Match ends, Partick Thistle 0, St Johnstone 1.
Partick ThistlePartick Thistle0St JohnstoneSt Johnstone1
Stevie May's 20th goal of the season gave St Johnstone a narrow Scottish Premiership win over Partick Thistle.
May finished well after a mazy run by David Wotherspoon and the visitors also had Gary McDonald's effort disallowed for offside in a dominant first half.
But Thistle responded well and created plenty of chances without being able find to that elusive equaliser.
Chris Erskine volleyed over and a hooked shot by Kris Doolan bounced wide of the Saints goal.
St Johnstone remain in sixth place, moving to within two points of Dundee United in fifth, ahead of their meeting at Tannadice next Monday.
Thistle remain second bottom, 21 points clear of Hearts.
and it was the Jags who had to brave an early St Johnstone storm.
Paddy Cregg, in for the injured Murray Davidson, attempted a long-range effort that Paul Gallacher had to tip over the bar.
McDonald thought he had given the visitors the lead moments later when he met Dave Mackay's cross, but the offside flag denied the midfielder, while Wotherspoon's curling effort narrowly missed the target.
However, the Saints were to be denied no longer.
Wotherspoon vindicated manager Tommy Wright's decision to introduce him to the starting line-up as his marauding run into the box allowed May to score his 16th league goal of the season.
That seemed to galvanise Alan Archibald's men into action as they came close through a series of free-kicks from Kallum Higginbotham and Lyle Taylor, while , determined to impress back at Firhill, provided another dimension to the Jags.
And it was a much more positive in the second half for the hosts as Gary Fraser tested Stevie Banks from distance, while Taylor attempted a hook shot that flew wide.
Thistle were in the ascendancy and Lee Mair's shot almost caught Banks off guard but the goalkeeper reacted well to thwart the midfielder.
However, there was still that vulnerability to the counter for Partick and May, irrepressible at times, almost doubled their advantage when he flashed a header wide.
The Jags brought on Doolan and Christie Elliot in search of an equaliser in the second half, but it was Erskine who looked most likely to restore parity.
The winger attempted an audacious overhead kick that just went over, before following up with a left-foot effort that slipped wide.
And Doolan also came close late on inside the six-yard box, with his effort shaving the outside of the post.
Line-ups
Partick Thistle
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 12Gallacher
- 2O'Donnell
- 16McMillan
- 7CraigenSubstituted forElliottat 77'minutes
- 15MairBooked at 51mins
- 6Balatoni
- 11LawlessSubstituted forDoolanat 67'minutes
- 22Fraser
- 21Taylor
- 23HigginbothamSubstituted forForbesat 85'minutes
- 28ErskineBooked at 71mins
Substitutes
- 1Fox
- 5Muirhead
- 9Doolan
- 10Forbes
- 13Rojo de la Vega
- 14Elliott
- 31Wilson
St Johnstone
Formation 4-3-3
- 15Banks
- 2Mackay
- 3Scobbie
- 4CreggBooked at 67minsSubstituted forMillerat 84'minutes
- 6AndersonBooked at 57mins
- 5WrightBooked at 35mins
- 7MillarBooked at 29mins
- 8McDonald
- 17May
- 22CroftSubstituted forO'Halloranat 78'minutes
- 10Wotherspoon
Substitutes
- 11Hasselbaink
- 19Miller
- 20Brown
- 27Fallon
- 29O'Halloran
- 31Easton
- 35Hurst
- Attendance:
- 2,719
Match Stats
Home TeamPartick ThistleAway TeamSt Johnstone
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Partick Thistle 0, St Johnstone 1.
Post update
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Steven Anderson.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Ross Forbes replaces Kallum Higginbotham.
Post update
Attempt missed. Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, St Johnstone. Gary Miller replaces Patrick Cregg.
Post update
Christie Elliott (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Michael O'Halloran (St Johnstone).
Post update
Attempt missed. Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, St Johnstone. Michael O'Halloran replaces Lee Croft.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Christie Elliott replaces James Craigen.
Post update
Attempt missed. David Mackay (St Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Post update
Foul by James Craigen (Partick Thistle).
Post update
David Wotherspoon (St Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle).
Post update
Chris Millar (St Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Patrick Cregg (St Johnstone) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
