Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter
St Johnstone have suffered from goal-drought for what feels like forever. Not anymore.
Craig Levein may be gone but he deserves great credit for bringing Adama Sidebeh and Benjamin Kimpioka to the club. The latter stole the show at McDiarmid Park against Ross County with two goals.
Allan: Dundee will be a bigger test but what a game to win, season could look a brighter by next Saturday.
Craig: A much more complete performance. Benjamin Kimpioka needs that lifetime contract offered NOW! Worth every penny.
Robin: A routine home win - can't remember the last time we could say that. A team with a plan, a team happy to retain possession and a team not threatened by a County side hampered by ill-discipline was very pleasing. Moving on, Saturday is our biggest game of the season and we need a full 90-minute performance.
Anon: It was more like our St Johnstone that we haven't seen in a long time. They actually worked as a team having our two players back from suspension, no doubt was a big moral boost to the lads. Drey Wright and Matt Smith were brilliant as was Jason Holt. And when Makenzie Kirk came on he was just his usual self, got right into the nitty gritty and scored. Great player.
Image source, SNSJack Sanders attempted 96 passes in this game, the highest total for a St Johnstone player in the Premiership this season.
Benjamin Kimpioka has scored four goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player.
St Johnstone attempted 18 shots in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.
St Johnstone attempted 631 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.
Ross County have failed to score in four of their nine games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Premiership this season.
Former Dundee United, Wolves and Leeds left-back Barry Douglas, 35, is set for a trial period with St Johnstone. (The Courier), external
Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.
Image source, Getty Images
St Johnstone ended their seven-match winless streak with their first home Scottish Premiership victory this season against nine-man Ross County.
Despite being appointed on 1 October, new head coach Simo Valakari watched his side's win from the stand with the relevant paperwork yet to be completed.
The Finn would have had a smile on his face, though, when Benji Kimpioka cushioned in from close-range to deafen County cries of a foul in the build-up.
A quick VAR check - citing minimal contact - muted their pleas, and they were left shaking their heads once more when wing-back Eli Campbell was brandished a red card following two reckless and needless challenges inside the opening 31 minutes.
Even without the player advantage, St Johnstone were well within their groove and a second goal seemed a question of when, not if.
It should have came earlier than it did, as Kimpioka skied a glorious chance inside the box, but the forward made no mistake seconds later, latching onto Matt Smith's killer cross to power his shot past Ross Laidlaw.
Clark did celebrate a neat flick from close by but after a VAR check, his goal was chopped off for offside.
But County got no such reprieve when Charlie Telfer was shown a straight red when his dangerous, straight-leg tackle caught Sven Sprangler.
With virtually the last kick of the ball - and likely the last piece of action under Kirk's stewardship - Makenzie Kirk, caretaker Andy's son, toe-poked in a third.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone interim head coach Andy Kirk: "Hopefully we'll get things sorted this week for the manager and he can take over on the touchline, but, it's a good day for us and a win that we much needed, so I'm really pleased for the players and for fans.
"Any win in this league is important, no matter where and when it comes, but especially today at home, the supporters deserved that, the players definitely served that for the efforts they've put in over the last few weeks so we've got to be really pleased for them.
"Hopefully we can continue on that vein, and if we do we give ourselves a chance to pick up more points as the season goes on.
"The clean sheet side of it as well, to score three goals at home is great and we had the advantage, but sometimes that's not as easy to play against. "
On Kimpioka and Sidibeh: "They pose a threat for any defenders and they can score goals so when you've got those attributes, if we can create chances for them, then we give ourselves a chance to get the three points.
Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park
Image source, SNSWhen Kimpioka and Adama Sidibeh are in the mood, they really are a dangerous duo and a frightening prospect for most defences in the league.
They are both so powerful in their press and cause havoc with their movement.
Though Kimpioka got his double, he really ought to have been going home with the match ball while, at worse, Sidibeh should have been celebrating one of his many shots.
They spearheaded a well-organised and patient St Johnstone, whose fans can only be disappointed they didn't walk away with more.
At times, there was a little frustration at the way the team appeared content passing the ball around in the second half. Perhaps the events of the 3-3 draw with County just a matter of weeks ago are still in the minds.
But rarely do St Johnstone have the luxury of spraying the ball around with zero pressure, dominating and being in cruise control. Three things they were here.
They were clearly enjoying the freedom and time they had to concoct an attack, encapsulated by Graham Carey nifty footwork to set up the third and final goal.
Utter dominance and the most deserving of wins.
Kirk said pre-match the players were playing to prove themselves to Valakari in the stands. Many will have left a good impression.
