Saints settle for bonus point from cup clash with East Fife

Posted Sunday, July 15, 2018 by PA

St Johnstone had to be satisfied with a bonus point after being taken all the way to penalties in their Betfred Cup opener with East Fife.

Tommy Wright’s men looked rusty as they kicked off their Group B campaign with a lifeless goalless draw against Darren Young’s Ladbrokes League One outfit.

But there was the consolation of an extra point as former Saints winger Craig Thomson missed in the shootout, with the Perth side’s new signing Drey Wright converting the winning kick in a 5-4 triumph.

The signs looked good for St Johnstone early on as they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck but despite sending a barrage of balls into the box, the hosts misfired time and again.

St Johnstone did conjure an opening after five minutes with a decent move started by Drey Wright.

The former Colchester winger darted down the right before finding Stefan Scougall in the box but Irish striker David McMillan could not beat Fifers stopper Brett Long as he connected with a first-time lay-off.

And the visitors almost grabbed a shock lead on 21 minutes as Scott McBride connected with Thomson’s cross but Clark blocked brilliantly.

Saints midfielder David Wotherspoon whipped a decent free-kick attempt just wide of target on the half-hour mark before Jason Kerr’s header deflected wide at the start of the second period.

Tommy Wright swapped his ineffective front pairing of Scougall and McMillan for Chris Kane and new recruit Tony Watt after the hour.

It almost paid off 10 minutes later as former Celtic hitman Watt sped to the by-line, but Kane could only find the side netting.

But Saints continued to labour in attack and were forced to settle the air from the spot, with Thomson seeing his kick pushed away by Clark before Drey Wright lashed home the triumphant effort.