Scottish Premiership Saturday Highlights Show Matchday 35 Part 3

Scottish Football

Steven Thompson presents highlights from the afternoon fixture in the SPFL St Johnstone v Kilmarnock.

Transcript

00:00Come on and travel to Perth to face St Johnstone whose relegation looks more and more likely

00:05but where there is life, there is hope.

00:30He takes the captain's armband in the absence of Brad Lyons.

00:33Bobby Wales, whose pre-contract switch to Swansea was reported earlier this week, continues to lead the line.

00:41Mackenzie Kirk doing well to get away from his marker.

00:46Kerry starting at right wing back today.

00:50Ships it over to Josh McPake.

00:53Gets away from Danny Armstrong, drills a low shot.

00:57I think it's Lewis Mayo who gets an important block in there.

01:01McPake leaving Armstrong for dead.

01:06Almost an early strike for St Johnstone from the former Rangers youngster.

01:14Achilles away from this season, absolutely dreadful.

01:17Haven't won away since October.

01:21Won away just twice domestically.

01:24They need to address that as Fraser Murray goes for goal.

01:29Andy Fisher well behind it.

01:32They're on loan, Swansea keeper.

01:35Just bounced up awkwardly in front of him.

01:37Did well.

01:46Fraser Murray coming forward enjoying his best season for Kilmarnik so far.

01:51He tries to play the ball to Ndava.

01:55But Odis closing down.

01:57The ball not completely away.

01:59Shout for a hand ball, not given.

02:01Bobby Wales.

02:02Good touch to lay it back to Ndava.

02:05It's David Watson on the edge of the box.

02:07And he picks out the bottom corner.

02:12David Watson gives Kilmarnik the leading pair.

02:14Well, he's only been restored to the starting line-up in the last couple of weeks.

02:23And he repays that faith shown in him.

02:26A fine strike from a fine young midfielder.

02:29Just lacing the ball past Andy Fisher.

02:34A huge goal in Kilmarnik's season.

02:37And a huge goal for St Johnston to give away as well.

02:41They'll have to come from behind.

02:42Nick Piezou getting free of his marker.

02:49Up against Finlay.

02:50A couple of step-overs from the big fella.

02:53A little spin as well.

02:55Oh, he picks out Mackenzie Kirk.

02:57Well, it was going wide anyway.

03:00Graham Kerry wanted it laid off to him.

03:03Mackenzie Kirk scored a good few goals this season.

03:05And that was a big chance to get St Johnston level.

03:11At least he's laughing about it.

03:15Kerry clips in.

03:16Nick Piezou rising at the back post.

03:19And it's Corian Daba putting the ball over the top.

03:23It's a free kick anyway.

03:24A bit harsh on Nick Piezou there.

03:35St Johnston have won five of the last six games between these two sides.

03:40They've got it all to do this afternoon.

03:42It might be about to get a little harder.

03:43Eric Piezou catching Stuart Finlay there.

03:47And it's going to be a yellow card.

03:50Shown by referee Ian Sneddon.

03:54I can't tell if that's harsh or if that's lenient.

03:57Watches on a postcard as Stuart Finlay goes down holding his face.

04:02Back to his feet now.

04:03Piezou up against Dees.

04:08The ball evading both.

04:10Watson flying into that challenge.

04:21An opportunity for St Johnston to get the ball forward.

04:24Trying to find an equaliser before half-time.

04:29Kerry looking for Iq Piezou again.

04:33Drops for Elliott Watt.

04:36Curled back in.

04:38Oh, it's Iq Piezou at the back post.

04:40And Kieran O'Hara with the save.

04:42I don't know how much he knew about it.

04:45There was Mackenzie Kirk with the initial header.

04:48And it just sat perfectly for Iq Piezou.

04:52Just a few yards out.

04:54But he couldn't put it either side of the goalkeeper.

04:57Danny Armstrong.

05:00That's a lovely touch away from the defender.

05:07Could give the ball inside to Mackenzie.

05:10He slips it through now.

05:11Mackenzie goes down under the challenge of Victor Griffith.

05:14Ian Sneddon not interested.

05:18I wonder what Derek McInnes will think of that when he watches it back.

05:23St Johnston, meanwhile, up the other end.

05:26Here's McPake against Mayo.

05:29On to the right foot.

05:31Clipped in towards it.

05:32Piezou!

05:34Inches past the post.

05:35A huge opportunity for St Johnston to find an equaliser.

