Clyde 1 - 3 St Johnstone: Milne maintains Saints' momentum

Published on Tuesday 10 March 2009 23:44

ST JOHNSTONE preserved their four-point lead at the top of the First Division with a rare win on the road.

The Perth side's last win away from home before last night was the 2-1 victory over Dunfermline at East End Park in November, which was the result which put the Saints top of the table, a position they have occupied ever since.

Derek McInnes' side clearly had the appetite for further success and in winger Gavin Swankie they had the player to provide the ammunition.

After just five minutes, he whipped over a corner from the left which deceived the static Clyde defence but crashed back off the near post. One minute later, Swankie was again involved when his pinpoint cross from the left found Graham Barrett in space, but he could not direct his header past goalkeeper David Hutton.

Then in 23 minutes Swankie's first-time crossfield pass found Chris Millar bursting in from the right, but his 20-yard drive flew just over and Saints continued on the offensive.

Clyde offered nothing in attack, despite being a side which should have been buoyant after their weekend win at Firhill.

Instead Saints continued to show the more positive attitude and in 33 minutes Gary Irvine's well-weighted delivery from the right fell for Barrett, but his speculative overhead kick went just wide of the mark. Three minutes later, Paul Sheerin linked with Steven Milne, but his 15-yard snap-shot was well held low down by Hutton.

Saints finally got the breakthrough in 38 minutes when Irvine and Millar combined well on the left before Kevin Moon picked out Milne inside the area, he turned sharply and his low angled drive from 12 yards flew past Hutton into the far corner of the net.

Clyde made a double substitution at half-time, but rather than change their fortunes they found themselves two down two minutes after the restart. The outstanding Swankie turned defender Billy Gibson inside the area and drilled the ball low past the helpless Hutton.

Saints might have added a third in 53 minutes but Kevin Rutkiewicz's powerful downward header was blocked on the line by substitute Alan Trouten. Clyde had not even managed a shot on target before they pulled a goal back out of the blue in 63 minutes when Alan Lithgow forced the ball over the line from close range after Tony Stevenson's corner from the left was knocked across goal by Chris Higgins.

Saints wrapped up the points in 90 minutes when substitute Liam Craig had his shot blocked on the line and Milne scrambled over the rebound to put the result beyond doubt.

Clyde: Hutton, Stevenson, Waddell, Higgins, Gibson, Lithgow, Kettlewell (Wilson 71), Ruari MacLennan, Gemmill (McKay 46), Tade (Trouten 46), McLaren. Subs not used: Brown, Cherrie.

St Johnstone: Main, Irvine, Byrne, Moon, Rutkiewicz, McCaffrey, Swankie (Craig 80), Millar, Milne (MacDonald 90), Barrett (Holmes 75), Sheerin. Subs not used: Gartland, McLean.

Referee: I Brines. Attendance: 1,093