Scottish Premiership: Partick Thistle 0-1 St Johnstone

Stevie May's 20th goal of the season gave St Johnstone a narrow Scottish Premiership win over Partick Thistle.

May finished well after a mazy run by David Wotherspoon and the visitors also had Gary McDonald's effort disallowed for offside in a dominant first half.

But Thistle responded well and created plenty of chances without being able find to that elusive equaliser.

Chris Erskine volleyed over and a hooked shot by Kris Doolan bounced wide of the Saints goal.

St Johnstone remain in sixth place, moving to within two points of Dundee United in fifth, ahead of their meeting at Tannadice next Monday.

Thistle remain second bottom, 21 points clear of Hearts.

The original staging of the match at Firhill in December was abandoned at half-time because of heavy rain and it was the Jags who had to brave an early St Johnstone storm.

Paddy Cregg, in for the injured Murray Davidson, attempted a long-range effort that Paul Gallacher had to tip over the bar.

McDonald thought he had given the visitors the lead moments later when he met Dave Mackay's cross, but the offside flag denied the midfielder, while Wotherspoon's curling effort narrowly missed the target.

However, the Saints were to be denied no longer.

Erskine could not mark his Thistle return with a goal

Wotherspoon vindicated manager Tommy Wright's decision to introduce him to the starting line-up as his marauding run into the box allowed May to score his 16th league goal of the season.

That seemed to galvanise Alan Archibald's men into action as they came close through a series of free-kicks from Kallum Higginbotham and Lyle Taylor, while on-loan Dundee United winger Erskine, determined to impress back at Firhill, provided another dimension to the Jags.

And it was a much more positive in the second half for the hosts as Gary Fraser tested Stevie Banks from distance, while Taylor attempted a hook shot that flew wide.

Thistle were in the ascendancy and Lee Mair's shot almost caught Banks off guard but the goalkeeper reacted well to thwart the midfielder.

However, there was still that vulnerability to the counter for Partick and May, irrepressible at times, almost doubled their advantage when he flashed a header wide.

The Jags brought on Doolan and Christie Elliot in search of an equaliser in the second half, but it was Erskine who looked most likely to restore parity.

The winger attempted an audacious overhead kick that just went over, before following up with a left-foot effort that slipped wide.

And Doolan also came close late on inside the six-yard box, with his effort shaving the outside of the post.