[tab:Match report]
Phil McGhee at McDiarmid Park
For the second successive week, ‘Well were pegged back after taking a first-half lead to lose 1-2.
Seven days ago it was against the Dons at Fir Park, this time it was St Johnstone in Perth, but the game followed a familiar pattern.
‘Well took a deserved first-half lead when Louis Moult converted a Lionel Ainsworth cross and indeed, the only frustration at the interval was the margin was just one.
However, it was the clichéd game of two halves as Saints dominated the second forty-five and scored two similar goals courtesy of Steven McLean.
To rub salt into the wounds, Jake Taylor was not only denied a penalty in the closing stages, he was ordered off for simulation when television replays appear to show the on-loan Reading man was tripped by Tam Scobbie.
Ian Baraclough stuck with the same starting eleven that took to the field against both Hearts and Aberdeen, with Louis Moult leading the attack and that worked a treat as the former Wrexham man opened his Motherwell account after just eleven minutes.
Lionel Ainsworth managed to pick up the ball deep in Saints territory. After a neat one-two with McDonald that took him around Brian Easton, the winger fired a low, hard cross across the face of goal that was gobbled up at the far post by the Fir Park front man.
Incredibly, within sixty seconds, Moult could have made it 0-2. Tam Scobbie lost his footing, allowing the 23-year old in one-on-one with Mannus. However, it was the Northern Irish keeper who won the dual, standing tall for as long as possible before blocking the low shot with his foot.
There was frustration amongst the visitor’s ranks when referee Craig Thomson booked Jake Taylor for blocking a quick free kick. It looked a fairly harsh call given the ball was blasted against him as he was getting back into position and it would prove costly later in the match.
‘Well continued to control the game and Scott McDonald came close to getting on the score sheet with a driving strike from distance, but it wasn’t far off nestling.
All the threat was at the Saints goal at this point and Ainsworth followed McDonald’s lead with an effort from distance, but his drilled shot flew narrowly over the Mannus’ bar.
Saints took until the 38th minute to really create anything of note but when they did, they forced Connor Ripley into two decent stops. denying McLean on both occasions. Both came from Joe Shaughnessy, and both were snap shots, but the on-loan Boro man twice saved in style.
Just before the interval, ‘Well got in behind the Saints defence again via McDonald, but his low near-post cross was beat out by Mannus before being hooked clear.
The second half started with more frustration amongst the ‘Well squad when referee Thomson failed to take action against Murray Davidson for blocking a free kick, despite carding Taylor earlier in the match, much to the chagrin of the ‘Well bench and support behind the goal.
Undeterred, ‘Well still looked in good nick and almost made it 0-2 when, after a neat passing move down the left, Lasley found space inside the area. With Ainsworth begging to be teed up, the skipper took on the shot himself but shot over from about twelve yards.
Ainsworth did have a shot himself a minute later but Shaughnessy did ‘Well to block at the expense of a corner.
Sadly, that was really it for ‘Well, who stopped doing what they had been for the opening fifty minutes and fell completely out the game.
It started with a Cummins header off the bar, which only came about after the home defence had switched off from a simple throw-in situation over on the far touchline.
The warning was heeded though and Tommy Wright’s men drew level on the 66th minute. Cummins was again involved, collected a pass from Wotherspoon inside the area, dribbling away from Law before McLean, who had got himself in between the Motherwell centre backs, tapped his the low cross into the net from two yards out.
Saints tails were up and Shaughnessy headed a free-kick over before Ripley had to look smart to get off his line to deny the advancing Chris Kane, who had replaced Cummins four minutes previous.
Then, with eleven minutes left to play, disaster struck as Saints took the lead with a goal almost a carbon copy of their first. Michael O’Halloran wriggled his way between subs Dom Thomas and Joe Chalmers before sending a low ball across the face of goal that was again turned in by McLean.
There was still time for talking points though as the game finished in controversy.
Thomas fired the ball to Taylor inside the area and as he flicked it around Scobbie, the former Falkirk man caught him with an outstretched leg. It looked a penalty, but not only did referee Thomson not award a spot kick; he produced a second yellow and a red for Taylor who was sent for an early bath.
Replays would show it was very tough on the Motherwell midfielder.
There was still time for Motherwell to get level and deep into stoppage time, Moult went close to grabbing a share of the spoils. The striker got on the end of a curling Chalmers free kick but despite beating Davidson to the ball, his header dropped a foot wide of goal.
