St Johnstone’s season has lift-off.
Just as in 2019, the last time a winless run stretched into autumn, the Perth side secured their first league victory in game number 10 of the campaign.
There was a bit of a fraught second half to endure after Kilmarnock pulled a goal back but Saints stood strong and their fans at last had something to celebrate.
Courier Sport picks out four talking points from the first match of the post-Steven MacLean era.
Cleland gets everything right
Don’t minimise the role the caretaker manager played on Wednesday night.
Alex Cleland wasn’t an interim boss auditioning for the permanent gig.
But Saints needed his calmness, his man-management skills and his tactical awareness.
Kilmarnock were (are) one of the form teams in a league, who comprehensively outplayed Aberdeen a few days earlier.
There was no room for error in Saints’ team selection, game-plan or substitutions.
Cleland was on the money with all three.
The strategy of going full throttle at the start of the match clearly reaped big rewards but the shape of the team and the timing of the subs when it became a different game in the second half were equally impressive and significant.
Cleland, Alistair Stevenson and Danny Griffin should be every bit as proud of their night’s work as the players.
Clark and Kane
How’s your luck?
It’s an irony that won’t be lost on the man who left the club on Sunday.
With a proper two-pronged focal point up front, midfielders could see options ahead of them when they lifted their heads and wide players had near-post mobile targets to aim for with their crosses.
Pinpoint delivery from Graham Carey 🤩
Superb finish from Nicky Clark 🔥#SJFC | @nickyclark91 pic.twitter.com/sfbSxDaQ9k— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) November 2, 2023
The two goals illustrated both scenarios perfectly.
Neither Clark nor Kane is yet up to full speed – and unfortunately further injury set-backs are a possibility – but if they can make that sort of impact before they’re ready for 90 minutes, the longer-term prospects are tantalising.
I still maintain that if Saints have at least one of them available for the vast majority of the remaining fixtures they’ve got a great chance to staying up.
Right wing-back dilemma
A few players probably had their best games in St Johnstone colours against Kilmarnock.
Matt Smith was one of them, linking defence and attack effectively whenever Saints were able to play through him.
Luke Robinson’s decision-making never dipped from a high level throughout the contest.
And, before his red card, Dara Costelloe’s running power was key to getting his team up the pitch.
On one occasion in the first half he beat his man for pace on the outside and then delivered a perfectly-weighted cut-back that was begging to be met by a central midfielder runner.
An on another, Stevie May should have picked him out when he had timed his surge to the back post on a counter-attack.
There were times when Costelloe didn’t get tight enough to Matty Kennedy – but the ex-Saint was Kilmarnock’s best player on the night so there was no great shame in that.
You would imagine the new manager would choose to stick with the same formation when Motherwell visit McDiarmid on Tuesday night.
With Drey Wright injured, Costelloe suspended and James Brown out of form when he started against St Mirren, who to choose at right wing-back will be the toughest selection call.
A different picture
One swallow and summers etc etc
St Johnstone are still bottom of the league and by the time they next play, may be further adrift of 11th place than the three points that currently separate them from Ross County and Livingston.
But Wednesday night had the potential of being a crossroads night of the season.
First 3 points of the season ✅ 🤝#SJFC pic.twitter.com/aOcFpzPqAH
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) November 1, 2023
Not only was it the first time Saints won, it was also the first time all the other results went their way as well.
Motherwell and Livingston are teams on the slide.
Craig Levein was at McDiarmid, of course (and stayed to the last kick of the ball) but other potential MacLean successors will also have been persuaded that keeping Saints in the top-flight isn’t the lost cause plenty in Scottish football were making it out to be.
The recruitment process and Saints’ season may just have been set on a different course.
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