St Johnstone snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw in the Tayside derby against Dundee at Dens Park on Thursday, with Josh Fowler's 90th-minute equaliser cancelling out Charlie Reilly's late opener for the hosts. The result, reported by Sky Sports Football, halted a potential third consecutive Premiership defeat for Simo Valakari's side and moved them to 8th in the table with four points from four games.
Manager Valakari made two changes to his starting lineup, bringing in Matty Todd and Taylor Steven as St Johnstone set up to absorb pressure. Dundee, under Steven Pressley, enjoyed more possession but found a resolute defensive unit in front of them. The visitors' game plan was executed well for large periods, frustrating a Dundee side that had brought in Brad Halliday, Bobby Wales and Alan Forrest from their previous outing.
How did the late drama unfold?
The match appeared destined for a goalless stalemate until the final minutes exploded into life. Dundee's Charlie Reilly broke the deadlock in the 87th minute, seemingly securing all three points for the home side. St Johnstone, however, showed immediate character. They pushed forward and found a response just three minutes later when Josh Fowler struck to level the score in the 90th minute, sending the travelling support into raptures.
This resilience earned a valuable away point. "We will take that one point in an away match and now we will recover," said manager Simo Valakari after the final whistle. The draw means St Johnstone's league record now stands at one win, one draw, and two losses from their opening four fixtures. They have scored six goals but conceded seven, giving them a minus-one goal difference early in the campaign.
What is St Johnstone's current league position?
Following this result, St Johnstone sit 8th in the Scottish Premiership. Their four-point haul leaves them eight points behind early leaders Celtic. The team's recent form reads DLLW, showing the importance of stopping the two-loss skid with this draw. Fans can track the evolving league picture on our standings page throughout the season.
Dundee manager Steven Pressley acknowledged his team's missed opportunities in his post-match comments. "St Johnstone had the greater percentage of possession," Pressley noted. "I thought that we had the bigger chances within the game." His side had also integrated new signing Jack Moorhouse, who joined on a season-long loan from Manchester United, into their squad.
What comes next for St Johnstone?
The focus now shifts to the next fixture, which is not until October 17th. St Johnstone will host Dundee United at home in a match that already carries significance in the lower half of the table, with United currently 9th. The extended break provides Valakari time to work with his squad on the training ground ahead of a run of games you can check on our fixtures page.
This derby point provides a foundation to build upon. The team showed they can dig deep and score crucial late goals, a trait that will be vital over a long season. With the squad details available on our squad page, supporters can see the blend of experience and youth Valakari has at his disposal. St Johnstone's next challenge is to turn these hard-fought draws into wins when they return to action next month.
