Match report

Saints made it four wins out of four in the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon as they recorded their biggest win at McDiarmid Park beating Elgin City 8-0 to progress to the last 16 of the competition.

Reghan Tumilty got the scoring underway after 3 minutes when he slotted home a fine strike for his first goal for the club.

Elgin were then reduced to ten men on 7 minutes after keeper Tom Ritchie was red carded for bringing down Adama Sidibeh just outside the box.

Makenzie Kirk doubled Saints lead on 20 minutes as he headed home a Josh McPake cross. Jamie Gullan made it 3-0 on 42 minutes before he got his second and Saints fourth of the afternoon in first half stoppage time.

Sam Stanton got his first Saints goal on 65 minutes as he slotted home number five before Uche Ikpeazu made it 6-0 on 78 minutes, prodding home a low Tumilty cross.

Kirk got his second of the afternoon a minute later with a stunning curling effort from the edge of the box. Sven Sprangler then rounded off the scoring on 84 minutes as he got his first Saints goal to make it 8-0.

The win means Saints finish top of Group F with 12 points and will be seeded for tomorrow's last 16 draw which will take place after the St Mirren vs Ayr United match.

Saints are back in action next Saturday as they get their William Hill Championship campaign underway as they welcome Partick Thistle to McDiarmid Park, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

Saints welcomed Elgin City to McDiarmid Park this afternoon for their final Premier Sports Group F match. Saints came into the match knowing that a win would secure top spot in the group and progression to the second round. There were four changes to the Saints starting eleven which defeated Raith Rovers 3-1 on Tuesday evening as Reghan Tumilty, Matty Foulds, Jack Baird and Makenzie Kirk came into the starting line-up. They replaced Fran Franczak, Taylor Steven and Cheick Diabate who all dropped to the bench, whilst Stevie Mallan missed out completely. Elgin City lost 4-1 at home to East Kilbride last Saturday and manager Allan Hale made three changes to his starting eleven. Both Ross Draper and Kane Hester dropped to the bench, whilst Miko Virtanen missed out completely, and they were replaced by Connall Ewan, Dylan Gavin and Noah McDonnell.  

Jack MacIver got the match underway for the visitors however, the League Two side would find themselves a goal down after 3 minutes. A lovely passing move by Saints saw the ball worked out to the left-hand side of the Elgin box as Jamie Gullan played in Reghan Tumilty and the right-back unleashed a fine strike across City keeper Tom Ritchie and into the far corner of the net for his first Saints goal.

The Black and Whites afternoon got even worse on 7 minutes as Ritchie was sent off after bringing down Adama Sidibeh on the edge of the box. From the resultant free kick Gullan saw his effort hit the Elgin wall before the visitors were able to clear their lines.

PHOTO: Reghan Tumilty celebrates his goal

On 18 minutes City got a sight of goal as Lewis Hyde unleashed a shot however, it was straight at Toby Steward who comfortably held the ball.

Then a minute later a lovely one-two between Jamie Gullan and Josh McPake played in the latter whose curling effort left City substitute keeper Thomas McHale rooted to the spot as the shot came back off the post. However, Saints doubled their lead on 20 minutes as McPake delivered a lovely cross to the back post and it was headed home by Makenzie Kirk.

Saints continued to apply pressure to the Elgin goal and on 22 minutes they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box after Gullan was brought down on the edge of the box by Brian Cameron. Gullan dusted himself down before taking the free kick which was blocked by Connall Ewan.

Just before the half an hour mark another lovely passing move by Saints saw Jason Holt pick out the unmarked Tumilty just outside the box however, he dragged his effort wide of the target.

PHOTO: Makenzie Kirk celebrates his goal with Jamie Gullan

With 9 minutes of the first half remaining a Gullan corner from the left was met by Jack Baird at the back post but his header didn’t trouble McHale.

Saints came close to getting a third on 40 minutes as a long ball from Morgan Boyes picked out McPake down the left and he played in Gullan, who was one-one-one with McHale however, the City keeper made a good save with his feet to deny the forward. There was nothing McHale could do 2 minutes later as Gullan got Saints third of the afternoon. A brilliant pass from Sidibeh played in Gullan and the forward got in behind the Black and Whites defence as he burst into the box before calmly slotting the ball beyond McHale.