[tab:As it happened]
Ally Reilly at McDiarmid Park
FULL-TIME
St Johnstone 2 – 1 Motherwell
92′ | 2-1
Chalmers whips in a free-kick which is nodded just wide by Moult!
90′ | 2-1
Three minutes added on
87′ | 2-1
St Johnstone sub, Craig on for O’Halloran
86′ | 2-1
Red Card! Referee says Taylor dived in the box and shows him his second yellow.
79′ | 2-1
Goal: St Johnstone take the lead, Maclean with a similar goal to his first.
77′ | 1-1
Motherwell sub, Thomas on for McDonald.
75′ | 1- 1
Ripley races off his line to gather at the feet of the onrushing Kane. Not been a great second half for ‘Well.
71′ | 1- 1
St Johnstone sub, Cummins makes way for Kane.
70′ | 1- 1
With 20 minutes left, here are some of the match stats:
68′ | 1- 1
Chalmers booked for tripping O’Halloran. From the free-kick, Shaughnessy heads over.
66′ | 1- 1
Motherwell sub, Leitch is on for Ainsworth
66′ | 1-1
Goal – MacLean brings St Johnstone with a close range effort.
58′ | 0-1
St Johnstone sub, Wotherspoon on for Lappin.
56′ | 0-1
Close! Cummins’ header strikes the top of the bar. A let-off.
53′ | 0-1
Ainsworth gets into a great area but Shaughnessy does enough to contain him and block his shot for a corner.
52′ | 0-1
Great play from Moult then McDonald sets up Lasley on the edge of the box but the captain fires over the bar.
47′ | 0-1
Frustrating refereeing there as Davidson blocks a quick free-kick and isn’t shown the same card as Taylor was earlier on.
45′ | 0-1
Half-time sub for ‘Well, Hammell off for Chalmers.
HALF-TIME
St Johnstone 0 – 1 Motherwell
41′ | 0-1
Another stinging effort from MacLean and again Ripley is equal to it! Superb stuff from the big Englishman.
39′ | 0-1
Great stop from Ripley to palm away MacLean’s powerful volley from 15 yards!! Should have been 1-1.
38′ | 0-1
Cummins spins Laing on the edge of the box and takes the shot on early. Fortunately it is straight at Ripley who makes the stop.
37′ | 0-1
Lasley works some space and lays it off to Ainsworth who blasts over the bar from 25 yards.
34′ | 0-1
Another Lappin corner is straight to Ripley. Comfortable for the big man.
30′ | 0-1
McDonald takes a shot from range and it whistles inches past the top corner! Great effort from the Aussie.
27′ | 0-1
Ball into the box seems an awkward height for Cummins but he gets a header away which Ripley gathers with ease.
27′ | 0-1
Taylor takes a booking for impeding a quickly taken free-kick.
22′ | 0-1
Half-way through the first half, here’s a check on the match stats so far.
18′ | 0-1
Danger as O’Halloran gets in behind the ‘Well defence but McManus does well to read the danger and cut out the cut-back.
16′ | 0-1
St Johnstone have their second corner of the game but Lappin’s delivery is easy for Ripley.
12′ | 0-1
Very nearly 2 as Moult is played clean through but Mannus made himself big and blocked with his foot.
11′ | 0-1
Ainsworth turns his man and puts it on a plate for Moult who taps in at the back post. 1-0 to the Steelmen!
11′ | 0-1
GGOOOAAALLLL!!!!
9′ | 0-0
St Johnstone win the first corner of the game. Lappin’s ball in is headed clear by Lasley at the front post.
4′ | 0-0
McDonald hits the deck about 20 yards out. Free-kick in a decent area to the left of the box….McDonald’s delivery is cleared.
2′ | 0-0
Decent early sniff of goal for ‘Well as Ainsworth gets down the right win and swings in a good ball. MacKay knees it back to Mannus
Kick-off | 0-0
St Johnstone get the game underway. COYW!!!
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough:
“We created many chances and that dropped off in the second half for one reason or another. That can’t happen or you are not going to win games of football.
“This game was there to be won. Maybe second half we weren’t at it as we were first half but come out with something from the game. Manage the game and make sure you get something – whether it is a point or nicking three.”
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright:
“I thought we started a little bit nervously. I don’t know why that was with all the experience we have got. With the goal I think we could do better. Alan Mannus makes an important save at 1-0 but their goalkeeper has had to make two or three good saves too.
“The second half was what we wanted. We were very much on the front foot. They are going to counter you at times with the pace they have got but overall over the 90 minutes we deserved the win.
“I keep mentioning character because the players have got it in abundance. They stayed in the game and kept going right until the end.
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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