’t know about that,’ said manager Liam Fox. ‘Hopefully, Tony keeps producing performances like that. But January is a funny window; you never know what might happen. ‘I’ve said to the players, consistently, that it’s all about the team rather than the individual. ‘We lost Steven Fletcher through illness and Tony has come in and come up with the goods, scoring a vitally important goal for us. ‘His work rate and hold-up play was really good. I always say to the players that they always have to be ready because you never know when you’ll get an opportunity. ‘It’s about how you train, how you behave and how you live your life.’ Two victories and a draw over the festive period has lifted United three points above Ross County. For all they struggled in the first phase of the campaign, Fox’s men are six points adrift of the top six. Saints manager Callum Davidson was left to bemoan a sluggish start, major distribution issues and the last-ditch defensive efforts of the visitors late on. Sub winger Connor McLennan beat Mark Birighitti, only for Aziz Behich to collect on the line then clear. Theo Bair’s deflected drive was heading in, too, before Ryan Edwards blocked the effort. There was disaffection in the home support even before this setback dropped them into seventh. St Johnstone have given up three stands of McDiarmid Park to
Rangers later this month for their Scottish Cup tie and are charging adult home fans £30. The usually boisterous Fair City Unity group of home fans staged a protest by remaining silent in the first half of this clash. ‘We didn’t give the fans anything to sing about in the first half anyway,’ admitted Davidson.