St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson described Stevie May’s contribution to his team’s 1-0 triumph over Kilmarnock as “incredible”.
The Perth side made it back to back league victories for the first time this season, with May’s early deflected shot separating the sides, as his header did at Easter Road the previous week.
The former Scotland international received a standing ovation as he left the McDiarmid Park pitch in injury-time and Davidson singled him out in his post-match assessment, not for the first time recently.
“The shift Stevie May put in again was incredible,” he said.
“He was outstanding with the energy and enthusiasm he brought to the game.
“It was great for him to get another goal.
“He was the one getting us up the pitch and creating chances for us.
“Connor McLennan, David Wotherspoon and Theo Bair were really good for us when they came on.
“There’s a lot of positives at that end of the pitch.
“And I’ll be absolutely delighted if Stevie continues this form.”
Gap to the bottom
Saints are now seven points away from the bottom of the table and on the same points as sixth-placed Motherwell.
And Davidson believes there is plenty of scope for growth in his squad as the season progresses.
“We had a plan to hit Kilmarnock on the break and expose the space,” he said. “At times we did it OK.
“We didn’t play particularly well in the first half but to come away with another three points is really pleasing, considering there’s a lot more to come from the team.
“A couple of games ago we were a point off the bottom. I’m sure the table will keep being tight.
“There will be highs and lows and we can improve as a team and a group but picking up points is the most important thing.”
VAR right decisions
With referee Craig Napier downgrading a James Brown red card after VAR intervention and the technology backing up the call to disallow a Liam Donnelly equaliser, Davidson feels the scales are being balanced.
“That’s why VAR is there,” he said.
“We’ve had unfair decisions in the past. With VAR, sometimes it takes a little bit of time but it’s about getting the big decisions right.
“That was the case last week as well with the offside when it would have been a penalty for Hibs.
“It’s difficult for the referees. They’re under a lot of pressure. They’ll get more confident with it and it will get quicker.
“VAR came to the right decisions.”
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