Saints 2-0 Motherwell
First Team

Saints 2-0 Motherwell

11th May 2019

Saturday 11 May 2019

Saints secured 7th place at a sunny McDiarmid Park this afternoon after a 2-0 victory over Motherwell in the penultimare Ladbrokes Premiership fixture of the season.

Goals either side of half-time from Scott Tanser and Murray Davidson secured all three points meaning that today's visitors cannot catch Tommy Wright's men with one match remaining in the 2018/19 campaign.


Saints knew a victory against Motherwell today would cement 7th spot and the home side came out the traps quickly in an entertaining Ladbrokes Premiership encounter.

David Wotherspoon fired a free-kick into the box after five minutes which was met by the head of Murray Davidson but Motherwell 'keeper Mark Gillespie was equal to it and saved comfortably.

Three minutes later and Saints had a glorious chance to take the lead. Chris Kane darted to the front post but headed over the bar from a brilliant Matty Kennedy cross.

After 13 minutes Murray Davidson was threatening in the air again but his header just crept past the post after good play from Richard Foster down the right hand side.

Motherwell failed to create many chances of note in the opening stages but came close to taking the lead after 21 minutes.

Ariyibi got the better of Richard Foster down the left flank and got his shot away in the box which was blocked on the line by Scott Tanser. The Motherwell players protested it was handball but the referee waved the appeals away.

The major incident of the first half came after 33 minutes as the referee awarded Saints a penalty.

Chris Kane got infront of Charles Dunne before being hauled to the ground in the penalty area giving the home side a great chance to take the lead.

Scott Tanser was the man tasked with taking the spotkick and the left-back slotted the ball home into the bottom corner to give Saints a 1-0 lead.

Just before the break Zander was called into action to save from a Turnbull effort while Murray Davidson forced Motherwell 'keeper Gillespie into a smart stop but it was 1-0 at the interval.

There were no changes at the break but within two minutes of the restart Saints doubled their lead.

The impressive Murray Davidson had been threatening all afternoon and he was the man who finished off an excellent team goal to make it 2-0.

Michael O'Halloran squared the ball into the 18-yard-box and it was met by Davidson who showed great composure to slot the ball past Gillespie.

Motherwell tried to find a way back into the match with Chris Cadden coming close after 66 minutes but he dragged his effort just wide of the target.

The visitors introduced Johnson and Hastie to try and bolster their attack but it was Saints who looked more likely to add to their lead.

Murray Davidson was at it again on the 75th minute only to be denied by a fingertip save from Gillespie to keep it at 2-0.

The game fizzled out in the latter stages with Tommy Wright's men looking comfortable and there was one final chance to make it 3-0 but Chris Kane was denied by a great Gillespie save after some nice play by Danny Swanson.

The win secures 7th spot for Saints meaning Tommy Wright's men finish as the best of the rest.


SAINTS: Clark, Foster (Shaughnessy 90), Tanser, Kerr, Gordon, Craig (c), Davidson, Wotherspoon, O'Halloran (Swanson 79), Kennedy (Hendry 67), Kane

UNUSED SUBS: Bell, Alston, Easton, Callachan

SCORERS: Tanser (33), Davidson (47)

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