St Johnstone

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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St Johnstone have fuelled their relegation escape bid with their Cup exploits and now they have the reward of a trip to Hampden to celebrate.

It was with the win over Motherwell back in January that Simo Valakari's ended a nine-game run without victory, and they haven't looked back since.

They were cut miles adrift at that point, with relegation seemingly a foregone conclusion. Since that victory at McDiarmid Park, they've won six of the last nine.

It wasn't always as easy as that in West Lothian. In the first half, they relied on Andy Fisher's heroics in goal and some wasteful Livingston attacking to go into the break level.

But in the second half, they were able to beat the Livi press and put more pressure on the home goal, with Graham Carey's screamer sealing progression.

With the talismanic Irishman on the pitch, seemingly able to score from anywhere, anything is possible. They'll need some more Cup magic if they are to beat Celtic in the semis, though.

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Graham Carey. Has to be the man that won it, but a word for Andy Fisher too. The goalkeeper was pointed out by his manager after the game, as he kept them in it in the first half.

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Holders Celtic will take on St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-finals next month.

The tie will be played at Hampden on the weekend of 19-20 April.

Hearts face Aberdeen in the other semi-final.

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Livingston's squad is in good health but loan striker Stevie May cannot face his parent club.

St Johnstone have Benji Kimpioka and Victor Griffith pushing for recalls, while Uche Ikpeazu, Bozo Mikulic (both knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) are out long term.

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St Johnstone's Drey Wright says adapting to playing in various positions is "a bit like being inside a washing machine".

The 29 year old is best known as a winger, but he has been utilised in defence as well as attack for the team during the course of the season.

He said: "It is a bit like being inside a washing machine, it has been okay, I have missed a lot of football in my career through injury so just to be fit, healthy, playing, is the most important thing for me.

"I think it shows a lot of faith from the manager that he believes I can do a job in different roles and I am just trying to repay that faith and give the best I can for the team.'

"It is not really bothering me what position I am playing as long as I can help."

And the versatile Wright added: "Possibly, the Kilmarnock game away, I think it was the beginning of the second half, I think I was in my third position and Derek McInnes made a comment, he said 'are you just going to play everywhere?'"

"It is being noticed, but if it keeps people guessing, then hopefully that can just benefit us."

St Johnstone may be three points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership, but their form has improved in recent weeks.

They have lost just two of their last eight games in all competitions, and are hoping their upturn in fortunes continues when they travel to play Championship Livingston in the Scottish Cup quarter finals on Monday night.

Wright said: "It has gone well so far for us [the cup], beating Motherwell was what started this little bit of rejuvenation for us and we have carried that on and it was nice in the Ross County game to get back to winning ways after a couple of disappointing results and a good point on Saturday with how the game turned out against Dundee.

"So we are looking to carry that on against Livingston, I have played them a number of times down there over the years, always a difficult game, especially against David Martindale's team , so it will be a tough test for us but one we are looking forward to."

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The draw for the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup will take place on Monday after the Livingston v St Johnstone game (19:45 GMT kick-off) on BBC Scotland.

Hearts have already booked their place thanks to a 3-1 win over Dundee.

Aberdeen host Queen's Park on Saturday - live on BBC One Scotland - and Hibs visit holders Celtic on Sunday.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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No wonder David Martindale thinks his Livingston side have "more than a wee chance" of knocking Premiership visitors St Johnstone out of the Scottish Cup on Monday.

They have already sent one top-flight team - Ross County - packing this season and this time they have home advantage.

Not only that, the visitors are three points adrift at the bottom, in danger of relegation, while Livingston are in the mix for a swift return to the Premiership.

Draws with Partick Thistle and, on Wednesday, at home to Raith Rovers mean Martindale's side have dropped to third, three points behind Falkirk, but they remain unbeaten in 11 outings, including six at home.

However, Saints will look to take positives from a draw away to Dundee on Saturday that prevented the second-bottom side extending the gap between them and Simo Valakari's improving side, who have now only lost twice in eight.

A close encounter is on the cards in front of BBC Scotland television channel cameras before the live draw for the semi-finals.

• Livingston lost 4-2 away to eventual winners Celtic in the quarter-finals last season.

• This is the furthest St Johnstone have gone in the cup since lifting the trophy for a second time in 2021.

• Livingston last reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals in 2004, losing to Dundee United.

• Livingston won the latest meeting between the sides, 2-1 at home in May, having drawn the previous three in their relegation season.

• Livingston are five unbeaten at home to Saints since a 2-1 defeat in February 2022.

• Saints won 2-0 in Perth in their latest Scottish Cup meeting with Livi in November 2013 and have won once in Livingston in the cup, 3-1 in February 1999.

What to look out for on Scottish Cup quarter-final weekend.

Latvia head coach Paolo Nicolato has been paying close attention to the steadily rising form curve of new St Johnstone defender Daniels Balodis. (The Courier), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Simo Valakari has urged his St Johnstone players to grasp their "big opportunity" to reach the Scottish Cup semi-finals, saying they might "never get a better chance to play at Hampden".

Saints visit Championship title chasers Livingston in the last eight on Monday night, live on BBC Scotland.

Manager Valakari said: "As a club, as a team, as an individual player, you can be thinking 'I will get more chances in my career.'

"But maybe you are never going to get a better chance to play at Hampden so you need to release this moment, you need to go freely, a nothing to lose attitude and go there and try to make it happen.

