AS IT HAPPENED: ST JOHNSTONE 2-1 KILMARNOCK

FULL TIME: ST JOHNSTONE 2-1 KILMARNOCK That's a superb win for the home side, which should have been a lot more comfortable than it was. Saints had enough chances to have won the game five times over, particularly in a rampant early second half, but as it stands, Saints clock up yet another SPL win and at least a share of second place tonight.

90 mins + 3: ST JOHNSTONE 2-1 KILMARNOCK Killie score a late goal to liven things up - McKenzie feeding Fowler for a relatively straightforward finish, deflecting past Mannus. A minute to see out.

90 mins + 2: Saints bring on Kevin Moon for Chris Millar, as the assistant referee suggests 4 minutes of injury time.

90 mins: ST JOHNSTONE 2-0 KILMARNOCK And Hasselbaink makes up for his earlier misses with a superb finish, running clear of the Killie defence and getting the ball around Bell for a well-deserved goal which surely wraps the game up.

88 mins: And nervy it is - McKenzie blasting the ball right across goal with no challenge from Saints, but none of his team-mates could find the ball either.

84 mins: Cammy Bell is urging his team-mates up the park - they're trying long-ball football but it's really not their game and Saints are capable on the counter. The missed chances will make it a nervy last 5 minutes though.

82 mins: Killie on the attack, winning a corner - but it's well overhit and Saints are back on the charge. Hasselbaink bodychecked by McKeown, who receives a yellow, and it's another set piece for Craig but comes to nothing.

80 mins: Tade felled again just outside the Killie penalty area, Liam Kelly the culprit - but he's not happy with the Saints striker, accusing him of diving. A small rammy breaks out in the penalty area which needs the assistant referee's help to resolve - but ultimately Kelly and Hasselbaink are booked for their efforts.

79 mins: Two subs - William Gros on for Harkins, and for Saints, David Robertson on for Rowan Vine.

78 mins: Tade and Miller do really well to evade tackles and keep running with the ball, the Saints striker eventually felled near to the Killie touchline leaving Saints a free kick.

76: Cross from the left looks like it hit Anderson on the arm, loud shout for a penalty but referee Colvin thankfully isn't interested.

75: Wright sent off the park again for treatment and another fresh jersey, his head wound hasn't quite healed up properly. This time he's back on with a numberless top so the hamper must be getting bare.

71: Another well-worked chance for Saints, but this time Tade doesn't beat the offside trap - flag up.

69: Killie back on the front foot again, as was going to happen sometime, winning a corner. Saints don't get it away but Harkins eventually gets the loose ball for a tame shot high and not very handsome into the Ormond.

68: Sheridan take a left-foot blast, the kind that lit up McDiarmid in past seasons, testing Mannus but not quite well enough.

67: Some respite for the visitors: Gary Miller replaced by Tam Scobbie. The visitors swap Rory McKenzie for Alex Pursehouse.

64 mins: And another! This time it's Tade free up front, beating the Killie offside trap yet again, and he puts it two yards wide. There's a deflection though, Saints win a corner and Wright's towering header slips wide too. One-way traffic for the last few minutes.

62 mins: And another superb chance goes begging - Tade, Vine and Hasselbaink along against Cammy Bell - Tade superbly slips the ball past Bell, the ball hits a wee bobble and Hasselbaink puts it wide from 3 yards.

58 mins: Two great chances for Saints - Tade first, fed in by Vine, his cross-cum-shot just blocked by Cammy Bell. Then straight away Saints were back on the attack, this time Craig laying off for Vine to curl one - inches over the top right corner. Saints need to start taking these chances while they're well on top.

56 mins: Sub for Kilmarnock - Paul Heffernan making his return to the side from injury, replacing James Dayton.

52 mins: Great double chance for Saints - Tade and Craig combined to set up Davidson again, his left-foot drag from about 10 yards was parried by Bell, the big midfielder managed to just push it wide across the penalty area.

