St Jonstone 0-0 Queen of the South: Saints spurn chance to extend lead at the top as Queens tighten up

Published on Saturday 6 December 2008 18:49

St Johnstone 0 Queen of the South 0

Gordon Chisholm's side travelled to face St Johnstone on the back of four successive defeats and their vulnerability at the back was shown in the team selection of Derek McInnes, his Perth counterpart. In playing three up front instead of his normal two, he signalled intent to score goals but it did not materialise that way as Queens, marshalled by Jim Thomson, produced a superb stand-off to claim a point.

It was not the result St Johnstone wanted because, with everyone else sitting idle, their lead at the head of the table could have stretched to seven points but, instead, they have to settle for being five in front of the pack.

St Johnstone made three changes to the team which drew with Dundee last weekend. With Stuart McCaffrey and Martin Hardie both available again, McInnes had room for manoeuvre. Kevin James dropped out, while Steven Anderson was relegated to the bench. Collin Samuel was brought into the team for Kevin Moon as Saints moved to a three-pronged attack.

Queens' season has been St Johnstone's inverted. They started well but have faded in recent weeks, as injury gripped the squad. Chisholm made four changes to his line-up, though, and brought in Craig Barr, Andy Aitken, Stephen Simmonds and Stewart Kean.

The visitors created the first chance after two minutes and should have taken the lead. Some solid hold-up play by Sean O'Connor created space for Steve Tosh inside the area but once the ball made its way to him he rushed his effort and scuffed it wide.

At the other end, St Johnstone should have capitalised on an opportunity which arose at the back post for Derek Holmes but the tall striker was unable to meet the ball before it went too wide for a shooting angle.

The fare on offer was not pretty but it yielded chances and Queens thought they had taken the lead on eight minutes when Jim Thomson prodded the ball home following a Tosh corner. However, referee Mike Tumiltycalled play back for a push by Craig Barr on St Johnstone's McCaffrey.

The opener should have come on 12 minutes and, in keeping with the play up to this point, the chance arose from a series of hilarious errors. Steven Milne, the Saints striker, went to shoot from the edge of the box but misjudged his timing and almost fell over the ball. The result of this was Queens' defence parting for Holmes, who picked up the loose ball in space but his shot went over.

From that flurry of action in the opening stages, the game became bogged down as both teams cancelled each other out. St Johnstone repeatedly got into good positions but the quality of their crossing lacked, especially as Queens captain Thomson is one of the most ferocious penalty-box defenders at this level.

It was Queens who should have gone in ahead at the break though when a mistake by Alan Main, St Johnstone's 41-year-old goalkeeper, allowed Kean an opportunity. The keeper came to meet a Paul Burns corner kick but missed the ball. With Main out of position, Thomson headed it back towards goal for Kean, who got a head to the ball but flicked it wide.

The second period began much in the same vain as the first, with both teams providing plenty of effort if only a little inspiration. St Johnstone had a good opening on the hour mark when Craig's deflected effort fell for Milne inside the box and, with all his might behind it, he looked to have shattered the impasse. However, Cammy Bell, the Queens goalkeeper, was relieved to see the ball whizz wide.

Bell's luck continued seven minutes later. A cross from Gary Irvine caused him all sorts of consternation and he fumbled it into the path of Chris Millar, who was certain to score until a defender threw himself in front of his shot to send it spinning wide.

Milne had the ball in the net on 80 minutes but Tumilty, amid some controversy, disallowed the strike because the striker had nicked the ball off Bell as he bounced preparing to kick.

Substitute Stephen Dobbie had a chance right at the death when Queens caught Saints on the break but Main made a good block.