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Simo Valakari's side can clinch the title against Neil Lennon's Dunfermline Such has been their dominance of the Scottish Championship this season, it seems like we have been expecting St Johnstone to be confirmed as title winners for months now. Indeed, Simo Valakari's side have led the second tier ever since their opening-day statement win over Partick Thistle on 2 August. Ironically, it was Thistle who have been their closest, and effectively only, challengers since that 5-1 thrashing in Perth. And, with the Glasgow side conceding a late equaliser away to relegation-threatened Airdrieonians on Saturday, St Johnstone are now within two points of the title and promotion back to the Premiership just a year after relegation. That could come live on the BBC Scotland TV channel on Tuesday as they visit Dunfermline Athletic in a match postponed from Saturday because of their hosts' participation in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. If they do so, the only surprise will be that it has taken them until the third last game of the season to officially start the celebrations. Highlights from crucial weekend games in SPFL Leading Dunfermline to final 'up there with anything' for Lennon Championship Dunfermline upset Falkirk to reach Scottish Cup final Considering they retained a core of their Premiership-quality squads after relegation, St Johnstone and Ross County entered the season as strong favourites for the title and an immediate return to the top flight. However, County's experience this season has proven it was going to be no foregone conclusion. Whereas Saints have marched relentlessly towards the title, their Dingwall rivals have been languishing at the other end and remain a point behind Airdrieonians at the foot of the table with only two games remaining. Despite having ditched two managers - Don Cowie and Tony Docherty - and bringing back the previously successful Stuart Kettlewell, County are in danger of following Hamilton Academical's example of the previous season by suffering successive relegations. St Johnstone, in contrast, look to have been rewarded for their loyalty to Valakari. The former Motherwell, Derby County and Finland midfielder had himself been brought in as a potential saviour from relegation after Craig Levein was sacked with his side sitting 10th of the 12 clubs just five games into last season. However, despite having vowed to "create something special", Valakari's St Johnstone were to finish bottom, five points behind County and a further four adrift of Dundee. While pleasing to the eye, their manager's desire to "engage the fans" by insisting on "exciting football" played out from the back looked to have been counterproductive in terms of results. Despite that, American owner Adam Webb stood by the Finn, just as he had done in January 2025 when announcing his own recovery from the cancer diagnosis made just two weeks after he completed his purchase the previous July. Webb was looking to the long term, vowing not to "break the bank" to avoid relegation as he looked to keep the club "sustainable". By November, now in the Championship, he was able to suggest they had been able to "weather the storm" of relegation without the need for a cash injection. Saints fans seemed happy to put their faith in Valakari and, by January, Webb was proclaiming the meditation-loving Finn the "UK's most beloved coach" as the club honoured him with his own beer. Josh Mc Pake's goals have been crucial for St Johnstone After selling emerging talent Makenzie Kirk to Portsmouth and another quality striker, Benjamin Kimpioka, to Sivasspor, along with releasing some well-known veteran campaigners, Saints plucked some gems with Championship experience from their rivals last summer. It paid off as they won their opening four League Cup group games, followed by their first seven in the league. Two goalless home draws with Ayr United and County, plus a defeat in Arbroath, allowed Thistle to close to within three points with a game in hand in October. Then, when Thistle beat Saints 2-1 at Firhill in November and the Perth side lost by the same scoreline at home to third-tier Cove Rangers in the Scottish Cup, it looked like the leaders were in trouble. Only behind by goal difference in December, Thistle missed a chance to go top when they were held to a goalless draw away to Ayr on the same day Saints had the same scoreline at home to Raith Rovers - and they have never come as close since. At times Saints have been as many as eight points ahead, but Thistle did travel to Mc Diarmid Park within striking distance in January, only for a 2-2 draw to preserve a two-point lead and Thistle were still not able to capitalise in February when Valakari's side drew with Rovers and Queen's Park. Josh Mc Pake, who scored 17 of his 19 goals this season by February, has been such a revelation under Valakari that the 24-year-old winger plucked from fourth-tier Stirling Albion has earned a summer move to Heart of Midlothian. The January addition of forwards Josh Fowler, Alfredo Agyeman and Ruari Paton also proved vital in continuing the momentum and building a superior goal difference. Not surprisingly, Saints have six players named in the PFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year - twice as many as Thistle. Title-winning medals appear likely to follow, if not at East End Park on Tuesday, certainly before the end of the season. Mark Wilson's Thistle have kept up a dogged pursuit all season and are seven games unbeaten, 12 in the league, but they let their 2-1 lead over the Diamonds slip on Saturday when Lewis Mc Gratten popped up in the 90th-minute to equalise. That has handed the initiative back to a Saints side who are four points ahead and are themselves nine unbeaten, 11 without defeat in the Championship. Their last league defeat, though, came at home to Tuesday's hosts - 1-0 in January. Neil Lennon's side spent the weekend booking their place in the Scottish Cup final after a penalty shootout victory over Falkirk. It was clearly a physically, mentally and emotionally gruelling experience for the Pars before the elation of triumph on the Hampden turf. The question will be what sort of impact that has on them on Tuesday night? They are sure to receive a rapturous reception from the home faithful as they look to enhance their own promotion play-off credentials, having slipped to third as Arbroath went three clear again by defeating Rovers. However, such is the expectation of the travelling support that extra seats have been made available for their support. Matches between St Johnstone and Dunfermline have been tight this season, the Perth side winning 2-1 at home in September before a 2-2 draw in their last visit to East End in November. Lennon's side have lost once in 11 outings - away to Thistle when he shuffled his side in preparing for their semi-final - but St Johnstone too are in great form as they look to take that final step towards a return to the Premiership at the first time of asking. 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