Wright rips into Saints as Jags find joy on road
A FEARSOME individual when the mood strikes him, Tommy Wright rarely needs a second invitation to dish out a verbal haymaker as and when his players warrant such treatment.
And the St Johnstone manager last night insisted the gloves are now off after watching his team slump to a resounding defeat against a Partick Thistle side who had previously failed to win away from home all season.
Frustrated by a lack of transfer activity at the club, along with the continued poor form of senior squad members, Wright tore strips off them ahead of tomorrow night’s rearranged Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers.
After goals from Stevie Lawless, Conor Sammon and Ryan Edwards had rewarded a stylish Thistle performance with victory, Wright lamented: ‘When people don’t learn from mistakes, then it’s up to me to sort it out because, ultimately, it’s my responsibility.
‘There will be a few who won’t be involved on Monday night because I’ve had enough of people not starting the game properly.
‘We can’t get past the first 15 minutes at home without conceding a goal. We are gifting goals to the opposition.
‘I have maybe been too loyal to too many of them for too long. There will be a lot of changes made for Monday night.
‘I think it’s time for me to take the gloves off. I’m not scared to make the changes because the team and the results are my responsibility.
‘I didn’t go into the dressing room at full-time, which is probably the first time I’ve ever done that.
‘I don’t need to say anything. The team-sheet for the next game will say everything that I need to say. It’s how people respond to that.
‘I hope we can still bring some new players into the club, but we are leaving it late. Whether it happens or not will tell a tale.’
With four goals in his last three games, Sammon arrived in Perth with confidence flowing through his veins. And the big striker ought to have extended his purple patch earlier than he actually did.
From wide on the left, Chris Erskine sent in a delicious ball which flashed low across the face of goal. Sammon couldn’t quite reach it. Niall Keown did manage to make contact at the back post, but the defender skewed his effort wide of target.
Due to their Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers twice being postponed, this was Saints’ first game in the best part of a month since a 2-0 home defeat to Dundee on December 30.
And it told. They looked terribly sluggish and off the pace. Thistle were well on top and struck a fine opening goal after 13 minutes.
Miles Storey showed Keith Watson a clean pair of heels wide on the left and burst past the Saints full-back with embarrassing ease.
He advanced into the penalty area and picked out Lawless with his cutback. Lawless clipped a brilliant first-time finish with his left foot into the top corner.
Saints thought they had equalised two minutes later after a David Wotherspoon free-kick on the left curled all the way into the far corner, but it was ruled out for a push in the box by Joe Shaughnessy on Keown.
Thistle just had far too much aggression and energy for their opponents. Their midfield pairing of Martin Woods and Abdul Osman simply devoured the ageing duo of Liam Craig and Chris Millar.
The only surprise was that it took until the 64th minute for Thistle’s dominance to be more accurately reflected in the scoreline.
The excellent, nimble figure of Lawless was once again at the heart of it as his through ball sliced the Saints defence wide open.
Edwards, who had only been on the pitch for about 90 seconds, raced to the bye-line and cut the ball back for Sammon to convert from close range and continue his rich vein of form.
Hopelessly blunt and one-paced in attack, St Johnstone always looked like they might need a helping hand to get on the scoresheet. Tomas Cerny was only too happy to oblige.
From Craig’s long punt over the top, the Thistle keeper came rushing out and, attempting to punch the ball away, was a fraction too slow and ended up clattering Saints striker David McMillan.
Cerny was booked for his troubles and, rather comically, was apoplectic about the decision from referee Gavin Duncan. But it was a stonewall spot-kick and Craig stepped up to send the Czech keeper the wrong way.
Storey almost put the game out of sight, denied only by a terrific save from Zander Clark, while Saints striker Chris Kane nearly snatched a point by rifling a shot narrowly wide on 89 minutes.
With the home side piling bodies forward, the stage was set for Thistle to spring on the counterattack.
Edwards had a fresh burst of energy and, on a magnificent run from inside his own half, ran 60 yards, skipping past Millar on the way to go clean through on goal, before calmly slotting the ball past Clark for 3-1.
Thistle boss Alan Archibald said: ‘It was a terrific victory. We have a lot of our senior players back from injury now and we’re starting to achieve the results we know we’re capable of.’