The Welshman has had a pretty disappointing season but his double against Celtic suggested things were getting better. He then scored against Falkirk and St. Johnstone and made it three in three games today with a goal from a yard out to give Saints three golden points against Kilmarnock.
It wasn't pretty, although I found it quite entertaining. Arguably, neither side deserved to win. However, at this stage of the season results are all that matter. We won, Falkirk and Kilmarnock lost and if we beat Falkirk next week we are officially safe. There's still a long way to go, but things are a damn sight better than they were after this stage last season.
We were lucky that Kevin Kyle comically missed a superb chance to score and referee Craig Thomson denied Kilmarnock a number of half-decent penalty claims. There was also the usual late chaos that we brought on ourselves and I was convinced we would lose a point deep into stoppage time once again, but thankfully we held out. It's now in our own hands, and if we can do the business against Falkirk next week we can finally relax.
For the first time in recent memory we had the luxury of seeing seven players on the bench, with Craig Dargo and Allan Johnston back from injury to make up the numbers. However, it came at a cost as there was no sign of Billy Mehmet. If he was injured - and the lack of a place on the bench suggested he was - then it was certainly something that had been kept quiet. Michael Higdon was deployed in his place as we went with the side that drew in Perth last week, a concern as the former Falkirk man has nowhere near Mehmet's workrate. The concerns were well founded, and there's no way we can deploy him as a lone striker again. Chris Innes was on the bench - a bit worrying considering it left Lee Mair and John Potter to deal with the aerial threat of Kyle, as well as the likes of Simon Ford and Frazer Wright at set-pieces.
It was a header from someone else that caused the first real problem, Manuel Pascali failing to find the target from a Craig Bryson corner. Stephen O'Donnell then threatened at the other end after a poor clearance from the Killie defence, but his left footed shot only found the side netting.
There was a sight no one wanted to see after less than a quarter of an hour when the seemingly indestructible Hugh Murray clashed with Kyle and, surprisingly, failed to get up. After receiving treatment, the stretcher soon appeared. Several minutes passed before Shuggy was ready to leave the field and it was Garry Brady who came on in his place. When play resumed, Graham Carey nearly scored straight from a corner. At half-time came the good news that Shuggy was fine.
Kyle wasted no time in cementing his position as hate figure by barging into Barron. The striker's next involvement was a flick-on for Mark Burchill, but the former Celtic man's header sailed harmlessly over. At the other end Higdon had a half-chance from Steven Thomson's cross, but the header drifted wide. His next one from a Carey corner was on target, but sadly it was also right at keeper Cammy Bell.
We had the rare sight of eight minutes of stoppage time being signalled due to Shuggy's problems, and the period of "over-time" began with Brady having a decent shot that Bell saved before he embarked on a crazy charge forward that sadly ended in nothing. Lee Mair managed to get himself a few cheers when he clattered into Kyle and got away with it before Dorman couldn't get enough on a bouncing ball to force it home when he was just a yard out. A foul on Barron had earned Bryson a booking and Thomson joined him after a foul on Kyle, perhaps a bit harsh considering the striker had gone unpunished for his earlier infringements. There was a major let off in the sixth of the eight minutes when Scott Severin let fly with a piledriver that crashed off the woodwork and went to safety.
Killie made a double substitution at half-time, Burchill and Severin getting the hook with James Fowler and Chris Maguire replacing them. I was surprised Maguire hadn't started and his appearance for the second half was not good news as far as I was concerned. He caused havoc when he easily beat Potter and squared the ball across for Liam Kelly. Steven Robb appeared to have things covered but somehow he nearly let Kelly get the better of him and the two players pretty much hit the ball together, the result being it ending up with Gallacher.
There was another incredible let-off when the ball appeared to go out only for Barron to decide to keep it in - and promptly give it to Kyle. The Scotland man was in a perfect position to score, but amusingly he completely missed the ball when he swung his foot at it and the danger was gone. After that the ineffectual O'Donnell was replaced by Dargo as we went to a 4-4-2. It was the normal time of afternoon for a change, but it was earlier than normal as the second half had started late due to Shuggy's injury!
Brady got himself a yellow card after a silly kick at Kelly before an even sillier moment involving Kyle and Mair saw the former booked, to the delight of the home fans. Killie immediately made their final change and the good news was it ended the chances of Allan Russell scoring against us today as Gavin Skelton replaced Bryson.
Carey was having an outstanding game and a mesmerising run down the left with just over a quarter of an hour caused the Kilmarnock defence all sorts of problems and won Saints a corner. Carey himself took it and there were groans when Higdon headed it off the bar, but joy when Dorman nodded in the rebound from about half a yard to continue his supereb run of goal scoring form. It was well timed as, since we'd changed to 4-4-2, you'd hardly have known he was on the park!
It was important Saints didn't lose their lead straight away but Kilmarnock had a great chance to equalise almost immediately, Jamie Hamill heading over from a Skelton corner. We then suffered the major blow of losing Carey, who was already struggling before embarking on his terrific run. He eventually called it quits with 10 minutes left and Johnston replaced him. At least we can't moan at Gus for not using his subs this week!
Kyle went close from Kelly's throw-in, but Gallacher got down to save it as, once again, we began to get deeper and deeper in a bid to defend a lead. Calderwood chucked the imposing figure of Ford up as Kilmarnock pushed for an equaliser, which did open things up a bit when we were able to get forward - although Higdon shot wide when he had a decent chance at the edge of the box.
Late goals have been the problem but it looked as if there would be chance of one of them until 10 seconds from time. Gallacher was deemed to have carried the ball out of play and referee Craig Thomson promptly blew for a corner. This did not go down well with Gally, who got booked, but was up to redeem himself when, along with an unidentifiable team-mate, he was able to keep out Kyle's goalbound effort. Seconds later, Thomson decided enough was enough and signalled for full time to give Saints three unbelievably priceless points.
All that mattered was the three points, and we got them. Kyle was his usual self, but the defence gave as good as they got for most of the afternoon and kept him quiet. Aside from an incredibly shaky start to the second half and the usual stoppage time dramas, they seemed to do pretty well.
Three games to go, but a win next week renders the last two meaningless. Regardless of your thoughts on our manager, board, players and all the other stuff, if you can go to Westfield then do. I'll be there - will you?