05:43But Ian Sneddon is going to come across to the screen.

05:46Well, they've missed the chance.

05:48And it might just be a penalty against them.

05:50Does Victor Griffith get any of the ball?

05:53Or does he just trip up Rory Mackenzie, the half-time sub?

05:56I think this one will be a penalty.

06:06Ian Sneddon points to the spot.

06:10Andy Fisher will have to try and stop this.

06:16It's a tight call.

06:17I don't think he gets the ball though.

06:19The Panama International.

06:22Armstrong from the spot.

06:24And it's in!

06:26Well, it only just creeps in under the legs of Andy Fisher.

06:30Danny Armstrong doesn't care.

06:32Look at that celebration.

06:36Talk about passionate.

06:40Well, he maybe gets a little lucky.

06:43Andy Fisher not able to keep the ball out.

06:46Armstrong doubles Killy's lead.

06:56Clark.

06:58Piezo Sidibe.

07:00Trying to spin.

07:01Breaks back for him.

07:02Shout for a handball off Robbie Dees.

07:05Nothing given.

07:07Oh, and that almost goes in.

07:09The clearance.

07:10Cannoning back.

07:12And going just past the post.

07:13Well, here's the handball.

07:15Maybe it does strike the arm of Dees, but that arm is tucked into his torso.

07:24Ian Sneddon waves play on.

07:27No route back for St Johnstone yet.

07:35Sprangler playing it across.

07:37Well, that's a very slack pass from Sprangler.

07:40And Vassell will latch onto it.

07:45He gets it across to Liam Polworth, who skies it over.

07:50The third goal would rub salt into the wound.

07:54Doesn't look like St Johnstone are going to get anything from this one anyway.

07:59They're going down with a bit of a whimper.

08:01Ball comes across.

08:04Headed away.

08:06And then cleared away.

08:08And there goes the full time whistle.

08:11Nothing done mathematically yet, but Killy are all but safe.

08:16St Johnstone all but down.

08:17A huge game for them next weekend.

08:20As they host 11th place, Frost County.

08:23It finishes in Perth, St Johnstone 0, Kilmarnock 2.

08:27No time. Feel sorry for yourself.

08:30Is it easy? No, it's so, so hard to pick yourself up.

08:34But we need to go. We need to do it.

08:36And we need to train well.

08:38We need to try to know it.

08:40Yes, we know the atmosphere on the field, at the stadium.

08:44It was very, very difficult, very, very down.

08:47But it's because of us.

08:48We didn't give the people anything to share about.

08:51So it's our job. We need to go.

08:53I got asked on Thursday at press about if you win at St Johnstone,

08:58and that means you can't be relegated.

09:00And I've never really thought about being relegated.

09:03It's always about trying to catch the teams above us,

09:06just maintain some sort of consistency.

09:08But there's no doubt, there is a lot of anxiety and apprehension

09:13about when you're in the bottom six.

09:15And that is the beauty of being a top six team,

09:17because there might only be a difference between a couple of points.

09:21But you can breathe easy.

09:23And the difference between a top six team and a bottom six team

09:26is loads of applaud, loads of accolades, job well done.

09:29And we never quite made up the ground from the European stuff

09:33and the red cards at the start of the season.

09:34I thought we'd be good enough to make it up.

09:36But we haven't quite been there.

09:37But I've always thought we were good enough to win games,

09:39and particularly against the teams in and around us.

09:42We felt the bottom six fixtures was an opportunity to finish the season strong,

09:47give our supporters something to cheer about.

09:49And they turned up in brilliant numbers a day.

09:51And it was great to see that backing for the team.

09:55And they helped us.

09:57It wasn't pretty, but it was a pretty good result.

10:01And that was what was the most important thing.

10:03Kelly Pyle, the misery on St Johnstone,

10:06who's staying the Premiership.

10:08James, it's hanging by a thread.

10:10Yeah, and it's, you know, getting more perilous week by week.

10:15Kelly, you know, you heard Derek McInnes speaking about,

10:18you always fancy Kelly Cam win games

10:20because of the job that he's done at the club,

10:23because of the squad that he has.

10:25And when the pressure's on, you expect him to get results.

10:27St Johnstone are poor in a form since that brilliant victory against Celtic.

10:30They've really struggled.

10:32And at times they have played well,

10:34but I think that was a disappointing performance for them today.

10:37They're running out of games.

10:39Massive game coming up for them next week.

10:41How big is that game?

10:43It's huge.

