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Craig Levein slams St Johnstone display in defeat to Alloa: ‘What the hell is going on here?’

Saints' hopes of progressing to the next round of the Premier Sports Cup are in jeopardy after a 3-2 defeat.

Craig Levein watches on.
Craig Levein watches on. Image: PPA.

St Johnstone suffered a miserable night in Alloa, deservedly going down to a 3-2 defeat that casts serious doubt on their chances of progression to the knockout stages of the Premier Sports Cup.

The Perth side produced a really poor performance, not helped by Aaron Essel getting sent off just after the hour mark and goalkeeper Josh Rae gifting their League One opponents the lead late in the game.

It leaves Craig Levein’s side in third place in Group F.

They will have to beat East Fife and hope Morton can defeat Alloa.

Levein made no attempt to put any positive spin on what he saw.

‘We got what we deserved’

“It was a terrible performance,” said the McDiarmid Park boss.

“Some of the stuff I saw tonight was bamboozling to say the least.

“Moments in games make a huge difference – I was watching it and thinking ‘what the hell is going on here?’

“The decision-making was extremely poor.

“We got what we deserved. That’s on us and perhaps on me.

“I made some changes to give an opportunity to players who were desperate to start – little thinking it was going to make situation a lot worse than it was in the previous match.

Aaron Essel is sent off.
Aaron Essel is sent off. Image: PPA.

“I hate being out-fought in games.

“At times they out-played us, which is concerning, of course. We need to get an immediate bounce-back from this.”

Levein chose the same back four that started against Morton but freshened things up in midfield and attack.

Connor Smith made his first start of the season, as did Taylor Steven, facing the team he spent last season on loan with.

Josh McPake was the other change from the weekend.

Josh McPake.
Josh McPake. Image: PPA.

It was a slow opening from Saints – sloppy and lacking tempo.

And the first real chance of the game was Alloa’s after 20 minutes when the visitors coughed up possession on their right and Luke Rankin drove into the box, forcing a decent save out of Josh Rae.

There were a further five minutes on the clock before Saints had an attempt – a Smith 25-yarder that flew over the bar.

Kevin Cawley should have opened the scoring just before the half-hour but couldn’t keep a free header from six yards out on target.

Unsurprisingly, Levein made three changes at half-time.

Half-time changes

Connor Smith, Sam McClelland and Josh McPake were replaced by Matt Smith, Sven Sprangler and Adama Sidibeh.

Seconds after the restart, Saints should have gone in front but, with most of the goal to aim at and only goalkeeper, PJ Morrison, to beat, he fired his shot into the side-netting.

On 54 minutes, Alloa took the lead when an unmarked Morgyn Neill headed home a free-kick from close range.

The Wasps barely had time to celebrate before the game was level again as seconds later Kimpioka had lobbed Morrison to make it 1-1.

Saints’ task got harder on 64 minutes when Essel was given a straight red by referee Colin Steven, who deemed the 18-year-old had planted his boot into Steven Buchanan near the corner flag.

Sidibeh had a great opportunity to put Saints in front when he was one v one with Morrison. The keeper won that duel, though, making a good save.

At the other end, Saints’ goalie, Rae, made a costly error on 82 minutes.

After racing out of his box, Rankin took the ball round him and slotted home the winner from a tight angle.

The same man completed a night to forget for Saints on 89 minutes, smashing home after Rae had made a good save from Rankin’s first effort.

Jack Sanders headed in a stoppage time goal but it was too little, too late to affect the result.


St Johnstone – Rae, Raymond, McClelland (Sprangler, 45), Sanders, Keltjens, C Smith (M Smith, 45), MacPherson, Essel, McPake (Sidibeh, 45), Kimpioka (Parker, 65), Steven (Kirk, 84). Subs not used – Sinclair, Carey, Wright, Franczak.

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