Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
We can win over there — Wright
ST JOHNSTONE manager Tommy Wright was defiant in the face of defeat from FK Trakai, stating it would be foolish to write Saints off.
The Perth men lost 2-1 at McDiarmid Park in the first leg of their Europa League first round qualifier.
Joe Shaughnessy cancelled out the opener from Maksim Maksimov but Va i d o t a s S i l e n a s then netted a Goal of the Season contender for the winner. He was sent off late on.
Blair Alston and Graham Cummins spurned chances to get Saints back on level terms and Ignas Plukas in the Trakai goal made some good stops, the most notable coming from a Stefan Scougall strike.
Tommy added:“Don’t rule us out, there’s more to come from us.
“I believe we can win over there and the players do, too.”
The Perth men will gain confidence from the fact they have won away at Rosenborg Trondheim and FC Minsk and drawn at Lucerne and Spartak Trnava.
However, they will again come up against a very slick Trakai who possess some very gifted players, notably Oscar Dorley, the Liberia international attacking midfielder, who was applauded by the home fans when he was substituted near the end.
Saints found it hard to pin him down as he played in the channel between their midfield and back four.
He dummied a cross for Maksimov to net the first and his movement caused problems all night.
“We lost the game in the first half,” rued Tommy.
“We allowed them too much time on the ball, we weren’t tight enough on them for the first goal and a lack of communication led to their second.
“Stefan Scougall was lively when he came on and that gave us a lift and Ally Gilchrist was excellent at the back in his debut for us. He was solid and I can’t recall him making an error.”