THE final whistle may have been greeted by shouts of "Craig must go" from a section of home fans after yet another dismal league defeat, this time at the hands of St Johnstone, but under-fire St Mirren manager Tommy Craig insisted last night that he had been encouraged by his team's second-half fightback that came close to securing a draw.
By then, though, all three points had been secured for the Perth side by an eighth-minute strike from Michael O'Halloran that flew past St Mirren keeper Mark Ridgers with the aid of a deflection. From that moment on there was a sense of inevitability about the final scoreline, given that the Paisley men have scored only three goals in eight home matches in the Premiership and this was their fourth 1-0 defeat of the campaign at New St Mirren Park.
"Their goal took a big deflection, but that's been the story of our season," Craig said. "That, and the fact we couldn't get a goal to lift our supporters. They were behind the players, willing them on. The players also showed bags of effort and industry. Their reaction really pleased me."
As for the heckling, Craig remained philosophical yet defiant. "There was a wee minority shouting, but I can perfectly understand it," he said. "They are just as hurt, baffled and disappointed as I am."
In the first half St Mirren had tried to hit back from the early reverse but too often resorted to long balls up to lone striker Steven Thompson, who got little change out of St Johnstone's defence.
As passes went astray and the home crowd howled in frustration it was the visitors who looked more likely to score again. David Wotherspoon hooked wide after some trickery from James McFadden and a superb cross from Simon Lappin was headed over by O'Halloran.
Then McFadden skipped past the stranded Ridgers on the bye-line but sent his curling effort over the bar. The eager running of Adam Drury looked to be the home side's best hope of equalising but twice he broke through only to fire straight at St Johnstone goalkeeper Alan Mannus.
The clearly toiling Thompson came off at half-time and his replacement Callum Ball almost made an immediate impact but his fierce shot was punched clear by Mannus. The visitors went agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 56th minute when Brian Graham's low shot hit the post, rebounded across goal and spun out of play.
St Mirren's biggest chance came seven minutes later when Ball met a fabulous Kenny McLean cross at the back post only to send his free header too close to Mannus, who parried before the ball was scrambled to safety.
With the game flowing from end to end, Ball twice went close before the Paisley side's right- back Jason Naismith ventured forward to fire in a powerful effort after a good run and cross by sub Sean Kelly. But it was all too little, too late for St Mirren.
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright said: "We controlled the first half but St Mirren came right into it in the second half. Our keeper had to make some good saves and one top-class save. Their players were certainly playing for their manager."
They might be battling for him, but they are not scoring for him.
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