MacLean makes good on safety promise as Gordon goal keeps Perth men in top tier
STEVEN MACLEAN’S risks paid a handsome dividend as he secured safety for St Johnstone — just as he had promised days earlier. The interim manager gambled heavily with a pre-match declaration and a selection curveball that could easily have backfired. But both — and an inspirational Rugby Park dressing-room team talk — came up big for him. MacLean guaranteed, at his weekly media day, that St Johnstone would play Premiership football next season. Thanks to hometown hero Liam Gordon’s 11th-minute header, that’s exactly what will happen in Perth.
It was always MacLean’s job to lose when installed on an interim basis after the sacking of Callum Davidson.
Now he can surely expect to sit down with chairman Steve Brown and seal the permanent deal.
For he was also successfully bold in playing Cammy Ballantyne in the middle of the park.
Ballantyne is 23, a perennial Montrose loanee and had never played a toptier game until thrown into this relegation showdown.
In place of Daniel Phillips, he picked up the scraps from Ryan McGowan and Cammy MacPherson and drove Saints forward.
He was one of several denied by Sam Walker’s saves as the visitors enjoyed a flurry of chances against 10 men in the second half.
David Watson’s red card in 44 minutes was a big factor.
But it cannot detract from a job well done by MacLean, securing a critical win in his first away game in charge after putting himself under considerably more pressure than necessary.
Addressing his daring midweek vow, MacLean explained: ‘I think people thought I was arrogant.
‘But I was just confident and I wanted to give players that confidence. I love being in a pressure situation. I don’t know if it made Killie nervous... I hope so.
‘You have to embrace it and go and play. I also challenged the players before the game.
‘I asked them where they wanted to be in eight days’ time — in the play-offs or safe?
‘We’re safe now but I want to finish the season on a high by winning more games.’
MacLean revealed former colleague Davidson was in touch immediately to embrace the achievement.
He revealed: ‘I’m delighted for everyone at the club, the chairman, his dad, supporters, players and even Callum — he was the first on the text.
‘Before every game he texts me. It’s not just about me and there has to be a special mention for Callum. He’s done so well for the club, winning a cup double and rebuilding.
‘I haven’t thought about the job, I just wanted to help win games. I’ll speak to the chairman and see where he wants to go.
‘I saw him after the game, he congratulated us. He said he would sleep well.
‘The club is up for sale — we don’t know what’s happening. He put his faith in me and I thank him for that.’
Despite having failed to win in four attempts on an artificial surface this season, Saints showed little respect for Kilmarnock’s excellent home form.
The first of Walker’s wonderful saves came from his former Colchester colleague Drey Wright in the seventh minute.
But the keeper couldn’t account for the defensive chaos in front of him that led to the game’s only goal.
Absent marking and an errant touch from Christian Doidge helped a Graham Carey corner sit up kindly for Gordon to nod home.
The captain had cursed his own dismal scoring form from set-pieces weeks ago, urging someone to become a hero with the goals needed to keep his club up.
He has conjured the response himself to net vital winners against Dundee United then Kilmarnock.
Luke Chambers then Liam Donnelly struck Remi Matthews’ right-hand post in the frustrating hunt for a first-half leveller.
Killie’s task grew in difficulty when teenage midfielder Watson lunged in two-footed on Ballantyne and saw red from ref John Beaton.
Derek McInnes admitted it was a ‘huge moment’ but refused to condemn the devastated 18-year-old.
McInnes said: ‘You’re always fearful in this day and age. You’re hoping the referee understands it’s exuberance and a young player going in to win a ball and not looking for malice.
‘But you prepare yourself for the worst. I’m not blaming David. He is in the team because he makes contact and makes tackles.
‘You want players to play with emotion and passion, but there also has to be an element of restraint.’
At the height of Davidson’s St Johnstone reign when trophies were won, they loved seeing out a 1-0 win.
MacLean’s side picked up that particular baton by keeping Killie away from goal for the bulk of the second half.
Matthews turned away a Rory McKenzie drive and it was far more frantic at the opposite end.
Walker frustrated his mate Wright with a stunning denial of a fierce left-foot volley. Carey and Ballantyne were also thwarted by the giant Englishman, while sub Zak Rudden was guilty of two glaring misses that could’ve made the closing stages easier for Saints.
Walker charged up for one, last-gasp corner. But the only consolation for Killie was the news of Ross County conceding late on at Motherwell.
That keeps McInnes’s men in 10th ahead of a midweek trip to Tannadice before a final-day clash at home to County.