Our under-19s were defeated 6-3 by Edinburgh City in the Club Academy Scotland Performance/Advanced Youth league on Tuesday evening.
Saints had started the contest relatively strongly at the McDiarmid Park astro and Ethan Martin was not far away with a third minute free-kick.
He would have another opportunity shortly after, this time forcing a smart stop out of the ‘keeper before Dougal McAdam’s follow-up header was also saved.
The visitors, almost instantly, advanced up the other end of the pitch and nudged into the lead when their striker kept his composure to tuck into the net from a square pass across the box.
Undeterred, Saints hit back immediately. A terrific run to the byline from Jack Robertson saw him deliver a pinpoint, low delivery to the back post for Adam Shaeb to guide home.
The Perth youngsters would look to kick on but, instead, it was Edinburgh City who netted three in quick succession to boast a 4-1 advantage.
But Saints continued to battle and Robertson finished off a lovely, flowing team move on 41 minutes and then Shaeb curled in a beauty of a strike on the stroke of the break to set-up an exciting second half.
Unfortunately, the positive momentum could not continue as the game progressed and the capital club created breathing space on 54 minutes before rounding off the scoring in the final minute.
Saints: Flanagan, Brookfield, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist (Russell 55), Ashworth (Voy 63), Martin, Robertson (Gray 55), McAdam, Fyffe, Shaeb.
