The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Wright left furious after losing to Jags
SAINTS: Striker reveals manager’s rage after late Partick winner
St Johnstone’s Steven MacLean admitted that the players and manager Tommy Wright were all furious after Saturday’s defeat at home to Partick Thistle.
Saints looked certain to hold on for a point after the striker had equalised against the Jags but they were stunned by an Abdul Osman stoppage-time winner.
As well as the loss of three points, the Perth players were also aggrieved that they had missed out on a chance to go second top in the Premiership table.
However, MacLean insists that despite the frustrating loss, Saints can still be happy with the opening stages of the campaign.
He said: “It’s still been a good start to the season. That’s the bigger picture. But we want to kick on. Once you get a bit of success, you want more. That’s what we are striving for here
“Our aim at the start of the season was to stay up but we want to kick on and see where that takes us.
“The manager was furious afterwards but he was no more furious than the rest of us.”
Steven MacLean insists the next time St Johnstone have a chance to secure second place in the Premiership table, they will seize it with both hands.
Saints could have moved up to be the “best of the rest” behind runaway leaders Celtic on Saturday with a positive result against Partick Thistle.
Instead, they were undone by a late sickener in stoppage time with the defeat sending them down to fifth.
MacLean admitted the Saints players were all bitterly disappointed with the nature of the loss and they are now even more determined that if opportunity knocks in the future, they will take full advantage.
He said: “It’s really frustrating. It’s a 1-1 game but that’s happened to us three times now this season.
“They’ve taken the three points and it has cost us second place.
“We’ve been done by a set-piece again and a mistake for the second goal but these things happen.
“We just have to move on to next week, which is a big game against Hearts. We need to cut out the silly mistakes.
“We are sitting afterwards thinking we could have been in second place.
“It’s only natural to think that but we will bounce back. We always do. If we cut out the silly mistakes we will be fine.
“It would have been nice to pick up the newspapers and see St Johnstone sitting in second place in the table. It’s not worked out for us but that’s the St Johnstone way, isn’t it?
“But the next time we get that chance we need to take it. That’s what good teams do. “That’s what the top teams do. “St Johnstone have not been second in the league many times so we are not used to it, but we need to look at this and improve.”
It was suggested to MacLean that having lost crucial late goals now three times this season, the team weren’t learning their lessons and he replied: “That’s a fair point. But that’s when everyone has to look at themselves.
“We’ve been done by sucker punches against Inverness and Kilmarnock too. It’s a team thing and we will look into it and make it right.”
The opening exchanges were fairly even but Saints were stunned in the 17th minute when Thistle took the lead.
The Jags’ Sean Welsh hit a deep freekick into the home penalty area with
… the next time we get that chance we need to takeit. STEVEN MACLEAN
Danny Devine heading the ball back across goal to give Kris Doolan a simple finish from close range.
However, St Johnstone stormed back straight from the restart when David Wotherspoon produced a moment of individual brilliance to turn a defender before unselfishly squaring the ball to striker MacLean who clinically fired home from 12 yards past Thistle keeper Thorsten Stuckmann.
Saints stopper Zander Clark then had to look lively, diving full stretch to his left after a long-range Christie Elliott shot was deflected dangerously towards goal off Brian Easton.
In the 56th minute, Wotherspoon sent a long cross in from the right.
There seemed to be little danger but Stuckmann was stunned when the ball clipped the top of his crossbar before going out for a goal-kick.
Clark then had to make vital saves from shots from Ade Azeez and Ryan Edwards with Saints struggling to create chances at the other end.
It looked like the home side had contained Thistle for the rest of the game to secure a precious point. However in the first minute of added-on time, Jags sub David Amoo pounced on a Liam Craig heavy touch before cutting the ball back to his skipper, Abdul Osman, who rifled high past Clark to secure all three points for his side.
While obviously disappointed by the defeat, MacLean admitted he was more than impressed by team-mate Wotherspoon’s defence-splitting pirouette in the build-up to his goal.
He added: “It was a bit special, wasn’t it. It’s a shame he couldn’t have done it again and set up another goal for me. But it was different class. That’s what he brings to the team.
“He maybe needs to do it more often because there’s good competition for places here now.
“Blair Alston is probably a bit unlucky after his best performance for us in midweek and a wonder goal against Rangers.
“It will be a good fight to see who plays down that side.”