Saints were eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon after a 1-1 draw with East Fife and a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat proved insufficient to secure a place in the last 16.
Saints dominated possession for much of the match but struggled to break down a well-organised East Fife defence.
The breakthrough finally came in the final minute when Sam Stanton slotted home after Ruari Paton’s cross had been parried into his path by East Fife goalkeeper Derek Gaston.
However, there was a late sting in the tail for Saints as Jack Healy grabbed a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to send the match to a penalty shootout to determine who would claim the bonus point.
The sides were level at 4-4 after five penalties each, but Saints were beaten in sudden death. Derek Gaston denied Macaulay Tait before Jaiden Fairley converted the decisive penalty to hand the Methil side the extra point.
The result means Saints finish third in Group F with 7 points after four games.
Saints now turn their attention to the start of their William Hill Premiership campaign, with Kilmarnock visiting McDiarmid Park next Sunday. Kick-off is at 2pm.
MATCH REPORT
Saints welcomed East Fife to McDiarmid Park for their final Premier Sports Cup Group F match knowing victory was essential to keep their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive. There were seven changes to the side which started the 1-0 defeat at Inverness CT on Tuesday evening as Zach Mitchell, Sam Stanton, Matty Foulds, Logan Chalmers Liam Smith, Reece McAlear and Ruari Paton, who missed Tuesday’s cup-tie due to suspension, came into the starting eleven. They replaced Daniel Finlayson, Jack Baird, Morgan Boyes, Macaulay Tait, Taylor Steven, Kai Fotheringham and Josh Fowler who all dropped to the bench. East Fife came from behind to defeat Linlithgow Rose 3-1 in Methil on Tuesday evening and manager Dick Campbell made three changes to his starting eleven this afternoon. Derek Gaston replaced Matthew Rollo between the sticks, whilst Pat Slattery and Andrew Munro also came into the starting eleven. They replaced Reis Peggie and Cameron Ross who both missed out completely with the latter missing out due to suspension.
Ruari Paton got the match underway for Saints and the hosts created the first chance of the match on 3 minutes as Liam Smith’s delivery from the right was a fraction too high for Jamie Gullan who was unable to connect with the cross.
Saints created another opening on 12 minutes when Reece McAlear played the ball into Sam Stanton. The midfielder turned on the edge of the box before dragging his shot wide of the target.
East Fife got a sight of goal on 14 minutes however, Pat Slattery couldn’t make a clean connection with the ball as his effort went well wide of the target. Then shortly after the Fifers got another chance as Brian Easton connected with Kieran Millar’s header across the box however, the header from the former Saints player was comfortably held by Toby Steward.
PHOTO: Ruari Paton holds off Mamadou Bah
A fine pass from Stanton, with 11 minutes of the first half remaining, released Matty Foulds down the left. His cross into the box found Gullan, but the forward’s low right-footed effort was well saved by Derek Gaston.
A Logan Chalmers corner from the right on 42 minutes was met by Paton at the back post and his header was initially saved by Gaston, a scramble in the East Fife box then ensured before Gaston was able to gather the ball at the feet of Zach Mitchell.
PHOTO: Logan Chalmers is closed down by Jaiden Fairley and Mamadou Bah
Saints made a change before the second half got underway as Josh Fowler came on to replace Jason Holt.
McAlear gathered the ball from Foulds on 52 minutes before unleashing a curling strike from distance which went wide of the target. Saints continued to control possession as they pushed to find a breakthrough and on 55 minutes Logan Chalmers got a sight of goal but his effort from distance didn’t trouble Gaston in the visiting goal.
A good move down the right on 62 minutes saw Smith play the ball to the feet of Chalmers but his curling effort from the edge of the box was well held by Gaston.
PHOTO: Reece McAlear shoots wide
Saints then made another change as Macaulay Tait came on to replace Logan Chalmers. Another change followed shortly after as Kai Fotheringham was introduced into the action, replacing Jamie Gullan.
Saints continue to control possession, but they struggled to breakdown East Fife who were well organised and with 15 minutes remaining McAlear unleashed another effort at goal from distance which sailed over the bar. Then on 81 minutes a strike from Tait deep inside the box deflected off Andrew Munro before ending up safely in Gaston’s arms.
PHOTO: Macaulay Tait and Jack Healy
The pressure continued and on 84 minutes Stanton picked out Paton on the edge of the box, but the forward dragged his effort wide. Then a minute later Fotheringham gathered the ball from Fowler however, his strike was deflected behind for a corner by Liam Newton.
Saints finally broke the deadlock in the final minute as Gaston could only palm Paton’s cross from the left into the path of Stanton, who slotted home from close range to hand Simo Valakari’s side a late lead.
PHOTO: Sam Stanton celebrates his goal
However, deep into stoppage time, East Fife levelled the match. Substitute Rob Jones played the ball out to Millar on the right, and the midfielder delivered an excellent cross into the box. Cheick Diabate didn’t clear the ball, which allowed fellow East Fife substitute Jack Healy to slot home at the back post to send the match to a penalty shootout to determine who would claim the bonus point.
Paton and McAlear both converted for Saints, whilst Jones scored for East Fife. However, Munro struck the crossbar for the visitors, to give Saints a 2-1 lead after two penalties each.
Saints advantage was short-lived, though, as Stanton saw his effort saved by Gaston before Healy calmly converted for the visitors to level the shootout.
Fotheringham and Fowler both converted their penalties for Saints, whilst David Wilson and Newton did likewise for East Fife, taking the shootout into sudden death.
Tait then had his penalty saved by Gaston, leaving Jaiden Fairley with the chance to win it. The East Fife midfielder made no mistake, calmly slotting home to secure the bonus point for the Methil side.
Saints: Steward, Diabate, Mitchell, Holt (Fowler 45’), Gullan (Fotheringham 72’), Stanton, Foulds, Chalmers (Tait 64’), Smith, McAlear, Paton
Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Boyes, Steven, Baird, Finlayson, Robertson
Booked: None
Scorer: Stanton (90’)
East Fife: Gaston, Wilson, Newton, Millar, Easton, Gaffney (Healy 72’), Slattery (Fairley 30’), Austin (Jones 77’), Milne, Munro, Bah
Unused Substitutes: Rollo (GK), Watson, Berry
Booked: Austin
Scorer: Healy (90+5’)
Referee: Peter Stuart
Attendance: 2,223
Match Report by Daryl Scott
Picture: Jamie Gullan battles with Mamadou Bah
