St Johnstone extended their unbeaten run to six games with this hard-fought draw with Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park.
Saints could have set a new top-flight club record with a victory over Steve Clarke’s side but had to be content with a share of the spoils.
St Johnstone were denied by the woodwork in the second half but over the piece a draw was a fair result with home keeper Zander Clark securing his sixth clean sheet in a row.
Saints boss Tommy Wright selected the same starting XI that beat Hamilton 4-0 before the international break.
There was plenty of decent football in the first half but little in the way of goalmouth action with two well organised and disciplined sides cancelling each other out.
The first chance did not arrive until the 19th minute when Saints David Wotherspoon hit a 20-yard free-kick which was easily gathered by Killie keeper Daniel Bachmann.
Clark was a virtual spectator and did not have a save to make until the 44th minute from a weak Kirk Broadfoot header.
Just before half-time, Saints Matty Kennedy tried his luck from long-range but his shot lacked power and was mopped up by Bachmann.
The second 45 followed a similar pattern to the first with both sides struggling to carve out clear-cut opportunities.
A chance did fall the way of Kennedy in the 59th minute inside the Killie box but he hit his shot wildly over the bar.
Shortly after, Killie’s Greg Stewart hit a curling effort from the right with Clark having to produce a stunning acrobatic save to deny the former Dundee striker.
St Johnstone then had a chance when Liam Craig shaped to hit a deep free-kick into the opposition’s box but instead he teed up Scott Tanser with the left-back hitting a ferocious drive that flew just wide of Bachmann’s right-hand post.
Saints suffered a big blow in the 66th minute when Drey Wright was injured in a challenge and had to be helped off by the medical staff with Danny Swanson replacing the winger.
The home side came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 83rd minute when Kennedy cut in from the left and hit a fierce curling effort that cannoned off the woodwork with Murray Davidson hitting rebound over the bar.
Deep in stoppage time, Stewart went close with another curling effort but the ball trickled just past the post with referee Willie Collum blowing seconds after for full-time.
