St Johnstone lose 2-0 to Rangers after failing to take advantage of good second half spell

The Perth side came close to scoring after the re-start.

By Eric Nicolson

September 16 2023, 2:31pm

Danilo scores for Rangers. Image: Shutterstock.

St Johnstone’s wait for a first Premiership win of the season goes on.

For all the talk of a Rangers crisis, this turned out to be a fairly standard victory for them at McDiarmid Park in the end.

Steven MacLean’s men had a strong spell at the start of the second half but needed to score at that point to give themselves a chance of taking a point or more.

In the grand scheme of things, however, this wasn’t a significant step back despite the fact they still prop up the league table.

Saints had settled into the game nicely, with no chances at either end of the pitch in the first 15 minutes.

There was a self-inflicted aspect to the opening goal, though.

After the hosts earned their first corner of the game, Max Kucheriavyi opted to play it short to Graham Carey and his cross was comfortably cleared by Rangers.

One quick counter-attack later, Danilo had given Dimitar Mitov no chance with a powerful header from six yards out.

Unfortunately for the goalscorer it was his last contribution.

He and Liam Gordon had to be substituted as a result of a clash of heads when they challenged for James Tavernier’s cross from the right.

Gordon’s replacement, Sam McClelland, was out-paced by fellow sub, Abdallah Sima, shortly after both men came on and it took a fine save from Mitov to prevent Rangers going two in front.

Bright start

Saints started the second period brightly and twice in the first few minutes of it there were VAR checks for a possible penalty.

First Chris Kane went down after beating Jack Butland to an under-hit back pass and then the striker, making his first league start in 20 months, and then hit the turf when a corner was sent in his direction.

On both occasions referee Nick Walsh was told there was no cause to head for the pitch-side monitor.

Saints were becoming a genuine goal threat and Dara Costelloe was inches away from getting on the end of a Carey cross.

St Johnstone's Dara Costelloe goes close. — St Johnstone’s Dara Costelloe goes close. Image: SNS.

Then three players had a go at scoring in the box after a nice move down the left, the closest being Dare Olufunwa with a goal-bound shot that was headed away.

Rangers had a Kemar Roofe goal disallowed for offside but scored their second on 79 minutes when, after a Saints attack broke down, Rabbi Matondo slotted a right foot shot past Mitov.

St Johnstone – Mitov 7, Robinson 6, Considine 7, Gordon 4 (McClelland 21, 5), Olufunwa 7, Phillips 7.5 (Turner-Cooke, 82), Smith 7, Kucheriavyi 7 (May 70), Carey 6, Costelloe 6, Kane 7 (MacPherson, 82). Subs not used – Richards, Brown, Gallacher, Jephcott, Franczak.