St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright last night lavished praise on Perth players who carried the fight for fourth place into the final game of the campaign after a goalless draw with champions Celtic.
Having shocked the four-in-a-row champions in Glasgow earlier in the year they came agonisingly close to claiming all three points in one of the most entertaining scoreless draws ever seen at McDiarmid Park.
Wright estimated his team had amassed 23 attempts at goal, twice being denied by the woodwork as James McFadden and Murray Davidson almost claimed another memorable scalp.
But he stressed: “I’m happy with a point. We were so dominant.”
“We were caught once or twice on the counter attack and our goalkeeper (Alan Mannus) made a great save to get us a point.
“I think it showed people what a good side we are and that we can play football, which is often overlooked.
“I don’t think it was down to poor finishing, it was a question of good defending and great goalkeeping, and a little bit of bad luck. We had no failures.
“I was really pleased with Danny Swanson, and Michael O’Halloran was a threat all night. And Murray Davidson was the Muzz of old, getting on the end of things in the box.”
Wright is relishing the fight for fourth and suspects the pressure is now on United.
He said: “At this stage of the season any point is a good one and every point is vital with games running out.
“We have a point on the board. We know Dundee United can overtake us if they win their two games, but they have to win them.
“They have a difficult game up at Inverness.”
But Wright did admit he feared a last gasp sucker punch when James Forrest missed an open goal.
He said: “My heart was in my mouth. I couldn’t believe it. He’ll blame the pitch. It was the only mistake we made all night. It would have been unjust if we had lost it.”