Swede sees red but Saints take vital point
Melker Hallberg’s secondhalf dismissal failed to sabotage Saints’ efforts to claw some more ground back at the foot of the Premiership.
Hallberg, the Swede signed from Hibs in the window, was sent off with some 40 minutes of this Tayside derby remaining.
Booked in the first half for taking down Tony Watt, he picked up a second caution for a foul on Ian Harkes which referee Colin Steven initially ignored to allow play to continue.
Manager Callum Davidson, furious to see his player sent off the pitch, was himself shown a yellow card by Steven for his protests.
But with his team showing their resolution to hang on for a draw and Dundee going down to Ross County, they moved a point clear of their rivals.
Saints ended their miserable 12-game winless run with the victory against Livingston last midweek and here, back on
home turf, they started where they left off in West Lothian.
Hallberg shouldered Ian Harkes out of the way and burst down the right.
With his opponent lying sprawled out on the ground, he had both time and space and used it well, picking out Ali Crawford at the edge of the area.
The midfielder’s effort beat Ben Siegrist comfortably but was blocked by the underside of the crossbar.
If Harkes was miffed by not being given a free-kick he channelled his annoyance positively.
He got straight back into the game and his clever link-up play with Dylan Levitt soon allowed the visitors to make inroads through Saints defensive lines.
Watt, too, looked in the mood with Dan Cleary forced to act sharply when the striker looked poised to give his team the opener.
United had a how-did-thatstay-out moment ahead of the break after winning a corner on their left.
Levitt swung the set-piece into Saints near post from where it was headed across the face of goal by Nicky Clark.
Arriving in a rush at the back, Ryan Edwards needed only to get a touch to score but was just a fraction of a second too late and the ball rolled harmlessly past.
United manager Tam Courts was not prepared to simply wait for a breakthrough so he made a double change at the break.
Off went Akinola and Levitt, who had done well, and on came the Finn, Ilmari Niskanen, and Scott Mcmann.
The switch to the more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation almost paid an instant dividend with Niskanen whipping in a deep cross for Liam Smith, whose was blocked by Crawford.
It had the odd effect of meaning United were already set up for the next big thing to happen, which was the dismissal of Hallberg.
Yet while Watt hit the outside of the post, the loss of a player did not handicap Saints all that much. They not only stayed compact in their lines but continued to hit on the break whenever the opportunity allowed.
Glen Middleton in particular teased a winner with a shot that was deflected just wide.
“It is disappointing because probably the worst thing that could have happened to us was actually St Johnstone going down to 10 men,” said Courts.
“I say that because they have probably then decided that a point is what they were targetting.
“They have defended their box really well and we could not get the breakthrough.”