THE GREIGHT ESCAPE

Red-hot Josh keeps Saints eight clear in race to get up

- GORDON PARKS AT LESSER HAMPDEN

SIMO VALAKARI admits Lady Luck shone on Saints as Josh McPake's last-minute winner cemented their eight-point lead at the Championship summit.

Kai Fotheringham got the Perth side ahead but a brilliant individual effort from Josh Fowler pulled Queen's level.

Some late drama helped Saints extend their unbeaten league run.

And visiting boss Valakari insists his side almost paid the price for a sloppy first-half display.

Valakari, right, said: "To get to halftime at 1-1, we were lucky because we weren't good in the first half. The only quality we showed was our goal.

"Our opponent played very well but we didn't have our normal quality. The players knew that they needed to be better in the second half and we were.

"I wasn't angry at half-time because the players understood it.

Touches, passing and second balls were all not good enough. We knew we couldn't win playing that way.