Doctor Deuchar saves Saints from Clydeitis

Oct 30 2007

LAST time round Livingston wrecked Perth promotion plans and now Clyde are emerging as the villains of the piece.

St Johnstone’s only league defeat was sustained at Broadwood and with just seven minutes remaining there was a dash of deja vu about the whole affair.

First-half chances squandered, the opposition upping their game after the interval, desperate attempts to salvage a result. All very familiar. But now Saints can call on the services of their very own medic when they are ailing.

He wasn’t wearing surgeon’s whites, but Kenny Deuchar produced his eighth goal of the season to save the day. The hen party in the main stand might have preferred George Clooney but other home fans weren’t complaining at the timely contribution from Dr Goals.

Mind you, young keeper David Hutton played an integral role in an equaliser which restricted front runners Hamilton’s advantage to 10 points. At least Saints have more time than last term when they were scurrying after Gretna.

Deuchar got the credit but it was a borderline own goal. The striker’s cross was way overcooked. You’d have sent it back to the kitchen if it was a steak. It was the sort most keepers handle with their eyes closed. And maybe that was the problem.

A contrite Hutton later told colleagues he feared it was going to strike the post. It didn’t but the distracted fall-guy then fumbled it into the net at shoulder height. Deuchar’s bizarre belly rubbing celebrations were aimed at his dad and a family bet. While the doc enjoyed a goal feast at Perth, father was supposed to be shedding the pounds. Already he’s lost the wager.

With Andy Jackson replaced 20 minutes from the end and unable to extend his scoring sequence to a seventh successive match, it was down to the doc to move on their joint tally. The partnership had made its mark in each of the previous eight games and there were chances before Deuchar finally stretched it to nine.

Owen Coyle listed the same starting line-up for a fourth successive league game and within the opening 10 minutes Rocco Quinn and both strikers posed serious threats to the Clyde goal.

A couple of Allan McManus lobbed crosses almost worked the opener but first Hutton instinctively tipped Deuchar’s close range effort over the bar and within a minute Wilson halted another attempt on the line.

But with the crime count going through the roof, and eight names ultimately in the book, Clyde were content to disrupt the flow.

But their approach changed at half-time and an altogether more adventurous strategy posed Saints problems, starting in the opening attack when McManus got away with a mistimed sliding tackle on Dougie Imrie which looked a stick-on spot-kick.

The winger gave Gary Irvine a torrid time of it, with the full-back wary after an early caution. A 25-yarder was flicked over by Main on the hour, McManus almost contrived an own goal as the keeper slipped before retrieving the back header and in the 75th minute Imrie netted either a beauty, or a fluke, depending on your viewpoint.

Meant or not, the ball floated Main’s head and into the net.

Saints almost snatched a winner late on when Peter MacDonald had a couple of glimpses of the target but Masterton came closest when he clipped the post.

St Johnstone: Main, Irvine, Stanic, McInnes (McCluskey 78), McManus, Anderson, Quinn, Sheerin, Deuchar, Jackson (MacDonald 70) and McLaren (Weatherston 66). Subs not used: Stewart and Cuthbert.

Clyde: Hutton, McGregor, Wilson, Higgins, McKeown, Masterton, D. McGowan (Arbuckle 85), McLennan, Cardle (Bradley 85), Imrie and M. McGowan. Subs not used: Bestvina, Smith and Cherrie.

Referee: Euan Norris.