Graham makes flying start with a perfect finish
BRIAN GRAHAM took all of 11 minutes to post a persuasive advert for acceptance by the St Johnstone supporters.
On loan from Dundee United, the reaction last week to Graham’s recruitment to see out the final year of his Tannadice contract in Perth was lukewarm at best from the bulk of Saints fans.
A late winning goal as a substitute at Fir Park — a textbook powerful header from the big striker — was sufficient to sway them towards adulation for the 26-year-old on his debut.
Neither Graham nor Adam Morgan from Yeovil will claim to be the complete answer to filling £800,000 departure Stevie May’s boots in the short term this season.
May struck 27 times last year before moving to Sheffield Wednesday a fortnight ago.
A clinical strike rate will do, though, when St Johnstone can be adept at sneaking tight games. And that’s certainly what Graham can bring to the party when you examine his career goals ratio to minutes on the pitch.
So Tommy Wright couldn’t have asked for more from his new signing than converting the only clear-cut opportunity carved out by Saints as the visiting boss worked his substitutes’ bench a treat.
Michael O’Halloran’s introduction wide right against Zaine Francis-Angol, who is struggling for fitness, was the first trick to soften up a stricken Motherwell defence.
And Graham soared above Francis-Angol’s replacement, Simon Ramsden, four minutes from time to bullet a header from a perfect Gary McDonald delivery past home goalkeeper Dan Twardzik.
It was the type of cross that Graham feasts on but it’s famine for Motherwell in front of goal right now.
Only a fortunate opening-day victory over St Mirren is keeping Stuart McCall’s men away from Ross County and the Paisley side at the basement of the Premiership.
For this was a fourth defeat on the spin and they haven’t managed to score a goal since Lee Erwin stole three points in that contest.
This wasn’t much prettier. At the close of another week of Europa League woe for the Scottish game, two of the top flight’s earlier continental competition flops served up a low-grade affair.
It would have taken a fanatical supporter or a football masochist to embrace the entertainment.
What camp Derek Adams was in is anyone’s guess when he elected, on his first Saturday off for seven years, to be among the punters in Motherwell’s main stand.
Still, it makes a change from the customary path of the sacked manager to make an appearance on Radio Scotland as a match analyst within minutes of being dismissed by a top-flight club.
The former Fir Park midfielder didn’t get his money’s worth and this was no way to start spending that Ross County pay-off.
He saw that, just like St Mirren and Inverness Caley here this season, the visiting five-man midfield were able to seize the bulk of the possession.
Saints were unable to convert their early edge into a serious threat. Craig Reid blocked well from David Wotherspoon and Twardzik was busy twice before the half-hour was up — parrying away a crisp Chris Millar drive, then collecting Scott Brown’s low shot at the first attempt.
Motherwell were wasteful in the passing basics, although they grew into a late first-half force whenever Henrik Ojamaa was able to cast his influence. The Estonian’s 20-yard shot trickled into the arms of Alan Mannus, though, before Tam Scobbie bravely threw himself in the way of a more powerful hit from Ojamaa late in the half.
It took the home side until the 57th minute to stir the crowd with a brief thrill. John Sutton’s header from a Lionel Ainsworth corner six yards out was netbound but for the legs of Mannus saving on the line.
That it took a miscue for Twardzik’s goal to come under fire said plenty for the visitors’ own problems in creating chances.
O’Halloran, on for Lee Croft, attempted a cross from the right and smacked the outside of the post, with Twardzik scrambling.
Motherwell were most likely to wilt late on with Paul Lawson playing his first game since February and Stephen McManus, who hadn’t trained all week, hobbling around after McCall had committed his substitutes.
Saints went for the win but McDonald’s header lacked power after the midfielder got on the end of a Dave Mackay cross.
When McDonald turned provider from a similar position out wide, Graham was emphatic in the air to claim the three points for Saints.
Graham can get to know his teammates better now in the hope of wreaking more havoc on Premiership defences after the international break.
For Motherwell, McCall will be grateful for the breather to try to improve the health of his squad before the trip to Ross County on their return to action.