St Johnstone Women returned from Livingston on Sunday with a hard-fought and well deserved point.
It was not, however, the start to the match the side would have wanted going behind in the first minute. A Saints drop ball was played forward but it was intercepted by Eirinn Maguire who quickly played the ball back from the direction it came and with most the Saints side up the park, Justine Strain was able to have a clear run at goal, taking the ball right of Bobby Cochran and calmly finished from an acute angle.
Perhaps with how early the goal came, but it didn’t seem to phase the side, and Saints looked the better of the teams for the next while forcing a corner shortly after the restart which Elvie McLean got a strike from, but it didn’t trouble Chloe Gibney in the Livingston goal.
Saints were dealt another blow when, after just ten minutes, they were forced into an early substitution. Emily Shanks came off worst in a 50/50 when she went over her ankle in what looked a nasty injury, and she was replaced by Kristen Taplin.
Livingston won a free kick just outside the area after fifteen minutes with captain Rachel Walkingshaw, who was fouled in the first place, seeing her effort curl over the wall and be easily gathered by Cochran.
Ten minutes later and probably the best chance of the half for the visitors came when Steffi Simson stung the palms of Gibney with a powerful strike from close to thirty yards that won Saints a corner. She would twice go close to hitting the target in a similar manner before the half was out. Taplin and Jodie Malcolm also had efforts on goal for Saints before the half drew to a close.
It was the home side though who had two chances to extend their lead in final two minutes of the half. Firstly, Bobby Cochran stretching to her right to deny Vivienne Strain’s hit from just outside the box with an excellent one-handed save. Then, Strain again went close rifiling a strike off the crossbar which bounced down and away to safety.
The second half started much like the first half had finished, with an opportunity for Livingston. It was Emily Moran this time who used her pace to get round the Saints defence but Cochran was equal to her attempt from a tight angle on the right handside of the penalty area.
After early Livingston pressure, Saints grew into the half and more of the play was then in the Livingston half of the pitch. They had Chloe Gibney to thank for keeping them ahead as she pulled off a fine save to deny Leni Parrish from twenty-five yards. Shorlty after Kristen Taplin and Lila Aitchison both also went close to drawing Saints level.
However, it would be from twelve yards, eventually, that Saints equalised. Steffi Simson was downed in the corner of the box by Jess Murphy. After scoring from the spot last Sunday, Simson stepped up again but saw her penalty saved by Gibney. There was a reprieve though as Gibney had been adjudged to have stepped off her line and a retake ordered.
Once again Simson stepped up, and once again, Gibney was equal to it with Simson reacting quickly to bundle the ball home from the rebound. Not quick enough to beat referee Lewis Webster’s whistle though, as he indicated for ANOTHER retake. Gibney yet again adjudged to have stepped off her line before the ball was struck.
Simson then stepped up to face down Gibney for a third time, and it would be third time lucky as she struck powerfully to draw Saints level with now just five minutes of the ninety remaining. Saints kept the pressure up but couldn’t muster another clear effort at goal while Leah Daly broke through for Livingston late in injury time but her shot was easily held by Cochran.
Saints are away again next Sunday when they face Boroughmuir Thistle at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank stadium with a 1pm kick off.
Saints: Cochran, MacIver, McLean (Parrish), Simson, Clark (Brady), Malcolm, Howie (Aitchison), Irvine, McCafferty, McMillan, Shanks (Taplin). Unused Subs: Grattan, Shepherd, Anderson.
