Kilmarnock 2-3 St Johnstone: Davidson asked players to be brave in comeback win

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson asked his players to be brave at half-time to stage a dramatic Scottish Premiership comeback at Kilmarnock.

First-half goals from Chris Burke and Aaron Tshibola had the hosts two up at the break.

But close-range finishes from Guy Melamed and Murray Davidson levelled before Ali McCann's stunning low drive completed the turnaround.

"The players were absolutely fantastic," said Davidson.

"They kept going. We started the game pretty well but found ourselves two down. We dominated most of the first half.

"I asked the players to be brave, move it and get down the sides. These kind of victories are so enjoyable."

The win moves St Johnstone above Kilmarnock into eighth having played a game more.

Just two hours after full-time, Kilmarnock announced the departure of Alex Dyer by "mutual consent".

• Reaction & as it happened

Callum Davidson's side started with zip in their play early doors as the impressive David Wotherspoon found McCann with a cross, but the midfielder could only direct a shot straight at Danny Rogers after making a yard for himself.

Wotherspoon again had the Kilmarnock backline scrambling with another dangerous delivery as Davidson looked certain to nod home, and he would have but for a goal-saving intervention by Zeno Rossi at the back post.

With the visitors firmly on top, they were dealt a sucker punch as Burke latched on to the ball, made his way into the box and feinted to shoot on his left before dispatching a low finish across Zander Clark early on. An end product we have seen more than once before from the veteran winger.

Davidson's men responded well, as Wotherspoon tried his luck from distance and Melamed forced Rogers into a save.

But it would be the hosts instead who would strike again as Rory McKenzie's cross from the left was struck towards goal by Nicke Kabamba, however the striker's effort fell straight into the path of Tshibola who prodded home a second.

Burke could have put the game out of sight by half-time - which seems extraordinary considering how well St Johnstone played in the first half - but Clark thwarted the 37-year-old's strike at his near post.

It always felt like the visitors could get themselves back into the contest, and they did just that eight minutes into the second period as Scott Tanser's low cross took a nick and fell perfectly into the path of Melamed who finished from close range.

St Johnstone continued to push and got their deserved equaliser as Jason Kerr rose highest at the back post to head across goal where Davidson slid home the leveller.

And just four minutes later St Johnstone completed the dramatic turnaround as Melamed fed McCann who unleashed a stunning low strike from 20 yards into the bottom-right corner to cap off a fantastic performance.

Man of the match - Ali McCann

It was a toss-up between McCann, left, and Wotherspoon, who were excellent in St Johnstone's engine room, but the 21-year-old's superb winning goal seals it

What did we learn?

Pressure had been mounting on Dyer in recent months, but Saturday's defeat proved to be the last straw. The 55-year-old's comments pre-match stating that the game was a "must win" tells the story of the significance of the loss.

Where does this leave Kilmarnock now? There is no doubting the Ayrshire club have a talented squad that are currently underperforming, and with a handful of managers boasting Premiership experience waiting in the wings they will fancy themselves to turn their fortunes around.

As for St Johnstone, there has been an element to their play recently that has felt like something was about to click in attacking sense. No one quite expected it to happen halfway through a game.

So often this season Davidson's side have done the right things in the first two thirds, but now the Perth side look like they are starting to motor in attack, and that can only bode well heading into the final months of the campaign.

What they said

Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer: "We organised ourselves going in at half-time, we were steady and we were controlling the game. As soon as they got a goal back we started panicking and we went to bits.

"When it went 2-2 there was only one team going to win it. We looked scared. That's our problem at the moment. It's these games we should be getting maximum points in."

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson:

What's next?

Both clubs return to league action in midweek as Kilmarnock host Celtic (19:45 GMT) on Tuesday while St Johnstone travel to Rangers (19:45) the following evening.