Misfiring Saints and Staggies fail to find their shooting boots
IT must be hoped that these sides return from the international break having rediscovered some firepower, otherwise it threatens to be a hard winter ahead for Saints and Staggies fans.
Both sides hit the woodwork in an intriguing opening 10-minute spell that held the promise of even better things to come, but it was largely all downhill after that.
The blank scoreline says it all, really, although the respective managers did their best to talk up the encounter.
Saints boss Callum Davidson insisted: ‘I thought we were good. We passed the ball quite well and the game plan worked.
‘I thought we were probably second best in the first half but, in the second, we started well and really came into the game. I also thought as a defensive unit we were very solid.
‘We’ve tweaked the tactics a little bit and tried to be a bit more attacking. We are playing with wingers and wing-backs and with three up front as well.
‘Home form is key for us to be a success this season and there have been a lot of positives, especially the last two home games.’
Counterpart Malky Mackay likened the first half to a basketball match the way the teams attacked each other.
But he added: ‘Second half we came out with intent and pushed them back and we had some play where we were dominant in the wide areas.
‘But I was disappointed with the quality in the final third because that’s what was going to win it — the final cross, final pass, final strike.
‘We got into great positions and, at the end, I threw on five subs to try and win the game.
‘The pleasing thing was they all impacted the game. So it’s a hardfought point away from home against an experienced manager and team versus some of the guys
I’ve got who are making debuts in the Premiership.’
Saints fans are unlikely to forget Stevie May’s spectacular attempt in a hurry. Melker Hallberg and Drey Wright combined down the right after six minutes to engineer a half-chance for the striker.
May displayed perfect balance to curl an angled volley wide of Ross Laidlaw only to be denied by the far post.
Kazeem Olaigbe responded for County when he rattled the underside of the crossbar with an effort from just inside the 18-yard box three minutes later.
The same player then squandered an opportunity when he screwed his shot wide. But Andrew Considine missed an even easier chance after half-an-hour when he had time to pick his spot from point-blank range but his lack of composure allowed Laidlaw to make a save.
After appearing to have St Johnstone’s measure, County were unable to impose themselves on the play sufficiently to trouble their opponents unduly.
Indeed, home keeper Remi Matthews was not called into action until the 56th minute when he was tested by a powerful shot from David Cancola after Alex Iacovitti had done the spade work.
But there seemed little prospect of a late goal or two, given what had gone before and Nicky Clark’s claim for a penalty kick when he went down in a challenge from Laidlaw as the pair vied for substitute Conor McLennan’s cross ball was made more in hope than expectation.
Saints discovered a late spurt of enthusiasm to threaten to deny County a share of the spoils but substitute Owura Edwards made a timely block on Wright before Ali Crawford shot over.