Hamilton Accies 1-0 St Johnstone
St Johnstone suffered their second defeat in four days.
There was credit in their loss to Celtic, but this was a much more disappointing performance than in midweek.
It wasn’t until the second half that the Perth men showed patches of decent play, but by then the damage had been done.
Making his first start, Adam Morgan caught the Accies defence out and stole possession just two minutes in.
He ended up being frustrated by his own team-mate though when Michael O’Halloran took the ball on instead of him, and wasted a good attacking opportunity.
On 12 minutes David Wotherspoon delivered a perfectly weighted inswinging free-kick from the left on to the head of Tam Scobbie.
Keeper Michael McGovern was beaten, but Scobbie’s glancing header just missed his left-hand post.
The home side took the lead four minutes later.
Tommy Wright had bemoaned the number of soft goals his team had conceded in early-season, and this was another to add to the unwanted collection.
Mickael Antoine Curier was allowed too much time and space to cut the ball back for Darian Mackinnon, and the same could be said for Mackinnon’s shot from the edge of the box.
It was a pretty tame effort in the end, but Alan Mannus wasn’t able to keep it out. There may have been a slight deflection, but if there wasn’t, it was definitely a shot the Northern Irishman would normally have dealt with.
Steven Anderson saved Saints from going two down when he slid in to make a goal-line clearance from a Stephen Hendrie shot on 36 minutes.
With Accies very much on top, Antoine Curier was wide with an angled drive moments later.
Saints would have been glad to get into the break just a goal behind, and they came out for the re-start looking to make amends for the poor opening 45.
In their first attack, McGovern rushed out of his box when he would have been better advised not to. Lee Croft got to the ball first but by the time he took it round the Accies keeper he was so far wide that his only option was to cross, and Hendrie headed clear.
Saints had to wait until the 66th minute for their next moment of note when Anderson struck the crossbar from close range after Wotherspoon cut the ball back.
Then Wotherspoon himself came close with a low curled shot just past the post.
Accies were still a threat though, and MacLean had to clear a Martin Canning header off the line on 70 minutes.
Substitute Chris Kane had only been on the pitch for seconds and was through on goal, but inexplicably tried to pick out MacLean instead of shooting.
He didn’t find his man, and a great chance was gone.
Dave Mackay hit the post with a header, but he was adjudged to have fouled his marker anyway.
On 84 minutes Andy Ryan nearly put the game beyond doubt when his 18 yarder missed the post by inches.
MacLean had a shot saved at the death and there was a penalty shout for a Canning handball, but Accies held out for the win.