Saints were able to see off a second half comeback from Queen’s Park this afternoon as they defeated the Spiders 4-3 at McDiarmid Park.
Saints went in at half time with a comfortable 3-0 lead. Jamie Gullan opened the scoring on 16 minutes, slotting home a Kai Fotheringham cross.
Sam Stanton doubled Saints lead 2 minutes later smashing home a powerful strike at the second attempt.
Gullan then got his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot after Jonathan Svedberg had been fouled by Spiders keeper Calum Ferrie.
However, the visitors came back in the second half and scored two goals inside four minutes either side of the hour mark courtesy of a Sebastian Drozd strike and a Josh Fowler penalty.
Jack Baird looked like he had seen off any chance of a Spiders comeback when he headed home from a Stevie Mallan with 6 minutes remaining to make it 4-2. However, the visitors kept pushing and Rocco Friel pulled a goal back in stoppage time to setup a nervous final couple of minutes.
Next up for Saints is a trip to the Wyre Stadium at Firhill next weekend to take on Partick Thistle, kick off 3pm.
MATCH REPORT
Saints welcomed Queen’s Park to McDiarmid Park this afternoon for a William Hill Championship match. Simo Valakari made two changes to the side which started the 2-2 draw at Dunfermline Athletic last weekend as Jason Holt missed out due to suspension, whilst Adama Sidibeh was absent after picking up a head knock at Dunfermline which also forced him to pull out of The Gambia squad for their friendly match against Kuwait at the start of next week. Uche Ikpeazu was also absent from the matchday squad due to being on international duty with Uganda. They were replaced by Sam Stanton and Josh McPake, who had recovered from the bug which forced him to miss last weekend’s match at the KDM Group East End Park. There were also places on the bench for the fit again Stevie Mallan and Louis Lloyd. A double from Josh Fowler saw Queen’s Park defeat Raith Rovers 2-1 at The City Stadium last Saturday and head coach Sean Crighton made one change to his starting eleven this afternoon as Darryl Carrick dropped to the bench and he was replaced by Henry Fieldson.
It was a sunny but chilly afternoon in Perth as Josh Fowler got the match underway for the Spiders.
The first chance of the match came on 4 minutes as patient play by Saints saw the ball worked to Morgan Boyes and the defender, who was captaining the team in the absence of Jason Holt, sent a low ball across the face of the Queen’s Park goal which almost sneaked in at the back post.
Saints created another chance on 11 minutes as a ball into the box was knocked down by Jamie Gullan to Sam Stanton however, the midfielder saw his fizzing effort go inches wide of the post.
Saints though did find the breakthrough on 16 minutes as Jamie Gullan put Saints ahead. Boyes played a lovely weighted ball to Kai Fotheringham down the left and the winger crossed the ball into the danger area which Gullan connected with at the near post to send a neat left-footed finish beyond Calum Ferrie and into the net.
PHOTO: Jamie Gullan celebrates his goal with Jonathan Svedberg
The Spiders tried to get an instant response a minute later as Aidan Connolly sent a cross into the Saints box from the right. Cheick Diabate was able to head the ball clear however, his clearance broke to Josh Fowler but Toby Steward was able to get down and gathered the ball before the Spiders forward could make a connection with it.
Stanton then doubled Saints lead on 18 minutes. Reece McAlear sent a brilliant through ball to Gullan who got the better of Euan Murray before seeing his strike saved by Ferrie. The loose ball was gathered by Stanton and he saw his effort blocked by Ricky Waugh however, the ball broke kindly to the Saints midfielder who despatched a powerful effort into the net from 18 yards.
Saints were looking dangerous every time they came forward and on 26 minutes Fotheringham played in Jonathan Svedberg however, his low strike went narrowly wide.
PHOTO: Sam Stanton scores Saints second goal
Simo Valarkai’s side were then awarded a penalty 2 minutes later after Svedberg was wiped out in the box by Ferrie, who was booked by referee Alastair Grieve. Gullan stepped up to take the penalty and he converted his effort sending it high into the top corner of the net for his second and Saints third of the afternoon.
Shortly after on 34 minutes Stanton was in the hunt for more as he drifted in from the right before seeing his effort go wide of the left post.
Just before half time Saints came close to adding a fourth as Josh McPake saw his effort blocked by a Queen’s Park defender however, the winger got a second bite of the cherry but Ferrie came out quick to gather the ball at McPake’s feet.
PHOTO: Jamie Gullan celebrates his second goal
5 minutes into the second half McAlear unleashed a powerful driving effort from the edge of the area which Ferrie got down well to gather.
On 58 minutes the visitors pulled a goal back. Fowler sent over a cross into the Saints box which was met by Sebastian Drozd at the back post who slotted the ball into the net.
Then 2 minutes later the Spiders were awarded a penalty as Steward dived at the feet of Connolly to clear the ball. It looked like the Saints keeper had got a hand to the ball to clear the danger as the Spiders winger went down however, Grieve decided it wasn’t a clean challenge and pointed to spot. After lengthy appeals from the Saints players Fowler stepped up and despatched the penalty into the net to setup an interesting final half an hour.
Saints then made their first change of the game as Kai Fotheringham was replaced by Sven Sprangler.
PHOTO: Sam Stanton drives forward under pressure from Grant Savoury
Saints pushed forward on 68 minutes as McPake picked out Sprangler on the edge of the area and the midfielder played the ball to the feet of Gullan however, his low effort was saved by Ferrie.
2 minutes later Queen’s Park had the ball in the net as Steward gathered a cross from the right from substitute Rocco Friel before being pushed over the line by Grant Savoury with Simo Valakari’s side being awarded a free kick for the foul on the Saints number one.
The Spiders continued to push forward and on 71 minutes Drozd saw his strike from the edge of the box well saved by Steward.
With 16 minutes remaining McPake won Saints a free kick out on the left after he was fouled by Carlo Pignatiello. McAlear took the free kick and his delivery into the Queen’s Park box was met by Boyes whose header was straight at Ferrie who comfortably held the ball.
Saints made another change on 81 minutes as Stevie Mallan replaced Josh McPake.
Mallan would make an instant impact as on 84 minutes his corner from the right was flicked on by Gullan at the near post as Jack Baird got up well to plant a terrific header into the bottom corner of the net to make it 4-2.
PHOTO: Jack Baird celebrates his goal
The scoring was not over and in the second minute of added on time Queen’s Park pulled a goal back as Friel slotted home after Pignatiello’s strike had been saved by Steward to setup an anxious final few minutes.
Saints made one final change as Sam Stanton made way for Fran Franczak as Saints saw the game out to secure a vital 3 points.
PHOTO: Stevie Mallan and Carlo Pignatiello
Saints: Steward, Diabate, Boyes, Svedberg, Gullan, Stanton (Franczak 90+4’), Baird, Fotheringham (Sprangler 66’), McPake (Mallan 81’), Smith, McAlear
Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Tumilty, Griffith, Foulds, Lloyd, Wanner
Booked: Fotheringham, Boyes
Scorers: Gullan (16’, 30’ pen), Stanton (18’), Baird (84’)
Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Fieldson, Murray, Longridge, Savoury (McDonnell 85’), Connolly, Pignatiello, Fowler, Waugh (Friel 45’), Shiels, Drozd (Mclean 85’)
Unused Substitutes: Wills (GK), MacGregor, Carrick, Scott, Sowa
Booked: Ferrie, Savoury, Fowler
Scorers: Drozd (59’), Fowler (62’ pen), Friel (90+2’)
Referee: Alastair Grieve
Attendance: 4,012
Match Report by Daryl Scott
Picture: Sam Stanton celebrates his goal
