Boss hopes Spoony has done enough for World Cup dream
ST JOHNSTONE 1 Wright (26) MOTHERWELL 1 Spittal (45+1)
Callum Davidson hopes David Wotherspoon has signed off for national service by helping St Johnstone maintain their unbeaten run into the World Cup break.
Saints are five without defeat and cemented a top six berth thanks to this hard-fought draw.
Wotherspoon is on alert today when John Herdman’s final Canadian squad is named for Qatar.
He’s made two starts and four substitute appearances since returning from a 10-month lay-off and this was his most pleasing comeback performance yet.
The attacking midfielder’s trademark “chop” was seen to great effect and he wrong-footed the Motherwell defence to tee up the goal from Drey Wright.
Manager Callum Davidson beamed: “It was great to see him doing what he does best.
“Now let’s hope David gets into the Canada squad. It would be a massive boost for him and his family, obviously, and also for the club.
“We’re pretty hopeful. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from Canada. If he’s not in, we’ll be bitterly disappointed.
“He’s been in every squad when he’s been fit and you saw that he’s ready to go.
“We’ve been careful to nurture him along, I was wary of not chucking him in too early. His quality, movement and fitness levels are all there.”
Motherwell strung some pleasing early moves together. Injury doubt Kevin Van Veen operated in behind Louis Moult who made an impact in the first start of his second Fir Park spell.
Moult’s deft lay-off wasn’t capitalised on by Stuart McKinstry who dragged a chance across goal and Van Veen saw a deflected drive smothered by Remi Matthews.
Their best chance was bizarrely helped by ref Nick Walsh blocking Graham Carey’s attempts to halt the progress of Callum Slattery.
Moult’s flick from a Matthew Penney delivery was turned wide by Matthews.
That tidy start counted for nothing when the sucker punch was landed on 26 minutes.
Adam Montgomery picked out Wotherspoon peeling off into space in the area.
Wotherspoon’s fancy footwork left Sondre Solholm rooted to the spot and created all the room required to fire at goal.
Liam Kelly parried the shot but the ball bounced straight into the path of Wright to tuck home.
Soon after Stevie May lofted a great opportunity over and they were stung by a stoppage time set-piece.
A foul on Sean Goss gave Blair Spittal the dead ball chance from 20 yards.
With the aid of a heavy deflection off the wall, Matthews was wrongfooted and beaten.
The second half was a tough watch. Both sides struggled to create openings in a contest broken up by fouls and misplaced passes.
St Johnstone went closest early in the half with Carey’s hugely ambitious 35-yard attempt and a twice-deflected Melker Hallberg hit.
Moult never stopped grafting for Well and his perseverance robbed Liam Gordon deep in his own area. He teed up van Veen whose curling shot was blocked.
Ali Crawford blazed over with a desperate free kick in injury time but Davidson conceded a point was fair to secure a top half spot.
“I’m delighted with that position after 16 games,” added Davidson.
“We’ve picked up results in different ways, with different characteristics shown. It’s a really good place to be.”
ST JOHNSTONE: (3-4-1-2) Matthews 6; McGowan 7, Gordon 6, Considine 7; Wright 7, Hallberg 6 (Phillips 89, 2), Carey 7, Montgomery 5 (Brown 76, 3); Wotherspoon 7 (Crawford 76, 3); May 6 (McLennan 76, 3), Clark 5 (Bair 89, 2). Unused subs – Parish, Gallacher, Murphy, Kucheriavyi.
MOTHERWELL: (4-2-3-1) Kelly 6; O’Donnell 6, Solholm 6, Lamie 7, Penney 6; Slattery 7, Goss 6; Spittal 7, Van Veen 6, McKinstry 6 (Shields 76, 2); Moult 7. Unused subs – Oxborough, Maguire, Cornelius, Morris, Tierney, Speirs, Ferrie.