Josh Fowler penalty earns St Johnstone win over Aberdeen and place in top five

Josh Fowler’s first-half penalty earned St Johnstone a 1-0 win over Aberdeen that sees them climb into the top five of the Scottish Premiership.

Fowler’s spotkick, awarded against Jack Milne after a lengthy VAR check, proved the only goal of the game as the Dons huffed and puffed to no avail in front of goal.

The sides were evenly matched going into the contest, both having taken eight points from their opening seven matches.

Aberdeen were four without defeat leading into the international break and made two changes from the 1-1 draw with Hibernian, Brad Lyons and Ayoub Mouloua coming in for Afeez Aremu and Toyosi Olusanya.

Saints had snatched a late draw with Falkirk in their last match, and they made five changes with defenders Zach Mitchell (injury) and the suspended Cheick Diabate dropping out, alongside Josh Campbell, Taylor Steven and Joel Cotterill.

St Johnstone were handed an early lead when, after a VAR check, Milne was penalised for handball from Fowler’s volley, and the former Queen’s Park man rolled the resultant spot kick straight down the middle.

Chances would prove to be at a premium for both sides but Aberdeen’s Ayoub Mouloua looked a real threat. He collided with Saints keeper Toby Steward midway through the first half as he chased a Chris Cadden knockdown, but both players were able to continue.

Referee Ryan Lee would incur the wrath of the home crowd as he kept Cadden off the park for a lengthy period while the Dons built an attack, and then quickly waved away Mouloua’s penalty claim as the Moroccan went down in the area.

Aberdeen’s best work was down the right, and Cadden was again involved as his cutback pinballed around the area as Saints tried to clear their lines, Steward happy to claim eventually.

A quick Aberdeen counter a couple of minutes later saw Mouloua create a yard of space on the edge of the area, before curling a wicked strike that Steward was at full stretch to push away from the top-right corner.

That would be Mouloua’s last involvement though, as the striker seemed to succumb to the effects of his earlier clash with Steward, being replaced by Lewis Smith.

There was one more chance for the Dons as Kevin Nisbet was slipped in down the right channel, but Steward was off his line to block.

The home side started the second half in command, forcing a series of corners from the off, culminating in Connor Ronan flicking wide after good work from Lyons to win the ball in a high press.

But they had a lucky escape when Mats Knoester left a backpass for goalkeeper Marius Muller criminally short, the keeper able only to smash the ball off Ruari Paton and watch as it dropped, well clear of the goal.

St Johnstone had an escape of their own as Milne broke from defence, sending Smith away on the right and his low clearance was turned over his own bar by Daniel Finlayson.

The Dons continued to press with Nisbet inches away from connecting with substitute Tony Yogane’s inswinging cross with 15 minutes remaining.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, fellow substitute Hicham Mahou, on for his Dons debut, flashed an effort into the side netting from another Yogane cross.