Perth men battle to pull ahead of United

ST JOHNSTONE strode three points clear of Dundee United into fourth spot in the SPL with a hard-earned win in Inverness last night.

A goal from the penalty spot, converted by striker Fran Sandaza five minutes before half-time, meant the Perth men stepped over the Tangerines and now sit just five points behind third-placed Motherwell.

Manager Steve Lomas thought his players enjoyed some good fortune as ICT pressed hard for a leveller but was nevertheless delighted with the outcome.

“We rode our luck a little bit but sometimes you have to have a little bit of luck,” he said.

“Inverness were going for it but I thought we could have been a bit more clinical ourselves in the second half.

“We should have been able to pick them off a wee bit better but maybe that is me being too critical.

“Coming up here on a Wednesday night, I said to the lads that places like this is where the real men stand up and are counted.

“We showed what we are all about tonight and I thought, in the second half in particular, we put on a really good performance.

“Inverness hit the woodwork at the end and threw players forward but we had a couple of opportunities when players like Lee Croft and Fran were through on goal.

“At this stage of the season performances are irrelevant, really.

“It is all about results and we keep grinding them out.”

St Johnstone will travel to Parkhead this weekend to face champions-elect Celtic — and they do so in good shape.

Lomas added: “We now go to Celtic Park on Sunday.

“That is a lovely place to go and play and we will have to see if we can get something from there.”

Lomas agreed that the spotkick award, given for Gregory Tade’s daft challenge on Liam Craig, was of the stonewall variety.

“It was a blatant push,” he said.

Picture: AP. AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic jumps for the ball with Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano during last night’s Champions League match between AC Milan and Barcelona at the San Siro. See report on page 48.