Drawing out the title push

Apr 10 2009 By Gordon Bannerman

IT’S turning into a drawn-out St Johnstone bid for the First Division title.

With five games remaining, a four-point advantage at the top of the table still has rival clubs casting envious looks towards Perth.

But rather than relying on Partick Thistle shedding points in the run-in and fretting over nerves playing a part on and off the field, the Saints must post wins at the business end of the season.

Draw number 14 and the first in a double header wasn’t easy on the eye, with the Perth team devoid of ideas in the final third, against a depleted Pars side forced to carry out running repairs as injuries took their toll of the side.

Manager Derek McInnes had his own worries with Stuart McCaffrey pulling up during the warm-up, prompting Graham Gartland to swap a seat in the stand for a home debut at minutes’ notice.

He wasn’t even stripped, with a sinus problem keeping him suited and booted.

But the Irishman ended up taking the shirt off  McCaffrey’s back before kick-off. The former Drogheda skipper coped admirably.

Once again, it was the Saints’ defensive solidity which eked out some reward and keeper Alan Main posted a clean sheet to mark equalling the all-time club appearance record.

Dunfermline’s own championship aspirations have done a vanishing act and only a run to the cup semi-final has staved off financial disaster for the club.

But they haven’t lost in Perth for 13 years and that track record was rarely jeopardised, despite Saints’ domination of the first period. Long-term absentee, Martin Hardie was resting-up with East End Park in mind this weekend.

Sheerin tested Gallacher twice from distance but there were no takers when Chris Millar dashed 50 yards, left a defender trailing and hammered a cross into the six-yard box before the break.

Derek Holmes squeezed an arching header wide minutes after the restart from a Millar cross but confusion between Gartland and keeper freed-up Bell for a crisp 15-yard strike which the keeper did well to grasp.

Steven Anderson was the latest to fill-in at left back and while his attacking threat was minimal, he mopped up twice as the Pars got in behind the home defence.

Sub Graham Barrett had a spot-kick claim rejected, as did the Pars, and Bell should have been carded and off for a blatant dive near the end.

The east stand patrons maintained their backing but it had nil-nil stamped all over it long before the end as a blunt Saints attack failed to examine the Pars defence.

St Johnstone: Main, Irvine, Anderson (Craig 75), Moon, Rutkiewicz, Gartland, Samuel, Millar (Swankie 82), Holmes (Barrett 61), Milne and Sheerin. Subs not used: Hardie and McLean.

Dunfermline: Gallacher, Woods, Wilson, Thomson (Burke 12), Shields, Phinn (Ross 46), Bell, Graham, Bayne, Kirk and Mole (Muirhead 10). Subs not used: Loy and Paterson.

Referee: John McKendrick.