With his brace, it could only be Benji Kimpioka.
Four shots, three on target, two goals. Though he really should've headed home with the match ball.
His strength was a County concern all afternoon and every one of his seven touches in the box spelled danger for the visitors.
Image source, SNSBoth sides at McDiarmid Park show two changes from defeats by the two sides of the Old Firm last time out.
While Simo Valakari is not yet officially in the St Johnstone dugout, you imagine the new team boss will have been the one who decided to promote midfielder Jason Holt and striker Adama Sidibeh into the starting line-up.
Defender Aaron Essel and forward Makenzie Kirk drop to the bench following the 2-0 loss to Rangers at Ibrox.
County's Don Cowie makes two changes from their 2-1 home defeat by Celtic.
In come striker Eamonn Brophy and Scott Allardice, whose fellow midfielders, Noah Chilvers and Aidan Denholm, drop to the bench.
Image source, SNSCounty's Charlie Telfer and Jordan White found something amusing in the St Johnstone match programme
Image source, SNSCroatian centre-half Bozo Mikulic is still waiting on a work permit after signing for St Johnstone, who remain without Uche Ikpeazu (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles).
Ross County defender Will Nightingale faces more than two months out following knee surgery. George Harmon (ankle) and Ricki Lamie (Achilles) remain out while Max Sheaf has had a setback in his recovery from a thigh problem.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari will not be in the dugout for Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash against Ross County, as the club say "the completion of relevant paperwork is still to be finalised".
Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland did pitchside duties for the Perth side's last outing - against Rangers - as Valakari watched on from the stands, and that will be the same arrangement this weekend, despite "extensive work behind the scenes".
St Johnstone say the situation is "currently outwith the club's control".
"Fans can be assured that the club is doing everything it can to speed up the process," chief executive Fran Smith said.
"Simo is understandably itching to get started and to take his place on the touchline. We will provide a further update to supporters as soon as possible."
Image source, SNSGus MacPherson and new Saints boss Simo Valakari
Leanne Crichton says she is "not convinced" with former St Johnstone manager Craig Levein’s suggestion that the side are better this season than they were in the previous campaign.
The Perth club sacked the former Scotland manager in mid-September after a run of four consecutive defeats and are currently on a run of no wins in seven, having appointed Simo Valakari as their new head coach earlier this month.
Crichton, speaking on BBC Scotland’s Scottish Football Podcast, suggests that a managerial change may not have been necessary if they were indeed a better side this season.
"I don’t know if they are, I’m not convinced by it," she said.
"I understand that they do now carry more of a goal threat than they did, I think they’ve got more pace in their side but ultimately a manager’s not being removed from a position if your side is doing better than they were last season.
"That is Craig’s opinion and I suppose time will tell with the squad that Simo Valakari has at his disposal. Can he turn that into a side that carries more of a goal threat, who carries that attacking prowess in the middle of the pitch, can they be defensively better organised?
"In their eight games, they’ve conceded 19 goals, that’s something that can be quite quickly addressed and how you play, maybe perhaps the fact that they have got more pace up top, it’s allowed them to think this season that they can open up and be more attacking and they’re still susceptible defensively for me.
"There is work there to be done, I do think they’ve got a couple of key players that you can look to improve and if you can keep the likes of Benjamin Kimpioka from picking up suspensions and red cards and other players along with that as well, you might go on to a good thing."
Simo Valakari, appointed St Johnstone manager on 1 October, is still awaiting a full work permit, with the club working hard to push through the paperwork in time for Ross County’s visit on Saturday. (Scottish Sun), external
Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone are unbeaten in four league meetings with Ross County (W2 D2), winning as many of those four (2) as their previous 15 against the Staggies beforehand (W2 D8 L5).
Ross County have only lost one of their last five league trips to St Johnstone (W2 D2), going down 1-0 in November 2023.
St Johnstone have lost all three of their home league games this season, the only side in the Scottish Premiership in 2024-25 yet to pick up a home point. Since the Scottish Premiership re-brand in 2013, only three sides have lost each of their first four home matches of a campaign in the division: St Mirren (2014-15), Dundee (2018-19), and Dundee United (2022-23).
Ross County are winless in 20 away league games (D8 L12) since beating Kilmarnock 1-0 in September 2023. Home and away, the Staggies have just one win in their last 11 Scottish Premiership fixtures (D6 L4).
This will be Simo Valakari’s first game in charge of St Johnstone, the first Finnish manager to take charge of a side in the Scottish Premiership since Mixu Paatelainen with Dundee United in 2015-16. Not since Billy Stark in October 2001 has a St Johnstone boss lost his first top-flight match in charge of the club.
