Zander Clark has put his Motherwell aberration behind him and is back to being the points-winning goalkeeper St Johnstone can rely upon again.
The spotlight was on the Perth goalie after he was culpable for Christopher Long’s goal for the Steelmen a few weeks ago.
The performances that have followed it, though, have showed why manager Tommy Wright had no concerns about his number one.
And a fingertip reflex reaction to divert on to the post a Jamie McGrath cross/shot that he saw late was the save of the game against St Mirren on Wednesday night.
Clark’s short “not great spell” is over.
“I know what I’m capable of,” he said. “Teams and players go through spells when you are not great.
“It’s good to be back making saves because that is what gives you joy as a goalkeeper.
“If you make a save and it becomes vital, then it is that bit more pleasing.”
Had McGrath’s delivery into the box crept in it would have been a cruel double blow for Clark and Saints in the space of four days, given the nature of the goal that knocked them out of the Scottish Cup.
“It evaded everyone,” said the keeper.
“Jason Kerr went to head it and I’m not sure if he stumbles or slips.
“I managed to get a fingertip to it. I thought it was a re-run of the goal we conceded against Celtic but luckily this time I got something on it.
“That is why I am there – to prevent things like that and stop goals. It’s stuff we work on every day and that sounds a cliché.
“There are not too many things a goalkeeper can do in training. We can’t go and run.
“We work on the reactions a lot and thankfully I’ve touched the ball onto the post.
“It’s a good bit of fun and you get to welly balls off cones and get deflections. It brings out the inner child in you!
“I’m glad that a couple of my saves has helped get us the point.”
The Paisley draw has seen Saints get to within four points of sixth-placed Hibs and now the Perth men have their sights set on making a three-point stride up the table against another team above them in the Premiership, Livingston.
“You have got to look at the St Mirren result as a positive one,” said Clark.
“We are a point closer to the teams above and it’s sweeter when you go down to 10 men.
“It’s a tough grind and you know they are going to throw everything at you. In the main I thought we dealt with that pretty well.
“You want to take all three points but grabbing the point is a good one in the end.
“We go into Saturday and, if we manage to get all three, it will be a great return in the last two games.”
