The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Kane’s goal is to tie down regular start
ST JOHNSTONE: Striker well aware of competition for starting berth
St Johnstone’s Chris Kane admits he would like nothing better than having an extended run in the team but despite netting in consecutive games, he is taking nothing for granted because of the striking competition at the club.
The 21-year-old was handed his first start since the Kilmarnock game on January 9 when Saints played Inverness Caley Thistle on Wednesday night.
It looked like Tommy Wright’s side would be left ruing a penalty miss by David Wotherspoon but Kane popped up in the 84th minute to stab home at the back post to secure St Johnstone a precious three points.
He scored a similar goal last midweek against Partick Thistle and he is hoping to continue with his rich vein of form if he is given the nod again in Saints’ next game, next Wednesday against Ross County.
When asked if he would like an extended run in the team, he said: “I would like one but obviously at the start of the season Graham (Cummins) was putting in the goals and Steven MacLean is a great player.”
“There is John Sutton as well so I will just have to keep battling away in training, do what I can and hopefully the manager picks me,” added the striker
“I wouldn’t say I have a goals target.
“Obviously I want to score as many as I can, like any striker. So I will just aim to get into the team and from then on try to get my goals.”
Kane’s goal against ICT was a real poacher’s finish but he admitted he doesn’t care how they go in, just as long as they do.
He added: “I am just glad I was there.
“To be fair, we were pushing forward that whole second half trying to get a goal.
“I don’t really care how it came, I am just glad it finally did.”
Kane was asked if he feared the worst after Wotherspoon’s penalty miss but he insisted: “I wouldn’t say that.
“You are hoping David will score the penalty but when he missed we just continued battling away again, trying to get a chance. “Luckily we did. “A lot of the teams go through a wee bad spell and we had one recently.
“Obviously, the boys have been working their socks off in training.
“So we are all delighted that we got this win.
“Top six would be a massive achievement for us.
“It is really tight all the way down to ninth place so teams will be looking to catch us and we are trying to catch the ones above us.
“So every game is crucial as we look to finish as high as we can.”