ST JOHNSTONE.............................................................. 3 Cats’ new signing misses spot-kick as Saints seize control
JAMES Vaughan missed a penalty on his Sunder Sunderland debut as the Black Cats suffered theirth first pre-season defeat. Vaug Vaughan scored 24 times for League One Bury la last season, but saw his spot-kick saved b by Zander Clark – who was later stretche stretchered off with what looked a serious injury – early in the game against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. A And the Saints then seized control, hit hitting Sunderland with three goals in six minutes midway through the first ha half with Steven MacLean scoring the op opener before David Wotherspoon ne netted a brace. This was Sunderland’s toughest test so far, against a side that finished fou fourth in the Scottish Premier League last season and qualified for the Europa Lea League – although they were knocked out of European competition in the first qua qualifying round against Lithuanian sid side Trakai at the start of the month. W With new signing from Everton Aide Aiden McGeady having not travelled to Scotlan Scotland, Grayson named arguably the stronge strongest starting XI he had available. Bren Brendan Galloway again played at leftback, w while fellow loanee Ty Browning made hish debut as a second-half sub. Sund Sunderland made a promising start and should have taken the lead from the spot in the 12t 12th minute when Jeremain Lens was bundle bundled over by Saints’ new signing from Port Va Vale Scott Tanser.
But Vaughan stepped up to take the penalty in front of the Sunderland fans, only to see his powerful effort pushed away by Clark diving low to his right.
And a couple of minutes later, Vaughan stabbed the ball over the bar after Galloway had driven it low into the box from the left.
Saints then stunned Sunderland with three quickfire goals.
First came a comedy moment in the 18th minute when Vito Mannone miscontrolled a backpass from Wahbi Khazri, and tried in vain to keep the ball out of the net despite using his hands.
Referee Nick Walsh awarded an indirect free-kick, and it was taken on the six-yard line and tapped to MacLean who lashed the ball through the crowd of players on the line into the net with the aid of a deflection.
Three minutes later they doubled their lead, with the ball worked into the box from the left and Murray Davidson set up Wotherspoon who stepped inside Galloway and hit his low left-foot finish just inside the right-hand post leaving Mannone no chance.
And three minutes after that Wotherspoon was on target again, this time finding himself with space to round Mannone and sidefoot into the empty net.
Jack Rodwell and John O’Shea saw headers saved by Clark after the half-hour mark, while Vaughan glanced wide of the target from a Lens cross.
Then on the stroke of half-time Vaughan went in for a 50-50 with Clark, which appeared to leave the Saints keeper out cold and the referee blew for half-time to allow extensive treatment to take place on