The under-19s produced a clinical performance on Tuesday evening to defeat Bonnyrigg Rose 7-3 in the CAS Cup.
Held on the all-weather surface at McDiarmid Park, the young Saints set the tone from the first whistle and were fast out of the blocks.
Murray Binnie and Oliver Preston both went close to making the breakthrough in the opening minute.
Binnie soon found himself in another promising position and kept his composure to tuck beyond the goalkeeper with just five minutes played.
He would turn provider in the 15th minute by breaking into the box and cutting back for strike partner Jack McArthur to slot home from close range.
Binnie then nodded narrowly wide of the far post before captain Arran Brookfield dispatched Jack Robertson’s impressive cross at the back post.
As the break approached, a quick-fire double from McArthur saw him complete his hat-trick and gave Saints a comfortable 5-0 advantage.
More of the same would be the message and Hector Ashworth made it six in the 50th minute when he reacted quickest to turn over the line after Dougal McAdam’s strike had been well-saved.
Bonnyrigg, to their credit, continued to battle and started to apply more pressure. They were rewarded in the 66th minute with their first of the evening.
Saints goalkeeper Callum Mustard saved a 73rd minute penalty but was unable to prevent the visitors from closing the gap with two strikes from close range as the game reached its latter stages.
In stoppage time, McAdam rounded off the win for Saints with a neat, angled finish across the goalkeeper.
SAINTS: Mustard, Brookfield, Martin, Russell, Murray (Voy 83), Ashworth (Gray 67), Preston, Robertson (Shaeb 59), McArthur (Kerr 59), Binnie (Trialist 59), McAdam.
