Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell hailed Kevin van Veen’s commitment after the striker played through injury to net in his eighth consecutive game.
The Dutchman overcame a foot knock which he had suffered last weekend to score a re-taken penalty in confident style as Well beat St Johnstone 2-0 to confirm their cinch Premiership status for another year.
Van Veen saw his initial effort saved but Remi Matthews was penalised for coming off his line too early and the in-form striker then chipped his second penalty over the diving goalkeeper to give the visitors a 52nd-minute lead.
It was his 26th goal of the season, his 11th in eight games and a 22nd in the league, which leaves him two behind Premiership top goalscorer Kyogo Furuhashi, one of three Celtic players the Motherwell man goes up against in Sunday’s PFA Scotland player of the year awards.
Van Veen is the first Motherwell player to score in eight consecutive top-flight games since the Second World War and the first in Scotland since Craig Dargo for Inverness in 2005-06.
Kettlewell said: “Undoubtedly he catches the headlines, we understand why, eight games in a row he has now scored, but he is very much committed to the cause, which everybody can see.
“He played through an injury and if you’re not committed to the cause then he’s chapping my door telling me he wants to sit at the side.
“It’s just a knock on his foot, it’s not a great issue, but he hasn’t trained an awful lot this week.
“I think everybody could see that wasn’t his best day but he still comes up with another goal.
“He gets the second bite at the penalty, shows unbelievable composure to do what he did with the second effort. That was tremendous.”
Kettlewell, whose side killed off the game in stoppage time, added: “I’m delighted for Mikael Mandron to get his first league goal for us and I thought his efforts deserved it as well.”
The result leaves St Johnstone just three points ahead of the danger zone and manager Steven MacLean bemoaned a lack of quality in the final third after his side failed to test Liam Kelly.
“I thought we just lacked that little bit of quality,” he said. “I thought first half we were the better side and got into good areas and (lacked the) final ball, that wee bit of killer instinct.
“Second half I don’t think we started well enough but they only looked dangerous in transitions and then we concede the penalty.
“Remi saves it and it gets called back by VAR. It is what it is. I think Remi was off his line, the fourth official said that.
“The second goal, we are having a go and trying to get back in the game, I will take that one. But there was nothing in the game – they get the penalty and that changes the game.”
Rangers 2-0 St. Johnstone: Cerny double provides Ibrox redemption
Rangers got back on track in the Scottish Premiership as Vaclav Cerny scored both goals in a 2-0 victory over St. Johnstone.
Philippe Clement's side were thrashed 4-1 by Lyon in Thursday's Europa League clash at Ibrox Stadium, where they made amends with a routine domestic victory on Sunday.
Cerny broke the deadlock 11 minutes before the interval, cutting inside and curling a sumptuous effort into the bottom-left corner of Ross Sinclair's goal.
Czech Republic winger Cerny added Rangers' second, and doubled his account, just before the hour after combining with returning midfielder Ianis Hagi before producing a right-footed finish into the far corner.
Hagi – who had not played a first-team game for over a year due to a contract dispute – was sent off with nine minutes left though, following a VAR review for a high challenge on Benjamin Kimpioka's standing ankle.
Rangers still recorded a comfortable triumph to move back within five points of the league-leading Celtic, who are clear of Aberdeen on goal difference, heading into the October international break.
Data Debrief: Defensive recovery after Lyon pain
Rangers were well off the pace in the Lyon hammering in which they shipped four goals, though the hosts rediscovered their defensive solidity here.
Clement's men have now won three matches in a row without conceding in the competition for the first time since doing so across January and February last campaign.
It came as no surprise, however, given St. Johnstone have lost each of their last seven away league games against Rangers without scoring a single goal in the process.
Manning bemoans Bristol City struggles after Severnside derby draw
Bristol City manager Liam Manning was left to rue another disappointing showing after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Championship strugglers Cardiff City.
Manning's side are eight places and six points clear of bottom-side Cardiff after a frustrating performance at Ashton Gate.
Luke McNally's powerful header 17 minutes from time rescued the hosts after Bluebirds winger Ollie Tanner had the away side ahead with a fine individual goal in the second half of the Severnside derby.
Tanner and Rubin Colwill both missed presentable chances with Cardiff leading and Manning conceded his side were far too open in a performance that has characterised their stop-start campaign.
"I think when I look at the week, it's probably a little bit of us this season. I'm frustrated, I think, that we haven't got more points," Manning said on Sky Sports.
"I thought we had some good moments and good chances, especially early on. Probably frustrated is how I am feeling right now.
"We gave up too many chances, too many little bits that weren't quite right that led to them having decent opportunities, which probably didn't happen in the previous two games.
"I think the division will be one of the tightest in a long while. The margins are so fine."
McNally's late leveller came after Cardiff failed to clear their lines following Fally Mayulu hitting the post.
Interim Cardiff manager Omer Riza was frustrated to concede in such a way, saying his side had worked on similar situations in the week building up to the hotly anticipated second-tier derby.
"The boys played really well, they played with energy and with character," Riza said on BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"We wanted to dominate the ball and I felt we did that in certain instances in the game and we managed to get our noses in front.
"We are a little bit deflated in the end not to come away with the three points because the goal has come from something we've been working on, clearing our lines at the right times and not taking risks.
"The performance overall was wholehearted and the boys showed that they care about the supporters and care about the team."
Williams shares blame as Athletic miss three penalties against Girona
Inaki Williams acknowledged Athletic Bilbao missing three penalties against Girona cannot happen in LaLiga, while taking the blame for his part in the disappointment.
Alex Berenguer was denied by Paulo Gazzaniga in the first half from 12 yards, with Williams then denied in the second period by the Girona goalkeeper on Sunday.
Gazzaniga was adjudged to have stepped off his line too early for the Williams spot-kick save, though the former Tottenham man then saved from Ander Herrera's retaken penalty.
In a remarkable turn of fate, Cristhian Stuani converted a 99th-minute penalty for the visiting Girona to snatch a 2-1 victory, much to the dismay of Athletic winger Williams.
"There are no excuses, we missed three penalties. I plead absolutely guilty, we can't miss three penalties. This can't happen in LaLiga," a frustrated Williams said.
With Williams' miss not officially counting due to the retake, Athletic became the first side in LaLiga to miss two penalties in one match since Real Madrid in 2022.
It was also the first time this century that the Basque club have suffered such a feat in the competition, solely down to the heroic exploits of Gazzaniga.
"I'm happy for the three points the team got. I don't remember another match like this," Gazzaniga said.
"Again, I would like to highlight the work of the team because without them it wouldn't have been possible.
"We were studying the penalties with the goalkeeping coach and this time it worked out well."
Girona's victory ended a four-match winless run in LaLiga heading into the October international break.
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