The one-way traffic continued and Kirk fired a shot over the bar on 43 minutes before Gullan got his second and Saints fourth of the match in first half stoppage time. Reece McAlear played a lovely ball out wide to McPake and he cut inside and weaved his way into the box before unleashing a shot which was blocked by the City defence however, the ball broke to Gullan and he slotted it into the net to round off a dominating first half display.

Saints made a double change before the second half got underway as Sven Sprangler and Sam Stanton came on to replace Jason Holt and Adama Sidibeh.

On 49 minutes City keeper McHale made a good save to deny Stanton from close range after the midfielder had got on the end of a McPake cutback from the byeline.

More good play by Saints on 55 minutes saw McPake cut in from the left before firing wide of the target. McPake got another chance to extend Saints lead on 61 minutes as he got on the end of a deep Tumilty cross however, the header from the winger went over the bar.

Saints then made another double change as Cheick Diabate and Taylor Steven came on to replace Morgan Boyes and Josh McPake.

Sam Stanton made it 5-0 on 65 minutes as the midfielder got on the end of a McAlear cross from the left to head the ball back across goal and into the far corner of the net from a tight angle for his first Saints goal.

PHOTO: Sam Stanton scores Saints fifth goal

With 20 minutes remaining Elgin City substitute Kane Hester unleashed a shot from distance but Steward made a fine save as he tipped the ball over for a corner.

Gullan came close to completing his hat-trick on 74 minutes as his right-footed effort went inches over the bar. The forward then turned provider a minute later as he played in Kirk however, his effort bounced off McHale and hit the post before the Black and Whites keeper gathered the ball at the second attempt.

The relentless pressure from Saints continued and a cross from Matty Foulds picked out Gullan on 76 minutes however, his strike was only partially cleared by the visitors defence as the ball broke to Sprangler whose first-time volley drifted wide of the target.

Simo Valakari then made another change on 77 minutes as Uche Ikpeazu came on to replace Jamie Gullan and the forward made an instant impact as he slotted home Saints sixth goal of the afternoon a minute later, getting on the end of a low Tumilty cross to turn it beyond McHale.

Saints then made it 7-0 on 79 minutes as another good passing move saw Stanton play a lovely pass to Kirk and the forward moved the ball onto his right foot before curling a brilliant strike from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net for his second of the afternoon.  

It was proving to be an afternoon of firsts after Tumilty and Stanton had scored their first goals for Saints earlier in the match and with 6 minutes remaining Sprangler made it 8-0 with his first Saints goal. The Austrian was played in by Ikpeazu before sending McHale the wrong way with a fine left footed strike.

Saints didn’t let up and still pushed for more in the closing stages and in the final minute of the match Kirk unleashed a right footed effort from the edge of the box which was saved by McHale. Overall, it was a dominant and professional display by Saints as they recorded their biggest win at McDiarmid Park to finish top of Group F to progress to the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup.

PHOTO: Sven Sprangler celebrates at full time with Toby Steward

Saints: Steward, Tumilty, Boyes (Diabate 64’), Holt (Sprangler 45’), Sidibeh (Stanton 45’), Gullan (Ikpeazu 77’), Foulds, Baird, McPake (Steven 64’), Kirk, McAlear  

Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Svedberg, Bright, Franczak

Booked: None

Scorers: Tumilty (3’), Kirk (20’, 79’), Gullan (42’, 45+1’), Stanton (65’), Ikpeazu (78’), Sprangler (84’)

Elgin City: Ritchie, Booth, Murray, Cameron (Cooper 73’), Sargent (Ross 73’), O’Connor (McHale 9’), Ewan, Gavin (Hester 53’), Hyde, McDonnell (MacDonald 73’), MacIver

Unused Substitute: Draper

Booked: None

Sent Off: Ritchie

Referee: Peter Stuart

Attendance: 2,398

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Jamie Gullan celebrates his first goal with Makenzie Kirk