SUCKER PUNCH
Saints hit late double to conquer dismal Dons
LOOK up smash-and-grab in the dictionary and this St Johnstone victory in Aberdeen may be the definition. Tommy Wright’s men carried out his game-plan to perfection, recording their seventh clean sheet in eight games.
Late goals from Joe Shaughnessy and Blair Alston saw Saints move four points clear of the dire Dons in the Premiership, who slumped into the bottom half of the table.
Aberdeen’s recent run of results is simply bizarre and difficult to explain. They were thrashed by Motherwell, ran Celtic close in the Betfred Cup final, beat Rangers at Ibrox and then this: a performance utterly bereft of attacking flair. They dominated the ball but rarely did they look like actually scoring.
Shaughnessy was a rock in the centre of defence for the visitors. They are now unbeaten in eight outings and display all the characteristics of a quintessential Wright team: industrious, organised and with just enough punch to record results like this. It is little wonder that the 55-year-old was given a new contract on Friday, which will keep him at the club until 2022.
Aberdeen host Livingston on Tuesday night and victory is essential. They are being kept out of the top half by the newly promoted side and the chorus of boos which greeted the full-time whistle here suggests that fans are not too happy with their lack of league form.
Derek McInnes’ side had started positively too, with Zander Clark being forced into action inside the opening minute when he was tested by Connor McLennan. Max Lowe had gone on a terrific run down the left flank, driving past Richard Foster before firing a low cross to the back post, which McLennan instinctively managed to direct straight at Clark.
The visitors also started brightly in an engaging opening period. Ross Callachan’s run from midfield was not picked up by the Aberdeen backline and he glided into the middle of the box to meet Scott Tanser’s cross. However, he miscued his header, the ball bouncing off his shoulder and wide from 10 yards.
Aberdeen were enjoying plenty of possession in front of St Johnstone, but there was no spark and little imagination. Stevie May made a shrewd run in behind Shaughnessy which was picked out well by Scott Wright, but the former Saints striker could only drag his effort wide across goal from a tight angle.
Graeme Shinnie may have done better when he collected the ball 20 yards from goal. Saints were slow in getting out from a corner, allowing the Aberdeen captain time to steady himself, but he failed to hit the target.
Saints were beginning to sit in, allowing Aberdeen to come on to them, but giving little away. When they snatched the ball from the Dons in their own half, and the hosts had committed too many men forward, Foster launched a quick ball over the head of Lowe.
Matty Kennedy was racing down on goal, but the ball was bouncing erratically. He timed his strike well, catching it sweetly on the half-volley and sending it towards the top corner, but Joe Lewis reacted well to push it over the bar.
Questions have been raised over Aberdeen’s lack of a reliable striker this season and their deficiencies in the final third were highlighted again here. May tried to make runs but the pass in to him was too slow and the speed at which Aberdeen’s frontline moved the ball was all too easy for Saints to keep up with.
Frustrated at the lack of action in front of him, Scott McKenna tried to take matters into his own hands. He stepped into the Saints half, drove forward even more, but there was nobody in front of him offering an outlet and eventually he blazed the ball over from 30 yards.
But Aberdeen were pressing and McKenna went closer still on the brink of half-time. May’s deliver was good and the defender rose highest to power a header towards goal but Clark was alert to flap it away.
Within five minutes of the restart, both sides had claims for a penalty rejected. It would have been soft had Saints been penalised for Lewis Ferguson’s collapse in the box — but Perth boss Wright had his head in his hands after Callachan was denied at the other end.
He appeared to get to the ball ahead of Shay Logan before the defender wiped him out.
Despite referee Don Robertson immediately lifting his whistle as if to blow, he gave Saints a throw-in, adjudging Logan to have won the ball.
Shaughnessy almost gifted Aberdeen the opener after being put under pressure. He was hunted down by May and Shinnie, and rather than just clearing the ball, tried to pass it out. It went straight to McLennan but he shot straight at Clark.
Then, out of nowhere, a quickfire Saints salvo stole all three points. David Wotherspoon’s corner was overhit but somehow Shaughnessy leapt high enough to get up and over the ball, thumping a header past Lewis.
The energy had been zapped out of Pittodrie and before Aberdeen could react, substitute Blair Alston, who had only been on park five minutes, scored his side’s second. From 25 yards, the space opened up and he curled a magnificent looping effort over Lewis.