10:45Ross County, if they beat Ross County, it goes to three points with a very similar goal difference.

10:48I mean, that is their big chance.

10:50The big word there is if.

10:52You expect, I think that St Johnstone have played well at times this season.

10:55But as I said, since that defeat against Celtic, the results and performance levels haven't quite been there.

11:02And you have two teams next week that don't win games.

11:05So, huge pressure on it.

11:07But the team that's been written off, they have been written off since probably before Christmas.

11:11Not a long time.

11:12So, I think that they'll go in feeling it's their last chance for them next week.

11:19Yeah, they will.

11:20David Watson, lovely finish.

11:22And Danny Armstrong from the penalty spot got the job done for Kelly.

11:26Yeah, they did.

11:27And I think that's the main thing.

11:28Derek McInnes has spoken and said that it wasn't pretty.

11:30I think when it comes to this stage of the season, what's at stake.

11:33It doesn't have to be.

11:34It doesn't have to be pretty.

11:35But I'll tell you what it is.

11:36That goal, it's a brilliant finish.

11:37That's a nice finish.

11:38And that's, you have to do at times the hard graft in games.

11:41You need to do the ugly side of the game.

11:43And when you get your opportunity, then you can't turn it on.

11:47It just shapes it, doesn't it?

11:48It's a brilliant finish.

11:49And they got the job done from the penalty spot.

11:53You said this was soft.

11:54Yeah, I think initially I felt it was soft.

11:56But you see the leg coming across there.

11:58You know, Rowan McKenzie.

11:59There's nowhere else to go.

12:00Danny Armstrong steps up and slots it away.

12:02A wee bit lucky there, mind you.

12:03He did.

12:04He did.

12:05When you go down the middle and the goalkeeper then, you know,

12:08makes a big dive to his left-hand side then.

12:10But you can see what it means.

12:12I know that the aspirations for Kilmarnock will be in the top six.

12:15They've had a good bit of form at the right time though,

12:17having the three wins in the last four games.

12:19They're pretty much safe, although Derek wouldn't want to say that.

12:21No, he'll be saying it to his players that, you know,

12:24he won't be saying job done.

12:26But the challenge would have been win two games,

12:29win three games and you'll be safe.

12:31Where he won't come out and say, right,

12:33that's Kelly safe and let's all celebrate.

12:35He'll be wanting more.

12:36He'll want to finish the season unbeaten from now to the end of the season.

12:39He's certainly getting a response from his players.

12:41But I'm not surprised.

12:42They're a good team.

12:43They're probably below where they should be

12:45in terms of the expectation they've set before.

12:47But I think from this point,

12:49it's finished the season strongly.

12:51And as I said, give the fans something to look forward to for next season.

12:53There's a game tomorrow.

12:54Who's winning it?

12:55Who's playing?

12:56I don't know.

12:57Who's playing?

12:58I have no idea.

13:00I think that Rangers are so inconsistent,

13:02but they've shown they can turn up in the big games

13:04and cause Celtic problems.

13:05I would expect Celtic can get the job done,

13:08but that hasn't been easy for them in the last few games.

13:11But I expect Celtic to get it done.

13:13OK, we shall see.

13:14Let's take a wee look at the table.

13:16Hibs go three clear in third after their win this afternoon.

13:19Aberdeen are in fourth and United in fifth.

13:22St Mirren's win has them just five behind

13:24with the Motherwell on the same points in seventh.

13:26Hearts on 43.

13:27Kelly 41 and Dundee two points ahead of County,

13:30who remain sixth clear.

13:32They'll have the bottom club, St Johnston.

13:35Lots of football coming for you to enjoy this week.

13:38Starting tomorrow,

13:39SportsZone will have coverage of that game.

13:41Rangers against Celtic on radio.

13:43SportsZone highlights with Jonathan tomorrow night.

13:46Scottish Football Roundup is tomorrow at 8.15 on BBC Scotland.

13:50And the Championship final day,

13:52how it was won, is also on tomorrow.

13:54Tomorrow at 8.45 on Monday,

13:56it's the SWPL highlights.

13:59And then Partick against Air United.

14:02The playoff quarter finals are next week,

14:05Tuesday and Friday.

14:07And that is it for another Saturday.

14:09Thank you to James for joining me.

14:11One game to go tomorrow.

14:12Should be eventful.

14:32And to me, it's a game.

14:35And I've been trying, I've been trying.

14:42Everything else makes sense.

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