Image source, SNSWillie Collum says Rangers should have been awarded a penalty against St Johnstone for a foul on Cyriel Dessers
Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum says it was the "wrong decision" not to award Rangers a penalty against St Johnstone for a shirt pull on Cyriel Dessers.
It was announced earlier this week by the SFA's key match incident review panel that Saints defender Aaron Essel should have been penalised for a tug on the Rangers striker.
"We expect a penalty kick here and we expect the referee to be brought to the monitor to review the decision," Collum said.
"You hear the referee saying he saw a 'small hold but it has no impact'... but is what the refereeing saying actually what happened? We don’t regard this as a 'small hold' and as having 'no impact'.
"We believe if this holding offence doesn't happen, the attacker has the chance to challenge for the ball. It's excessive holding."
The previous weekend, defender John Souttar was penalised for handball in the box following a VAR review against Hibernian.
Mykola Kuharevich's spot-kick was saved and the hosts maintained their 1-0 lead until full-time.
"It's the correct decision for us," Collum said of the Souttar incident.
“We think the Rangers defender throws himself to save the shot, block the shot at all costs. Unfortunately for him he's made his body bigger, for us it’s not natural.
"There’s a slight arm movement, although it’s not deliberate, but it’s certainly a punishable handball.
"There is every opportunity the goalkeeper could save the shot. So we would not support a red card, it isn't an obvious goalscoring opportunity."
The position of goalkeeper Jack Butland's feet in relation to the goal line was also discussed and Collum was "content" there was no need for a re-take.
We asked for your views on what you want to see from the Saints.
Here's what some of you said:
Daniel: The strength now lies in the attack with strikers who'll take chances, but Craig Levein just never seemed to get the players or fans believing enough for things to work. Simo Valakari's message is likely to be bought into more and likely be more fearless too. Could still be a surprise outfit.
Willie: We have good players, we need confidence and good shape, we need a coach who can make substitutions when they are needed. Give the fans belief and the fans will give their all. Most important of all make McDiarmid Park a fortress.
Ian: It's pretty simple for me, we need to shore up the leaky defence, make the most of our front men and get points on the board. Flowing football would be nice but we need a base to build from.
Image source, SNSCroatian defender Bozo Mikulic has become the first St Johnstone signing of the Simo Valakari era.
The centre-half started his career with RNK Split before earning a move to Sampdoria in Italy.
He would return to his homeland to join Hajduk Split and more recently played for Auda in Latvia under Valakari.
"I expect this to be a very difficult league physically," said the 27-year-old, whose most recent club was Albanian side FK Partizani.
"It is a great step in my career, I'm happy to be here and hopefully we have a good season ahead of us.
"It means a lot to sign for St Johnstone. I've been through several different countries and cultures and that has made me a lot stronger as a player and as a person.
"Simo was my coach two years ago and now being able to sign here is something amazing for me. I look forward to playing in front of our fans."
With domestic football making its return this weekend, we want to know what you're looking for from your side.
The Simo Valakari reign will start for real when St Johnstone host Ross County on Saturday.
After a seven-game winless run, what does the new boss need to improve between now and November's international break?
Give us your thoughts here, external.
Croatian centre-back Bozo Mikulic, 27, could become Simo Valakari's first St Johnstone signing after the free agent impressed during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Hibernian. (Courier - subscription), external
BBC Scotland chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering your questions.
David asked: In your honest opinion where do you feel Saints will finish this season?
Tom answered: Rejoice in the fact that I think St Johnstone are in serious danger of relegation. Why? Because I'm never right when it comes to this stuff, so you can relax. The good times are on their way.
From what I’ve seen so far, it looks like it's St Johnstone and Ross County who are in the most danger and I think Saints are, just about, in the most perilous state of all because their defence looks that little bit worse.
Take out the eight goals both clubs conceded in their matches against the Old Firm, St Johnstone still shipped 11 in their other six games. Ross County conceded six in six.
All of this might flip on its head as we go along, but right now, I see County in 11th and Saints in 12th.
Ronan Hale looks like he'll go on to score a fair amount of goals and he could prove the difference. But, remember, you’re talking about the Mr Magoo of the tipping world here.
New St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has handed a trial to Bozo Mikulic, the 27-year-old Croatian defender with whom he worked at Auda in Latvia and who is a free agent after leaving Albanian club Partizani Tirana. (Daily Record), external
St Johnstone will receive £25,000 in training compensation following Trinidad & Tobago midfielder Dan Phillips' summer move to Stevenage. (The Courier), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
