St Johnstone’s season lurched into the realms of farce at Livingston.
The Perth side somehow managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory against an already-relegated team, having dominated the vast majority of this contest.
Craig Levein’s men paid the ultimate price for failing to find the net when they were on top.
They had more opportunities in this one match than in the previous half-dozen added together.
A point would have been bad enough, after an early Adama Sidibeh goal was cancelled out by Livi from a corner.
But deep into stoppage time Nicky Clark missed when through on goal at one end and then Andrew Shinnie scored on the counter-attack at the other.
It was a disastrous turn of events, made all the worse by the fact that Ross County were thrashed by Motherwell.
Fast starts and St Johnstone haven’t been partners often this season.
But this was a timely change of script.
Saints were on the front foot from the first whistle and Clark should have scored with just 45 seconds on the clock, shooting over from 10 yards out.
It was chance after chance for the visitors.
Sidebeh had two close-range efforts acrobatically saved by Shamal George and the Livingston goalkeeper also tipped a Stevie May header over the bar.
In the middle of a 15-minute bombardment, Sidibeh tucked away a back post finish, having been teed up by May.
It wasn’t until midway through the first half that Dimitar Mitov was called into action.
Saints let a long throw bounce in the box and Cristian Montano nearly capitalised at the back post.
That was save number one from the Bulgarian international and seconds later, save number two thwarted Joel Nouble at the other post.
Saints back on top
Livi had finished the first 45 stronger than Saints but the McDiarmid Park men rediscovered their attacking rhythm after the break.
May shot just over and there was a dangerous Graham Carey cross from the right that was begging to be finished off.
George has been a busy man this season in the Livingston goal but he won’t have had many, if any better games than this one.
On 56 minutes he produced another superb save to help a Clark shot round the post.
Given the way this season has gone, a one-goal lead was never going to be enough.
And on 72 minutes, Livi scored their equaliser.
A corner was floated beyond the back post from where Montano squeezed a shot home from a tight angle.
Saints’ woes – today and over the course of a wretched season – were summed up when Clark dragged a shot past the post in injury time and they were then exposed on the counter, with Shinnie cashing in.
Player ratings
Mitov 6, McGowan 7, Gordon 7.5, May 7 (M Smith, 75), MacPherson 7.5 (C Smith, 87), Clark 5.5, Carey 7.5, Wright 7, Sidibeh 8 (Kimpioka, 79), Keltjens 6, Phillips 6 (Jaiyesimi, 87). Subs not used – Considine, Kucheriavyi, Olufunwa, Franczak.
Star man – Adama Sidibeh
He personified Saints’ impressive start, scored one and could have had a hat-trick.
Sidibeh also held the ball up expertly and won more than his fair share of aerial battles.
He certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
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