St Johnstone ‘lacked quality’, admits Steven MacLean after loss to Motherwell

St Johnstone interim manager Steven MacLean admitted that his team didn’t show enough “quality” to get the better of Premiership bottom-six form side, Motherwell.

But he remains confident that the Perth side will be able to complete their top flight survival job.

The 2-0 defeat was the first match under MacLean that Saints have failed to find the back of the net.

And they didn’t really look like scoring either.

“We just lacked that little bit of quality today,” said MacLean.

“We were the better side in the first half and got into good areas but we lacked that killer instinct.

“That final pass wasn’t there us but we will analyse it.

“It wasn’t a lack of trying – the boys gave everything again. It was just down to the final cross and that bit of quality.

“We didn’t start well in the second half but they only looked dangerous on transitions.”

Game-changing moment

VAR intervention after Remi Matthews kept out Kevin van Veen’s first go from the penalty spot was the decisive moment in the match.

“The fourth official said he was off his line and if that’s the case, that’s the rule,” said MacLean.

“The second goal, I’ll take.

“I was trying to be positive and I’d thrown on attackers.

“But there was nothing in the game. The penalty changed it.

“We chased the match but unfortunately we couldn’t get anything in the end.”

‘In our hands’

Ross County and Kilmarnock both won, with Saints’ cushion to the bottom two spots now just five and three.

“We aren’t really interested in the other teams,” said MacLean.

“It’s in our hands.

“We’d rather be in our position than the teams below us.

“We will go to Kilmarnock next and be positive.

“The boys are disappointed but I will pick them up again.

“We will go down there and look to win the game.”

The big plus point of a frustrating afternoon was the return to action late in the game of Chris Kane after the best part of a year-and-a-half out of action.

“It was great to see Chris back,” said MacLean. “I am delighted and now he has to push to be fit again for next week.”

Melker Hallberg missed out with a hamstring injury picked up in training on Friday.

Andy Considine came off with a head knock but MacLean is optimistic he’ll be available for Rugby Park.