"Of course it is a big opportunity, there is a lot of financial situations there but most of all there is this pride as a player to go for the Scottish Cup. It is an achievement in this."

St Johnstone are three points adrift at the foot of the Premiership, although their form has significantly picked up in recent weeks, while Livingston sit third in the Championship and are undefeated in 11 games across all competitions.

Valakari believes the sides are similar in quality, saying: "The overall table, it is only three positions, it is nothing.

"And because you are near the top of your league, you are winning games. We are bottom of our league, we have not won enough games so basically they are positive, they are used to winning.

"But then I think everyone has seen we are in good form as well and we have a good team, good players."

"It doesn't matter if you are Premiership, Championship, League One, because you are in this round you are level. We can't think 'Okay we are the Premiership team, it is easy' – we are very humble but we are very well prepared as well."

Saints will need to be wary of Livingston striker Teti Yengi, a player Valakari revealed he once tried to sign.

He said: "When I was coaching in Finland and he was in Finland I tried to get him in my team because I really liked how he played.

"And when I left KuPS he just came there , so I know he can hurt."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has been speaking to the media before Monday night's Scottish Cup quarter-final at Livingston.

Here are the key lines:

• Valakari says it is a "big game" and a "big opportunity" and his side need to take a "nothing to lose attitude" into it.

• He praised Livingston, describing them as a "very well coached" side with real individual quality and a great team ethic and warns: "We really need to be ready."

• He says Livi use the dark football arts - or "all the smart tricks" - to win games, for example "they will only put water on one half of the field". Valakari adds: "I like it, that is how it should be."

• Valakari revealed that while he was coaching in Finland he tried to sign current Livingston striker Tete Yengi.

• He doesn't think there is much of a gulf between the teams, noting Livi are used to winning games and will be in a positive mood, but insists "we are in good form".

• Valakari says that while there would obvious financial benefits to getting to a semi final at Hampden, pride is also a huge driving factor.

• Team news: No injury worries and "everyone is training".

St Johnstone sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership table, three points adrift of Dundee and six points from Kilmarnock in 10th.

The Perth Saints drew 1-1 against Dundee last weekend, but can they push themselves to safety?

You know your club best, so what is the one thing regarding St Johnstone - good or bad - nobody is talking about?

Let us know., external

Sam Miller
Fan writer

It's the hope that kills you. For three brief minutes on Saturday afternoon we had eaten up all 10 of the points we were adrift by.

A Simon Murray equaliser and a share of the spoils away to Dundee wasn't a disaster. It wasn't a must-win game, more a must not lose.

With that achieved and momentum still on our side, it's still a two-horse race for the trap door, but I still fancy us to upset the odds. Again.

The Scottish Cup quarter-final at Livingston this weekend will be a great gauge to see how we fare against a title contender. We might just be facing one of them come the end of May.

Sam Miller can be found at Dogger Saints, external

Sportscene pundits Cammy Bell and Michael Stewart analyse Makenzie Kirk's goal in St Johnstone's draw against Dundee.

Watch all the action from Dundee and St Johnstone's 1-1 draw in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

We asked for your views on St Johnstone's 1-1 draw against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Jimmy: A battling performance, I felt we should have won, one of those 'what if' moments when Adama Sidibeh swiped at the ball. All in all, it's a game we didn't lose, there are more points out there, points that we can earn when we play that bit better. I feel we need Benjamin Kimpioka back, he's had his ups and downs, he needs to knuckle down now and get back to scoring.

Roy: A chance missed but another encouraging performance. Despite being the only Premiership side to face three games in six days, Saints utterly dominated the worst side we've faced for many a season in the first half. Clearly tiring in the second half, we still did enough to fend them off. If we keep playing how we can, there is no way we will finish below them.

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• Dundee have failed to win in their last eight games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 6 April 2024 to 4 August 2024, a run of nine games.

• Dundee have won 11 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Kilmarnock (12) and Hibernian (13) have recovered more.

• St. Johnstone have scored in their last 9 games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 15 games from 5 April 2017 to 23 September 2017.

• St. Johnstone have lost 17 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Dundee (20) and Hibernian (18) have lost more.

• Simon Murray has contributed to goals in his last three games in the Premiership (three goals, 0 assists).

Dundee missed out on the chance to move six points clear of bottom side St Johnstone after being held to a draw by their relegation rivals at Dens Park.

Tony Docherty's hosts had to come from behind to earn a point but passed up numerous opportunities to claim all three.

Saints striker Makenzie Kirk fired the visitors ahead after 40 minutes with his 10th goal of the season, but their lead did not last.

Simon Murray latched on to captain Joe Shaughnessy's flick-on to net his 16th of the campaign and equalise just before half time.

The hosts dominated the second period but failed to find a winner. Aaron Donnelly, Murray and Scott Tiffoney were all guilty of missing big chances as Dundee make it eight matches without a win.

The gap between the league's bottom two remains just three points.

Let us know your thoughts on the game here., external

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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari: "One of our issues has been in these games, when we cannot win, we have lost it.

"Today we could not win, but we were able to the get draw, I am very pleased with that.

"I'm very happy with how we defended these moments at the end. Overall, an okay away performance.

"I feel it (the nerves), the fans feel it, the players feel it. The opponents made it difficult for us.

"Our players felt it physically and mentally but they enjoyed the moment.

"It's a tough league, we have been so deep, now we need to stay there and make this final push for everything to be good."