Saints continued their unbeaten start to their William Hill Championship campaign this afternoon as they defeated Arbroath 3-0 at McDiarmid Park.
Saints took the lead on 31 minutes when Jack Baird scored his first goal for the club with a fine header from a Reghan Tumilty cross.
Cheick Diabate had a header cleared off the line early in the second half before Jason Holt doubled Saints lead on the hour mark. The midfielder had played a brilliant one-two with Adama Sidibeh before slotting the ball into the net for his first Saints goal.
Stevie Mallan rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot after Tumilty had been fouled by Jack Wilkie.
Saints are back in action next Saturday as they welcome Greenock Morton to McDiarmid Park, kick off 3pm.
MATCH REPORT
Arbroath were the visitors to McDiarmid Park this afternoon as Saints returned to action in the William Hill Championship. Saints lost 1-0 after extra time to Motherwell in the Premier Sports Cup last Saturday and Simo Valakari made two changes to his starting eleven as Reghan Tumilty and Josh McPake came in to replace Morgan Boyes and Sven Sprangler who both dropped to the best. Arbroath defeated Queen’s Park 3-1 at The City Stadium a fortnight ago and co-player managers Colin Hamilton and David Gold also made two changes to their starting eleven for this afternoon’s match as Ross Callachan and Luke Kenny came in to replace Craig Watson and Ryan Flynn who both dropped to the bench.
Ryan Dow got the match underway for the visitors however, it was Saints who would create the first chance of the match after 4 minutes as Josh McPake cut inside and drifted across the edge of the box before unleashing an effort that went wide of the post.
Saints were forced into a change on 11 minutes as Jonathan Svedberg came on to replace the injured Jamie Gullan.
A good passing move from Saints on 16 minutes saw Matty Foulds thread the ball in behind the Arbroath defence to McPake and the winger sent a lovely low ball across the box however, Aidan McAdams got down well to gather before Adama Sidibeh could make a connection with it. Then a minute later McPake unleashed a right footed effort which rippled the side netting.
The Red Lichties got a sight of goal shortly after as Scott Stewart unleashed a shot from distance that sailed high into the Ormand Stand.
Good pressing from McPake on 23 minutes saw him win possession from Luke Kenny before playing in Sidibeh whose effort was saved by McAdams. The Arbroath keeper was called into action again 2 minutes later as he used his feet to turn a McPake effort behind for a corner.
PHOTO: Josh McPake and Luke Kenny
Saints continued to apply pressure to the visitor’s goal and on the half an hour mark Stevie Mallan saw his shot deflected behind for a corner by Aaron Muirhead. You sensed something was coming for Saints and it did on 31 minutes as Simo Valakari’s side took the lead. Reghan Tumilty sent a brilliant deep cross into the box from the right and the header from Jack Baird was even better as the big defender sent a fine effort into the top corner of the net for his first goal for the club.
On 33 minutes a good pass from Tumilty played in Sidibeh however, the Gambian was fouled by Arbroath captain Thomas O’Brien, who was booked by referee Peter Stuart. From the resultant free kick Mallan played the ball into the box and it was met by Reece McAlear however, his header was deflected behind for a corner by O’Brien.
More good pressing by Saints on 37 minutes saw Sidibeh win the ball before slipping it into the path of Svedberg who came within inches of doubling Saints lead as his effort dribbled the wrong side of the post.
Arbroath created a couple of chance to get back into the match just before half time as Kenny got on the end of a Dow cross from the left on 44 minutes however, the header from the on-loan St Mirren defender was well held by Toby Steward. Then shortly after Dow unleashed an effort was distance which was straight at Steward.
PHOTO: Jack Baird scores for Saints
Saints made a change at the break as Morgan Boyes came on to replace Matty Foulds.
On 52 minutes Mallan saw his effort turned behind for a corner by former Saints player Ross Callachan. Mallan took the corner from the left and his delivery was met by Cheick Diabate whose header was cleared off the line by Gavin Reilly.
Saints doubled their lead on the hour mark as more good build-up play saw McPake play the ball to Jason Holt. The Saints captain then combined with Sidibeh to produce a lovely one-two as the Saints forward played a brilliant back-heel which allowed Holt to slot a composed right-footed effort into the corner of the net for his first goal for the club.
PHOTO: Jason Holt scores Saints second goal
More good play by Saints on 69 minutes saw the ball played out wide to Tumilty who raced down the ring channel before picking out Svedberg on the edge of the area. The Swede then sent over a dangerous ball into the box as he tried to pick out Holt at the back post however, Muirhead was alert to the danger as he turned the ball behind for a corner. The Red Lichties failed to deal with Mallan’s corner into the box as Tumilty gathered the poor clearance for the visitors before being brought down in the box by Jack Wilkie as Peter Stuart pointed to the spot. Mallan stepped up to take the penalty as he sent a powerful right-footed effort into the bottom corner of the net which gave McAdams no chance, despite the Arbroath number one guessing the correct way.
Mallan came close to further extending Saints lead on 74 minutes as he gathered the ball following a poor header from Muirhead before unleashing a dipping effort that went narrowly wide.
PHOTO: Stevie Mallan makes it 3-0 from the penalty spot
Saints then made a double change as Adama Sidibeh and Stevie Mallan made way for Uche Ikpeazu and Sam Stanton.
Saints continued to press for more goals and with 6 minutes remaining Holt saw his effort saved by McAdams. Stanton then saw his follow-up effort blocked by the Arbroath defence before Svedberg put his effort just past the post. Then 2 minutes later a cross from the left by Boyes was met by Ikpeazu however, his header was straight at McAdams.
Saints final change of the game came on 88 minutes with Josh McPake making way for Scott Bright as Simo Valkari’s side comfortably saw the game out to extend their unbeaten start to their William Hill Championship campaign.
PHOTO: Sam Stanton and Ryan Flynn
Saints: Steward, Tumilty, Diabate, Holt, Sidibeh (Ikpeazu 74’), Gullan (Svedberg 11’), Foulds (Boyes 45’), Baird, Mallan (Stanton 74’), McPake (Bright 88’), McAlear
Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Steven, Sprangler, Kirk
Booked: Foulds, Holt
Scorers: Baird (31’), Holt (60’), Mallan (71’ pen)
Arbroath: McAdams, Wilkie, O’Brien, Muirhead, Reilly (Gold 82’), Dow (Todorov 72’), Stewart, Callachan (Pettifer 72’), Marshall, Kenny (Watson 45’), Cochrane (Flynn 72’)
Unused Substitutes: Pettigrew (GK), Hamilton, Gallagher, Hickey-Fugaccia
Booked: Cochrane, O’Brien
Referee: Peter Stuart
Attendance: 4,013
Match Report by Daryl Scott
Picture: Jason Holt celebrates his goal
