Our U19s lost out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle tonight in the Club Academy Scotland Performance/Advanced Youth league.
Saints fell behind on 24 minutes when Inverness defender Gavin Thomson latched on to a loose ball inside the penalty area following a corner. The youngster prodded home into the back of the net at the back post.
The visitors almost made it two shortly after when striker Jordan Alonge unleashed a powerful volley across goal. Saints keeper Callum Mustard pulled off a fine save to keep the score to just one.
Saints regrouped after this chance and enjoyed more possesion of the ball in the final third. On the counter, we were rewarded with a free-kick 25 yards from goal when Lucas Louden was brought down with his back to goal.
Fran Franczak, who was given the nod to feature from the start for Saints, took charge of the set piece and delivered a perfect strike into the top corner to make it 1-1 on 30 minutes.
The Saints youngsters were unfortunately unable to hold out until half-time as they went behind again right on 45 minutes. Leo Walker this time the scorer for Inverness as he fired home at the back-post.
The Highland outfit would go on to add a third just after the break when Jake Rodgers found himself on the scoresheet and he would go on to grab a fourth when he shot low past Mustard just before the hour mark.
Saints had chances to haul themselves back into the match with Franczak firing over the bar and striker Murray Binnie twice going close after cutting in from the left, but unfortunately Inverness ran out comfortable winners.
Saints: Mustard (Jack 78), Martin, Stewart, Murray, Brookfield (Russell 45), Poli (Parmenter 58), Preston (Trialist 72), Franczak, Binnie, Louden (Shaeb 72), Ashworth.
