Patience of a Saint pays off for Hendry with last-gasp goal
Hendry (21, 90) Van Veen (12) A stunning stoppage-time strike from rejuvenated Callum Hendry provided the perfect pick-me-up for Covid-hit St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson.
Recalled from a loan at Kilmarnock in January, the striker had already levelled Kevin van Veen’s early opener with a smart header.
But Hendry’s sixth goal in 10 games secured three precious points to open up a four-point advantage on bottom club Dundee, who face Rangers on home turf today.
Perth assistant Steven Maclean, standing in for absentee Davidson, hailed Hendry’s spectacular late winner.
“The win was for Callum, us as a coaching staff and the players as well,” said Maclean. “We wanted to win the game for the gaffer. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t be here. “But we are all together.” Saints had ridden their luck before Hendry latched on to a searching ball into the Motherwell penalty area and instinctively smashed a first-time shot over stunned Well keeper Liam Kelly.
“It was an unbelievable finish from Callum in the 91st or 92nd minute. He deserves it. After his loan spell at Kilmarnock he has been excellent,” said Maclean.
“It takes confidence but also technique to hit it from there. He always has a goal like that in him.
“It is a big goal but only if we go on to win the next game against Livingston.”
Both keepers were under the microscope, with the Perth
No. 1 left out of the latest Scotland squad, while opposite number Kelly was listed by national manager Steve Clarke.
And Perth keeper Clark produced a vital stop to deny Dutch ace van Veen’s leveller seconds from the end of a match.
The visitors seized a 12th-minute advantage when van Veen cut inside and took full advantage of the space offered up by a retreating Perth defence to drill a 25-yard strike low into the corner and beyond the reach of keeper Clark.
Veteran Mcdiarmid midfielder Davidson was left walking a tightrope when he picked up a 16th-minute booking for a challenge that caught Jake Carroll, minutes after he had felled Connor Shields.
In-form Hendry hauled Saints level in the 21st minute, when he rose to find the top corner with a 10-yard looping header from a pinpoint Melker Hallberg cross.
Eight minutes from the interval Shields surged into the Perth penalty area but his angled effort was scooped up easily by Clark.
Before the break referee David Munro, who had booked Rooney for kicking the ball away, reached for his pocket again to caution Dan Cleary and van Veen after a tussle that left the Dutchman rolling around on the turf.
Minutes into the second period, Hallberg had a chance to tame a bouncing ball in a dangerous area but the midfielder couldn’t muster a shot on target from eight yards.
With both sides lacking a creative spark, Saints were the first to look to their bench. Stevie May replaced an ineffective Nadir Ciftci in the 66th minute and the onetime Motherwell striker blanked Maclean heading up the tunnel.
Two minutes after his introduction Motherwell substitute Kaiyne Woolery almost made an immediate impact but his drilled angled effort rebounded off the inside of Clark’s far post before being scrambled to safety.
Even after Hendry’s late goal triggered jubilant scenes on and off the park, Perth keeper Clark brilliantly turned over a rasping 25-yard free-kick delivered by van Veen to seal only Saints third home win of the season.