Head to Head: Saints v Motherwell

Saints take on Motherwell on Saturday at McDiarmid Park looking to extend the current unbeaten run to nine matches.

It's the second clash between the two clubs in the 2018/19 Ladbrokes Premiership season. When the sides met at Fir Park in October, an injury-time Jason Kerr header clinched all three points for Saints in what was the start of our current run of eight matches without defeat.

This weekend's match will be the 162nd meeting between the clubs. Saints go into the match on the back of a 2-0 away victory at Pittodrie against Aberdeen while The Steelmen lost 1-0 to Hearts last time out.

HISTORY

A quick look at the head to head record makes better reading for Motherwell than it does for Saints. In the previous 161 meetings, Saints came out on top on 51 occasions compared to the 76 victories for Saturday's visitors. The fixture has ended in a draw in the other 34 meetings.

The two sides met for the first time back in January 1912 at the Recreation Grounds, Perth, in a Scottish Cup 1st Round tie.

Saints played in the Second Division for the first time in their history that season whilst Motherwell had established themselves as a First Division side following their election to the top tier in 1903.

The contest generated great interest in and around Perth and a record crowd in excess of 8,000 packed into the Edinburgh Road ground. Gate receipts totalled £160.

Saints lost out 2-0 that day with goals in either half from McStey and Watson for the North Lanarkshire outfit.

Newspaper reports from the time suggest Saints had been unlucky to lose the match against their top tier opponents.

In September 1955, the clubs met at Fir Park in a League Cup Quarter Final 2nd leg with Saints trailing 2-1 after the 1st leg at Muirton Park.

As in 1912, Motherwell were in the top flight while Saints - under manager Johnny Pattillo - had aspirations of being promoted that season to join their opponents in the First Division.

Supporters of a certain age will remember George Whitelaw's marauding style of play and in typical style he bustled his way through the Motherwell defence to give Saints the lead. The match ended 1-0 - even after 30 minutes of extra-time - taking the tie to a third match which was eventually won by Motherwell 2-0 at the neutral venue of Ibrox.

A more positive result from recent times was in 1998 when Saints defeated Motherwell 5-0 at McDiarmid Park in October of that year.

It was Sandy Clark's 7th game in charge and a superb display by Portuguese fans' favourite Miguel Simao coupled with a 40-yard-goal from George O'Boyle made it a day to remember for Saints fans.

O'Boyle scored two that day, with Simao, Kernaghan and Darren Dods the other scorers at McDiarmid Park.

Of course that's not the only time the club has scored five against Motherwell and supporters will remember the game at Fir Park at the end of last season - watch the goals here - where a Steven MacLean hat-trick on his final game for Saints helped Tommy Wright's men to a 5-1 victory.

Head to Head Record

PL: 161 | W: 51 | L: 76 | D: 31 | GF: 212 | GA: 286

TOMMY WRIGHT RECORD

Although the overall head to head record favours Saturday's opponents, Saints fans can take heart from our record against Motherwell under Tommy Wright.

Since Tommy's appointment as manager in 2013, he has masterminded 12 victories over Motherwell, with 4 defeats and 3 draws.

Last season Saints won 4-1 at McDiarmid and 5-1 at Fir Park in two games supporters are sure to remember from the 2017/18 campaign.

Saturday's match is a 3PM kick-off and the referee is Alan Muir.