RESERVES | Saints 2-1 Kilmarnock

A strong Saints Reserves side came out on top with a 2-1 win against Kilmarnock Reserves at McDiarmid Park this afternoon.

In a starting line-up littered with first-team players, Blair Alston and Murray Davidson were on target to seal the win. Killie replied late on through at Millen penalty but it wasn't enough to stop Alan Maybury's men taking all three points.

Alan Maybury was able to name a strong starting eleven for the SPFL Reserve League clash with Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park this afternoon.

Brian Easton, Aaron Comrie, Blair Alston, Murray Davidson, Sean Goss and Danny Swanson all started in the game with Easton, Comrie, Goss and Swanson playing the full 90 minutes.

The game started at a high tempo and the referee had his cards out early as Danny Swanson picked up the game's first booking after just three minutes.

Saints started on the front foot and Aaron Comrie showed the first signs of a breakthrough when gliding past the Killie defence before being stopped just inside the box by Walters.

It was Killie who had the first clear chance though when Danny Scally found himself free inside the box but his shot was wide and the striker should have done better.

And just two minutes later Saints took the lead.

Sean Goss swung in a free-kick from the right hand side which wasn't dealt with by the Killie defence and the ball fell to Blair Alston who made no mistakes from inside the area to give the home side the opening goal.

Saints continued to push for a second with Sean Goss seeing his free-kick saved by Lyle after some good work by Murray Davidson to win the foul.

Despite dominating for large parts of the first half Ross Sinclair had to be switched on as he made a fantastic stop from Scally low down to his left. Two minutes later and Frizzell had a pop from the edge of the area which again Sinclair had to be alert to stop.

Before the break there was still time for another Sean Goss free-kick but once again Lyle was equal to the on-loan QPR man's effort.

Early in the second half former Man Utd Academy graduate Goss tried to emulate one of the Old Trafford outfit's legendary midfielders, David Beckham, with a speculative attempt from the halfway line which wasn't too far away from dipping under the crossbar.

Killie's first chance of the second half fell to Barr but he couldn't get his strike past Ross Sinclair who saved comfortably.

Sean Struthers came close on 53 minutes before Jordan Northcott was denied by Lyle moments later. The referee awarded Saints an indirect free-kick inside the box after penalising Killie for a backpass.

Goss dinked the ball to the back post and found the head of Northcott but Lyle pulled off a fantastic stop to keep it at 1-0.

Saints would get a deserved second goal just before the hour mark.

Danny Swanson showed great skill to eventually set Murray Davidson free in the box and the midfielder was clinical as he fired the ball past Lyle with his left foot to double the advantage.

That was the last action of the game for Davidson as he and the scorer of the first goal Blair Alston were replaced by Jamie McKenzie and Euan O'Reilly.

Maybury then made a third change with Shaun Struthers coming off for Olly Hamilton with 15 minutes remaining.

Killie didn't look likely but the referee gave them the perfect chance of getting back into the match on 83 minutes.

Jamie McKenzie was penalised for a handball in the area and right-back Millen stepped up to half the deficit and set up a nervy finish.

The away side couldn't grab an equaliser though and Saints Reserves came away with a deserved three points.

Next up for Alan Maybury's men is a trip to Aberdeen next Monday afternoon, kick-off 2PM.