The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Davidson proves tower of strength
Swanson also impresses, and Liam Craig fires home milestone goal
Murray Davidson finally got off the mark as St Johnstone rewarded loyal home fans with a convincing victory over an Inverness Caley Thistle outfit that were left propping up the league.
Ironically, the returning midfielder was asked by manager Tommy Wright to play a deeper role than usual, with Paul Paton forced out of the squad at the last minute by injury.
But Davidson, who bucked the odds to return early from an ankle fracture sustained before a 1-1 draw against Rangers in late October, was lurking in the penalty area to capitalise on a Danny Swanson shot which came his way with the Highlanders reduced to 10 men by a second yellow card shown to captain Gary Warren for smashing into the elusive winger.
Swanson also got on the scoresheet before the end, with goal number 12 for the season, when he finished with aplomb from close range after centreback Joe Shaughnessy released roving full-back Brian Easton on an overlap to deliver a precision cross.
Earlier, after an enterprising opening spell prompted by Swanson’s guile, midfielder Liam Craig fired home his milestone 50th goal for the Perth club, controlling Steven MacLean’s return pass and directing a confidence-building opener into the corner of the net from 12 yards.
As the Caley Jags wilted in the last half-hour without their influential skipper, who picked up two bookings in the space of 60 seconds, Saints should have added to their tally, passing up several opportunities to widen the gap.
But after four games without a victory, and having come to grief in recent homes matches with Ross County, Partick Thistle and Kilmarnock, Perth fans welcomed a win which has them breathing down the necks of fourthplaced Aberdeen.
While Swanson was influential again, Davidson was a tower of strength, winning tackles, aerial challenges and complementing solid central defenders Steven Anderson and Joe Shaughessy in eradicating the vulnerability evident recently at set pieces.
Davidson said: “There was a late change of plan when Pates came in and said he was struggling. So I was playing a deeper role. My job wasn’t to score, but I finally managed to get one.
“We knew it was a big game to try and get back to winning ways. Teams had closed up on us but we are looking to go on another run now.
“It was crucial to win again at home after games where we have made individual mistakes.
“The big thing was getting the first goal. That is massive. And we defended a lot better as a team.
“I thought Ando and Joe won pretty much every header in the box, and that gave us a platform to go on and win the game.”
Davidson admitted he had been pressing for a start against Ross County before an enforced mini-break, with manager Wright and new physio Tony Tompos demanding patience.
“I did tire towards the end but that was only natural after the best part of five weeks out. I was just delighted to get back on the pitch,” he said.
“I’m not sure why I was in the box for my goal. It was a set piece and I just ended up in a position for the chance.
“Swanny hit it after the free-kick and I was wondering if I should take a touch or whether it was going wide.
“I managed to take a touch and just hit it.
“I don’t usually look at the league table but last week for once I did, and everyone knew the importance of winning this game. There were four or five teams separated by three or four points.
“It is so tight, with a couple of wins you can be right up there beside Hearts and Aberdeen.
“With a couple of defeats you could be straight back down into the bottom six.
“It’s important to go on a wee run and try to stabilise our top-six position again.”
As ever, Davidson found himself in the wars, with powerfully built striker Lonsana Doumbouya flinging himself into an aerial challenge he was never going to win, prompting players from both teams to immediately summon the physios to tend the casualties.
Sporting a black eye, the midfielder said: “Joe was saying ‘turn him on his side’. But they were more worried about the other boy. I felt fine.
“I have got a bit of a bruise. It was one of those things. I saw it coming and thought ‘oh no, here we go again’.
“Luckily I managed to stay on and didn’t get concussion this time.”
Wright gave Michael Coulson, a summer signing from York City, a rare start, and allowed Craig and David Wotherspoon licence to roam forward in support of striker MacLean.
He welcomed the manner of the win and the return to form of defenders who have been on the receiving end of criticism.
The Ulsterman was almost lost for words when asked to give his view of a penalty call denied by referee Euan Anderson when Richard Foster was barged in the back in the act of shooting, with the match in the balance.
He noted: “I said to the linesman: ‘You’re lucky we won 3-0’.
“Because if it had been 1-0 and they got a late goal I think I would have kicked his door down.
“It’s beyond me as to how that is not a penalty.”