Young Saints run riot in Youth Cup

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By Samuel Porritt

The game was due to be played on the main turf at McDiarmid Park, but amber flood warnings in Perthshire meant that the decision was taken to move the match to the all-weather pitch next door. 

St. Johnstone under 18s took on Falkirk in the 3rd round of the Scottish Youth Cup. Away victories over Partick Thistle and Inverness Caledonian Thistle were enough to get them to this stage, and they went into this game 12 games undefeated. Confidence was high.

The young Saints got off to an excellent start, opening the scoring within the opening 5 minutes of the game, before doubling their advantage soon after. The score was 2-0 at the break, but Falkirk were not down and out yet.

The visitors came out fighting in the second half and had their best spell of the game following the restart. Just 4 minutes into the half they had pulled one back via a corner, and were close to equalising. 

The young saintees stood firm though, and showed character to recapture control of the game. The Perth side were soon 2 goals in front again, and never looked back - grabbing 3 more to win the game comfortably 6-1. 

St. Johnstone started the game on the front foot and after a lively opening couple of minutes, they almost took the lead just 4 minutes in. Bailey Pert created space with some tidy footwork on the edge of the box, before slipping it through to Striker Jackson Mylchreest. The young Forward turned his man inside the area and had his pop at goal deflected onto the crossbar and over for a corner.

Saints would not have to wait any longer for their opener. The resulting corner was whipped into the box toward the back post, where Bailey Pert was waiting to redirect the ball into the bottom left corner, volleying it into the back of the net with precision to put his side 1-0 up.

St. Johnstone under 18s were well on top and searching for more goals. Mylchreest had a chance to make it 2-0 just 12 minutes in, taking the ball on his chest and half volleying it goalwards, but failing to generate enough power to really trouble the Falkirk keeper. 

That elusive second goal finally came, 27 minutes into the contest. Ben McCrystal whipped the ball into the box from a free-kick on the edge of the area, with his inviting delivery being deflected into the back of the net. Captain Scott Bright took the credit for the goal, even if there were suggestions from his teammates that it really clipped a nearby Falkirk Defender instead. 

Falkirk spent most of the first half on the back foot and struggled for any quality opportunities. Their first real chance came not long before half-time, when their number 14 took the ball down well on the edge of the area, and lashed it goalwards. His strike was close, but ultimately skidded past the bottom corner and off target. 

Saints had the last chance of the first half just 2 minutes before the break. McCrystal was at the centre of things once again as he continued to link up with Mylchreest, playing the ball with his chest and sending it through to the Strike. Mylchreest’s shot flashed just wide.

Going into the half-time break, St. Johnstone would certainly be happy with the scoreline. They had the majority of the chances over the course of the game so far, although there had been a few poor spells of the game where neither side was really able to gain control. Falkirk would have been hoping they could test Kyle Thompson in the Saints goal more often.

The visitors started the second-half much better than they did the first, aggressively attacking Saints from the kick-off and causing problems. This led to Falkirk winning a corner and scoring from it just 4 minutes into the second half. 

The floated delivery from the set-piece was perfectly weighted for Shay Burke to powerfully header past Thompson and into the roof of the net from the centre of the box. This goal meant that all of a sudden Falkirk were right back in the game, and their tails were now up. 

The comeback was not on for long, with the resolute young Saints side stamping their authority back on the game soon enough. They soon regained their 2 goal advantage, with goalscorer Pert turning provider and playing McCrystal through on goal. The Midfielder took the ball in his stride and blasted past the opposition keeper, and into the back of the net. 

St. Johnstone were running riot now and they needed to strike while the iron was still hot. Just 3 minutes after scoring their 3rd goal, they grabbed a 4th. Fran Franczak picked the ball up outside the box and struck it goalwards, his low drive had enough power to beat the keeper and nestle in the back of the net. 

Next to get in on the goalscoring party was Mylchreest. The Striker had been a threat all game and finally got the goal his performance deserved. He ran onto a good ball forward, took the ball down on his chest and lashed it past the keeper. Saints were now 5-1 up with just 22 minutes to go, and were not looking back.

The 6th goal of the game finally came in the 90th minute of the match. After some nice wing play on the right handside, a clipped ball to the pack post was nodded into the back of the net by substitute Lewis Bennett, who outjumped his marker expertly to round off the afternoon’s goalscoring.

After an action packed - and at times one-sided -90 minutes of football in Perth, it will be St. Johnstone under 18s who deservedly progress to the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Youth Cup.