St Johnstone 1-3 Motherwell: Murphy, Law mean bad luck for Saints as Well rediscover form

IN THIS topsy-turvy SPL, one good result can change so much and after weeks of misery, Motherwell yesterday put themselves into the top six with a deserved win over St Johnstone who blew the chance to go top of the league.

IN THIS topsy-turvy SPL, one good result can change so much and after weeks of misery, Motherwell yesterday put themselves into the top six with a deserved win over St Johnstone who blew the chance to go top of the league.

St Johnstone: Robertson 88

Motherwell: Murphy 1, 38; Law 73

Referee: B Colvin

Attendance: 3,112

The visitors’ midfield outplayed their opposite numbers for much of the match and were the key to the win, and with Henrik Ojamaa rampant and Jamie Murphy rediscovering his shooting boots, Motherwell again looked like the team which did so well last season.

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“We have not had many good days of late and the boys have taken a lot of flak, so we’re pleased with that,” said Motherwell manager Stuart McCall afterwards.

Frazer Wright had recovered from the broken nose that kept him out of Saints’ midweek 5-0 drubbing by Celtic. The question was whether they would bounce back, especially as they were still missing the injured Paddy Cregg, Craig Beattie, Peter Pawlett, and Jamie Adams. Shaun Hutchinson and long-term casualty Steven Saunders were both missing for Motherwell. Last year’s high fliers had become goal-shy recently, failing to score in three matches. They laid that bogey after 37 seconds.

Ojamaa found the home defence asleep and darted into space down the Motherwell left wing before cutting in and crashing a fierce shot that deflected to Murphy. His low left-foot shot beat Alan Mannus for his third goal of the season and Motherwell were ahead with a real confidence-booster. They could and should have gone further ahead two minutes later when Ojamaa got by Mannus but shot over when scoring looked easier.

After ten minutes, St Johnstone’s first chance was a cracker and Gregory Tade will wonder how he missed the target when Gary Miller’s cross gave him a glorious heading opportunity in space at the back post off a Steven MacLean cross.

St Johnstone’s defenders were in generous mood and Steven Anderson’s misguided header fell to Michael Higdon at the edge of the penalty area, his volley rasping just wide. Motherwell had dominated the first quarter, with Keith Lasley and Nicky Law bossing the midfield, but St Johnstone came back into the game, with Liam Craig the main provider of ammunition from dead-ball situations. His free kick after 21 minutes almost caught out Darren Randolph at the near post, but the goalkeeper got down on his knees to turn the ball behind.

Around the half-hour mark, St Johnstone’s defensive partnership came forward to lend their height to the attack, Anderson heading Craig’s free-kick straight at Randolph before Wright headed narrowly over the crossbar, again from a Craig free-kick, Anderson then getting himself booked for a late tackle on Higdon.

If Murphy’s first goal was a surprise packet, his second after 38 minutes was a sublime example of the solo striker’s art, albeit assisted by a suspect defence.

Hammell provided the ball for Murphy 40 yards out on the Motherwell left wing. He was given the Freedom of the newly-categorised City of Perth to rampage into the heart of the St Johnstone defence where he let fly from the edge of the box, Mannus looking a tad slow to get down. “You can’t give those type of goals away at home and expect to win,” said St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas afterwards. “Some of the defending was criminal.”

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Stung by this second reverse, St Johnstone came back with a spell of pressure and might have scored but for Randolph’s courage in blocking a certain goal at the feet of MacLean before half-time.

With Motherwell’s defence controlling the opening period of the second half, St Johnstone could create few chances. Indeed they could have had another drubbing had Ojamaa taken any of the chances he gained. Craig’s balloon shot over the bar after good work by Nigel Hasselbaink seemed to sum up the home side’s day to then.

With 73 minutes gone, Motherwell gained the security of a third goal. Law quickly got up from a heavy tackle – “Fantastic advantage by the referee,” said McCall – and darted through to collect the loose ball and confront Mannus, his deft touch sliding over the goalkeeper for the points clincher.

St Johnstone should have pulled one back when substitute Rowan Vine found Nigel Hasselbaink clear in front of goal. His downward header bounced up just high enough for Randolph to claw the ball way.

By the time St Johnstone did score after 88 minutes, the match was long over as a contest. MacLean’s trickery bamboozled the visitors’ defence and his cut back was fairly lashed home from 12 yards by substitute David Robertson.

Jamie Murphy’s injury-time attempt for the hat-trick was deflected just wide by Anderson.

“Everyone played great today and there wasn’t a bad performance,” said Murphy. His own showing wasn’t too shabby either.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jamie Murphy (Motherwell)

His two goals put Motherwell on the march.

TALKING POINT

Keith Lasley spoiled a fine showing by earning a yellow card for kicking the ball away.