MacLean fashions perfect farewell United revival, says Stanton
Curtis Main for a strike at goal but he wanted too much time to set himself and Jason Kerr got back to block his attempt.
Then, out of nowhere, the visitors took the lead with a well-crafted goal.
Full-back Richard Foster, overlapping on the right, produced a deep delivery and MacLean, stealing in, beat home keeper Trevor Carson with a downward header from ten yards.
It was a goal which galvanised Saints and they quickly doubled their advantage when Carson could only push a netbound Murray Davidson effort against the inrushing MacLean, allowing centrehalf Steven Anderson to fire home the rebound.
Motherwell were all over the place and the visitors secured the points before the break when Matty Willock’s low cross picked out MacLean’s near-post run and the veteran scored from a few yards out.
Unsurprisingly, home manager Stephen Robinson rang the changes at the interval, withdrawing Grimshaw and the ineffective Carl McHugh and sending on Gael Bigirimana and striker Ryan Bowman.
There was a little more purpose about the hosts’ play but Nadir Ciftci, the Turkish forward on loan from Celtic who is unable to face his parent club in this month’s Scottish Cup final, missed a sitter which could have prompted a fightback, firing straight at Carson from just three yards out.
However, this day belonged to MacLean, who completed his hat-trick by lunging in to divert David Wotherspoon’s low drive behind the helpless Carson.
George Williams should have made it 5-0 immediately afterwards, jinking past several challenges before undermining his magnificent run by shooting wide of the target from eight yards.
Motherwell pulled one back when Bigirimana was first to react after Bowman’s shot came back off the crossbar, heading home from close range.
However, McMillan, who had replaced MacLean when the hat-trick hero left the field to a rapturous ovation from the 285 travelling fans, showed that there is hope for the future at McDiarmid Park when he scored his first goal since signing from Dundalk with a diving header from another Foster delivery.
‘The consolation for me is that, in 36 games, I’ve not seen us defend as poorly as that,’ said Robinson.
‘We haven’t had 18 clean sheets defending like that.
‘St Johnstone took their chances and Steven MacLean was excellent but we were punished for every mistake we made. The good news for me is I know they can be rectified.’
IF Carlsberg did send-offs then they could hardly have bettered Steven MacLean’s final appearance for St Johnstone.
The 35-year-old, who was given the captain’s armband yesterday, is suspended for the midweek game against Ross County and his knees cannot take the strain of playing on Hamilton’s plastic pitch next Saturday.
However, he ended his six years as a Saints hero by claiming a hat-trick to defeat Scottish Cup finalists Motherwell.
A few eyebrows were raised when Hearts signed the veteran on a two-year deal but Tynecastle boss Craig Levein will have long admired the intelligent play and predatory finishing of the former Rangers striker.
Saints manager Tommy Wright has certainly enjoyed the experience of working with him.
‘I just asked him: “Did you go to bed last night dreaming about a hat-trick?” but he told me he couldn’t sleep!’ said the Northern Irishman.
‘In many ways, it was the perfect send-off. Stevie’s got his hat-trick and the player who replaced him, David McMillan, has come on and scored a wonderful goal as well.
‘Players don’t stay at clubs if they don’t do their jobs and he’s given me everything. He’s been a leader for me and I’ll miss him, but he doesn’t owe me anything. The move to Hearts was just too good for him to turn down at his age and I wish him well.
‘McMillan’s goal will give him a lot of confidence. He’s not even match-fit either because he’s had a poor time with a horrible (hamstring) injury.
‘When McMillan came on, there’s that wee voice in the back of your head that says: “This would be perfect — it would be handing the baton over”.
‘We also have Chris Kane, so we’ll move on.’
Motherwell created the first opportunity of the game. Liam Grimshaw’s inch-perfect pass teed up