Relegation rivals Dundee and St Johnstone needed to accept a share of the spoils in an in depth 1-1 draw at Dens Park.
Makenzie Kirk opened the scoring for Saints with Simon Murray responding for the house facet earlier than the break.
The hosts got here closest to discovering a winner within the second half with Scott Tiffoney hitting the woodwork.
The outcome leaves Saints nonetheless backside of the Premiership desk with Dundee three factors forward in eleventh.
The hosts made three modifications to the staff that misplaced to Motherwell at Fir Park in midweek with goalkeeper Trevor Carson changing Jon McCracken between the sticks, Cesar Garza coming in for Tiffoney and membership captain Joe Shaughnessy making his first begin since struggling a severe knee damage in April final yr on the expense of Ryan Astley.
The guests made one tweak to the facet that beat Ross County in midweek with Barry Douglas being drafted in for Jonathan Svedberg.
Carson was referred to as into motion within the twenty third minute when he needed to look vigorous to show away a whipped-in nook from Stephen Duke-McKenna.
St Johnstone then created the perfect alternative of the sport to this point when Drey Wright galloped down the left earlier than reducing the ball again to Adama Sidibeh however the striker utterly fluffed his strains and made a hash of the shot.
Nonetheless, it was Saints who lastly broke the impasse within the fortieth minute. A well-worked transfer was completed off with Sam Curtis delivering an inch-perfect cross in the direction of Kirk who despatched a looping header into the online.
That lead solely lasted three minutes with Dundee producing a quickfire equaliser. A protracted Aaron Donnelly throw from the left was flicked on by Shaughnessy with Murray lurking on the again put up to nod dwelling from shut vary previous Saints keeper Andy Fisher for his seventeenth objective of the season.
After that scoring burst, regular service was resumed after the break with an absence of goalmouth motion.
Dundee lastly had an incredible probability to take the lead when Fisher picked up a again move. An oblique free-kick was awarded 10 yards out with Lyall Cameron enjoying the ball again to Murray however his shot was blocked.
The Darkish Blues got here agonisingly near stepping into entrance within the 83rd minute when Tiffoney hit an incredible curling shot but it surely cannoned off the put up.
Deep in stoppage-time, Fisher got here to the rescue for Saints, tipping a Cameron shot over his crossbar to make sure the sport ended even.
What the managers mentioned…
Dundee boss Tony Docherty: “Bittersweet and mixed emotions – my overriding feeling was we did enough in the second half to win.
“As soon as the mud settles I’ve to be glad however the largest constructive was my captain was again and we appeared safer with Joe and Trevor Carson and Jordan McGhee.
“That’s something which has been lacking this season and that’s really pleasing.
“Joe was struggling. He was cramping up within the 76th minute however he bought via the sport and confirmed his character.”
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari: “I feel it was a good outcome. We performed some good things, Dundee performed some good things and each groups had their moments.
“It has been very well documented our problem has been these matches when we can’t win we’ve lost but we’ve got a very strong point so I’m pleased with that.
“I advised the boys to not let their heads drop at half-time as a result of it was a superb first half.
“There are still a lot of games to go. We have our own targets. Everyone can see what our players are trying to do.
“They’re very a lot on this combat and we at all times discuss having to remain within the combat and inside touching distance to offer us an opportunity. We have now given ourselves an opportunity to compete and that was the very first thing. Now it is as much as us. We have to make this ultimate push.
“They put their heads in dangerous places and it was a huge effort. We needed the support from the fans after this hard week. They pushed us.”
