stevie MacLean's late strike earned St Johnstone full at McDiarmid Park yesterday but it was the veteran striker's leadership rather than his goal-scoring that drew praise from his manager.

Tommy Wright's assessment that his team did just enough to win was fair but he was clearly pleased that the man given added responsibility of hitting the net following Stevie May's departure had made the difference.

"I'm delighted to have Steve because he's an excellent leader on and off the pitch, he is a big personality," the Saints manager explained. "His play is exemplary. He links it up well. By his own admission he probably doesn't get enough goals, but I think that is down to the amount of work he does outside the box. Steve does so much work that he might not be in the positions he should be in to put the ball in the net."

Not that Wright could complain about MacLean's positioning yesterday since he was in the right place to miss the best chance of the game then make up for it with a clinical first-time strike towards the end of this disappointing encounter between two sides who did so well last season and were playing in perfect conditions.

What decent chances fell to both teams in the opening half had followed the old scheduling of corporation buses, arriving as they did in pairs following lengthy periods in which little of note happened.

The first was the result of a bad error by Johnny Hayes, his indecisive push towards his own goal providing the perfect pass for MacLean to run on to at a great angle. As he bore down on Jamie Langfield from the right, he was able to pick his spot but although his shot beat the keeper it hit the wrong side of his left-hand post.

Moments later, having earned a free-kick 30 yards out, MacLean looked to have made amends when his far-from-ferocious strike bobbled sufficiently in front of Langfield to prevent him taking it cleanly. The rebound fell into the path of Gary McDonald eight yards out but, with the goal yawning, the Saints midfielder hooked his attempt wide.

When Aberdeen did finally threaten they came even closer to registering the opener when Shaleum Logan sent over a cross from the right that Andy Considine met squarely. His header struck the underside of the bar and Steven Anderson somewhat fortuitously shinned the rebounding ball over.

Following the resultant corner, Niall McGinn cut in from the right and fired a shot that Alan Mannus and Anderson combined to prevent crossing the line.

The second half began more brightly with a driving run by Lee Croft deep into Aberdeen territory. But after he got the ball back from Scott Brown on the left, Croft lacked real conviction in both his initial attempt to square the ball and his shot after the blocked ball returned to him.

Thereafter, the proceedings quickly reverted to the level of most of the opening half with the noise from the grandstands rising only in keeping with the frustration and irritation being felt by both sets of supporters.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes could have been forgiven for experiencing both in even greater measure when a perfectly conceived set play from wide on the right saw Hayes roll a free-kick into the path of McGinn, only for the Northern Ireland winger to miss the ball completely as he swung at it with his right foot.

McGinn was subsequently unable to get a header on target from a Logan cross before there were a couple of hairy moments at the other end, with shouts for handball against both Peter Pawlett and Andy Considine after shots from Dave Mackay and Michael O'Halloran.

The home side finally produced that necessary piece of quality to make the breakthrough when O'Halloran's cross from the right found MacLean in space in the box and the 32-year-old frontman showed good technique to keep the rising ball down and drill it low to Langfield's right.

Unfortunately, MacLean then spoiled the moment slightly by getting one of those idiotic bookings for removing his shirt as he celebrated.

Aberdeen responded with David Goodwillie, a second-half replacement for Adam Rooney, hitting a powerful shot from a tight angle that Mannus stopped with his chest.

Pawlett was then denied a penalty and booked for going to ground too easily as he tussled with Anderson in the penalty box. Robson joined him for a careless challenge on Lappin.

After a Brian Easton clearance soared mightily over the East Stand Aberdeen's last chance to equalise ended with Hayes shooting tamely at Mannus.