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St Johnstone verdict: Player ratings, star man and key moments as Stevie May scores dramatic winner at Motherwell

St Johnstone's Jamie Murphy celebrates his goal.
St Johnstone's Jamie Murphy celebrates his goal.

St Johnstone have their first win of the league season and their first in the Premiership away from home since February.

And it couldn’t have been a more dramatic one.

After Jamie Murphy had given Saints a first half lead, another late corner saw their opponents equalise, this time in the first minute of stoppage time.

But there was a further twist left as three minutes later Stevie May stabbed home from close range in front of a joyous travelling support behind Liam Kelly’s goal.


Key moments

The first Saints league goal of the season is the only place to start.

It was a clinical low right foot finish from Murphy which gave Liam Kelly no chance.

Theo Bair providing the chested assist should do the Canadian international’s confidence the world of good.

At the other end, Alex Mitchell denying substitute Joe Efford a certain equaliser with a last-ditch sliding tackle was a proverbial ‘as good as a goal’ moment in the match.

There were plenty of other ‘body on the line’ interventions after it.

Then, what about May.

He doesn’t score many goals these days but when he finds the net, they are almost always crucial ones.

This winner was certainly in that category.


Saints’ star men: Jamie Murphy and Stevie May

St Johnstone haven’t been a side used to winning away from home in the Premiership and this has been a tough start to the new season.

So the players who score the goals in a crucial game like this have to share the gold star.

Murphy was quiet against one of his old clubs, Hibs last week but he came back to haunt the side where he started his career.

The 28th minute strike was as clean as they come and the experienced forward also did his bit for the cause tracking back and relieving pressure.

As for May, his at the death contribution brought back memories of the winner at Pittodrie early last season.

He remains a man for the big occasion.

 

Jamie Murphy in action.

Jamie Murphy in action.


 

Player ratings

Matthews 7, Considine 7, Mitchell 8, McGowan 7, Wright 6, Bair 7 (May 8), MacPherson 7, Montgomery 5, Hallberg 6, Carey 7, Murphy 8 (Crawford 5).


Man in the middle

After Euan Anderson’s performance last week, Willie Collum didn’t have a hard act to follow.

He probably should have booked Bevis Mugabi early on for taking Murphy out from behind – particularly after Melker Hallberg was carded for a midfield challenge that was no worse later in the first half.

Melker Hallberg was booked for this challenge.
Melker Hallberg was booked for this challenge.

Saints can be thankful that Collum didn’t buy a theatrical fall in the box from Ross Tierney when Ryan McGowan got tight to him late on.

All in all, the high profile referee had a good afternoon’s works.

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