51 mins: Killie are trying to pass the ball into the Saints half but can't seem to do much once they get halfway. Their 433 supporters in a 3,113 crowd will expect better before too long.

47 mins: Liam Craig fed in by Hasselbaink and shoots well over the crossbar.

KICK OFF and of course Saints are spending the second half attacking the closed-for-today North Stand.

HALF TIME: ST JOHNSTONE 1-0 KILMARNOCK A fine score at the break for Saints, which leaves us second in the SPL as things stand.

45 mins: Saints round out the half with a couple of good attacks - Craig's cross finding Tade who can't quite get his head on it; the striker peeling away to pick up the inbound and cross it himself, but there were no takers.

43 mins: Killie are still trying to work their way back into this, but other than Sheridan's set-piece, they've not had too much to show for it.

39 mins: Sheridan and Harkins with a very well-worked set-piece 25 yards out, the former Saints striker following his team-mate's dummy with a fantastic curling shot which nearly breaks the upright and spins away to safety. Big let-off for Saints.

36 mins: Killie not giving up though, forcing a corner - but it's well cleared out of the park by Millar.

35 mins: Kelly and Harkins conspire to carve out a chance in the Saints penalty area but Harkins over-plays it and fouls Anderson to end the charge.

33 mins: Hasselbaink with a superb run down the left, using a change of pace to beat Pursehouse and leave himself with 2 clear options in the box - sadly he aimed for a third, the on-rushing Millar, and missed the midfielder completely. Superb chance goes begging.

29 mins: ST JOHNSTONE 1-0 KILMARNOCK Fourth of the season for Murray Davidson, latching onto Anderson's header from a corner, the ball falling loose in the box. Davidson swung his boot before the forest of legs could get near it, for a well-deserved opening goal.

28 mins: Frazer Wright is off the pitch just now receiving treatment, with blood obviously pouring from his forehead. Seems to be OK after some patchwork and a new shirt, though.

22 mins: A nice phase of possession from Saints with 20 passes, leads to Tade in the box - but the ball catches him off-balance and drifts away for a goal kick.

18 mins: Tasty exchange between Gary Miller and the Killie defence, wins Saints a free kick on the right, which leads to a corner. Craig picks it up from a short delivery but his shot hits Tade right in the midriff.

15 mins: Saints win a free kick on the left; Craig pings another testing cross right into the box - Killie don't go near Anderson who just glances a header a yard wide. Best chance of the game so far.

12 mins: Hasselbaink dinks a ball across the goalmouth aiming for Davidson after a lovely dribble, but it's just over-hit too much for the midfielder to pick up.

10 mins: Craig pings a nice cross from the left touchline but it's just too strong for Hasselbaink.

8 mins: The Killie pressure ends in an overhead kick from Pascali which hurts Steven Anderson's face more than the ball - and Saints are back on the front foot.

7 mins: Harkins latches on to a free ball in the Saints penalty box but spills a shot - the visitors still win a corner though... and then another... and another. No real danger yet though.

4 mins: Killie on the attack for the first time so far but it's mopped up. Cagey stuff early on.

3 mins: Millar did well to control the ball just outside the Killie box, sending in a teasing cross which doesn't find anyone. Davidson follows up but there's no real danger.

1 min: Liam Craig is felled in the box with an early penalty claim, but it's rightly waved away.

KICK OFF Saints lose the toss and begin the game shooting towards the Ormond Stand.

St Johnstone: Mannus, Mackay, Wright, Anderson, Millar, Davidson, Tade, Craig, Hasselbaink, Miller, Vine. Subs: Tuffey, Robertson, Moon, Caddis, Scobbie, Kane, Rodger.

Kilmarnock: Bell, Fowler, O'Leary, Nelson, Kelly, Dayton, Harkins, Sheridan, McKeown, Pursehouse, Pascali. Subs: Letheren, Tesselaar, Gros, Heffernan, Perez, Johnson, McKenzie.

Referee: Brian Colvin.