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St Johnstone set-piece horrors are ‘overshadowing everything’ says interim boss Andy Kirk as Saints implode again in Dingwall

The Perth side blew a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3.

St Johnstone interim boss, Andy Kirk.
St Johnstone interim boss, Andy Kirk. Image: SNS.

St Johnstone are stuck in a set-piece horror movie.

And caretaker boss, Andy Kirk, has said that the Perth players did the right thing by “digging each other out” after they threw two points away in Dingwall.

But, most importantly, they need to sort it out on the pitch – and fast.

Saints were 3-1 in front against Ross County with just six minutes of the match remaining, thanks to two stunning Nicky Clark second half free-kicks, which followed Drey Wright’s 45th minute equaliser.

But Alex Samuel pulled one back with a close-range finish and then in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Akil Wright was left unmarked to head home a diagonal set-piece at the back post.

Instead of starting the post-Craig Levein era with a morale-boosting victory, Saints left the Highlands knowing that they had shot themselves in the foot yet again and had blown a glorious opportunity to climb the league.

“We had a chat in the changing room,” said Kirk. “The players are not happy with the situation.

“They are asking questions of each other and rightly so – we should have been coming away with three points here.

“They HAVE to dig each other out. They are the ones suffering on the pitch.

“They need to start standing up and demanding more from each other on the pitch.

“They put so much work to get ahead in the game, they put so much work in during the week – and then we suffer from lapses in concentration again.

“We have to learn from it or it will continue to cost us.

“We have come away with a point but it feels like nothing because of how things panned out.

Akil Wright scores to make it 3-3.
Akil Wright scores to make it 3-3. Image: SNS.

“In this league you play teams who put good balls into the box, they are big and physical.

“In those moments we’re switching off, we will be punished. That’s what’s been happening.

“They are a good group of players, they’re honest. But it’s these little moments at key times in the game that’s hurting us.

“That’s what they’re angry about.”

‘Overshadowing everything’

Kirk added: “It’s decision-making.

“Before the second goal we had the ball in the corner but we didn’t keep it and let County back up the pitch.

“Teams will concede goals and you’ll always find a mistake somewhere in it.

“But you can’t afford to be making the mistakes we have been for those last two goals.

“It’s overshadowing everything.

“Until we fix it, it’ll be a problem because teams will put balls into our box.

Nicky Clark celebrates one of his goals. Image: SNS.

“Overall, we defended them well but twice late in the game we have switched off and it’s cost us.

“You have to go man for man and deal with your player.

“I can’t fault their effort and their attitude, but it’s those moments of concentration.

“On another day we might have got away with it, but you have to deal with it instead of hoping to get away with it.”

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