St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright calls Kilmarnock defeat "the worst performance" he's ever seen
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright could not explain his side's 2-0 defeat to Kilmarnock as they turned in a performance he branded ``the worst 45 minutes'' of his six years at the club.
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright could not explain his side's 2-0 defeat to Kilmarnock as they turned in a performance he branded the worst 45 minutes'' of his six years at the club.
A brilliant early lob from Rory McKenzie and Conor Sammon's second-half header earned the visitors just their second victory in their last 12 matches.
However, it was an afternoon to forget for Saints as they commemorated their 132nd anniversary.
Wright said: I can't believe the first half and it's probably the worst performance since I've been here.
The number of mistakes, non-tackles, not winning second balls, misplaced passes, players caught in possession. You have to give Killie credit but I'm looking to my team and we didn't do the basics well.
Someone said you knew after a minute how your team will play, but we knew after about 15 seconds.
They'll not be able to explain it and I'm struggling to explain it because it was so poor. It was the worst 45 minutes I've seen.''
Saints goalkeeper Zander Clark was at fault for both Kilmarnock goals, slicing his clearance to McKenzie for the Rugby Park midfielder to lob him from 40 yards out.
And the McDiarmid Park custodian allowed Sammon's downward header from Jordan Jones' cross to slip through his grasp at his near post to complete a miserable afternoon.
Wright added: The pitch dried out because of the weather so it became bobbly, so I don't know why we didn't give good quality to the keeper.
The first goal is a comedy of errors, take nothing away from the finish, but it summed up our first half.
It was comical, brutal, and I'm sure it left a lot of fans numb because it certainly did myself and assistant Callum Davidson.''
In contrast, Kilmarnock boss Lee McCulloch was thrilled with his team's display as they bounced back from their late 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen last weekend.
The former Rangers and Wigan striker is currently in caretaker charge at Rugby Park after the departure of Lee Clark, and confessed to loving the role as he awaits a decision on the job in the longer term.
He said: I don't know what will happen, I was just thinking about today.
I don't know if it's getting the management bug but I have loved it.
It's an honest group of players and I've enjoyed working with them. There's been long days but I'm really enjoying it.
It doesn't harm the chances when the boys play like that, but I don't really see it as having chances, I just want to see the boys playing well.''