Late Gogic goal gets Saints a point in Perth

Late Gogic goal gets Saints a point in Perth

A late Alex Gogic header gave Saints a point at McDiarmid Park. 

The Cypriot scored his first goal of the season in the final few minutes to grab us a share of the spoils against 10 men St Johnstone. 

Gogic - who missed last weekend's win over Ross County with an ankle injury - returned to the starting line-up replacing Declan Gallagher who pulled up with a hamstring injury last Saturday. That was the only change made from last weekend's victory. 

After a fairly listless first 35 minutes - which saw very few opportunities - the game sprang into life. Curtis Main's low ball across the face of the box was almost turned into the St Johnstone net by Liam Gordon with the Perth Saints' goalkeeper Remi Matthews having to stick a leg out to sweep clear. 

Two minutes later a Ryan Strain cross-cum-shot almost caught out Matthews with the stopper having to tip away from the top corner. Almost immediately after,

Trevor Carson was forced into his first save of the match as he did well to push away a Stevie May header. Tony Watt came close to his first St Mirren goal on 39 minutes when he curled just wide of the far post from inside the area. 

St Johnstone were reduced to 10 men in the final minute of the opening 45 when Dan Phillips was shown red for serious foul play after a VAR check. The midfielder caught Ryan Flynn on the ankle with his studs and referee Craig Napier's quick check of the monitor saw the initial yellow card rescinded and replaced by a straight red. 

Saints started the second-half quickly and were inches away from taking the lead less than two minutes after the restart. Watt's cross from the right was met by Mark O'Hara who volleyed just wide. 

Thierry Small's low strike from distance was gathered by Matthews on the hour mark. Three minutes later Watt came close to opening the scoring when he met O'Hara's cross at the back post, but his header came off the bar and went over. 

Tony Watt came close to opening the scoring with a header the came off the bar (Image: Craig Brown)

But with 15 minutes remaining it was the 10 men of St Johnstone who took the lead through substitution Zak Rudden. The striker rose above the Saints defence to meet a Cammy MacPherson free-kick. His header came off the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net. 

Stephen Robinson made a triple substitution on 80 minutes with Joe Shaughnessy, Lewis Jamieson and Kieran Offord on to replace Marcus Fraser, Flynn and Watt. And it was Shaughnessy whose brilliant cross found Gogic to head us level on 86 minutes. The Irish defender swung the ball in from the right where Gogic was on hand to bullet home the equaliser. 

Saints pressed for a winner with Gogic shooting into the arms of Matthews from the edge of the area before Jamieson scooped over in the final seconds as we had to settle for a point. 

Full-Time: St Johnstone 1-1 St Mirren

St Mirren: Carson, Fraser (Shaughnessy 80), Gogic, Dunne, Strain, Flynn (Jamieson 80), O'Hara (c), Kiltie, Small, Watt (Offord 80), Main
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Campbell, Kenny, R.Taylor, F.Taylor, Gilmartin

St Johnstone: Matthews, Wright, Mitchell, Gordon, (c), Considine, Montgomery, MacPherson, Phillips, Hallberg, May (Rudden 72), Clark (Bair 72)
Subs Not Used: Sinclair, Brown, Gallacher, Wotherspoon, Carey, Murphy

Referee: Craig Napier
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane
Assistant Referee: Michael Banks
Fourth Official: Duncan Williams
VAR: Grant Irvine
Assistant VAR: John McCrossan

Attendance: 3,828

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