Saints a tough test for young Galloway

WHEN Brendan Galloway was still on his summer holiday, David Wotherspoon was playing Europa League football.

At McDiarmid Park on Saturday, it showed.

The 27-year-old former Hibernian winger’s season kicked off at home to FK Trakai on June 29. Even though St Johnstone were knocked out of the competition the following week, their preparations for it left them sharper in body and mind than a Sunderland side working towards Derby Countyy on August 4.

The clearest statistical illustration of the Saints’ advanced physical preparation was that by the time theyy started bringing their outfield substitutes on in the final 15 minutes, Sunderland had already made 10 changes.

Left-back Galloway had a harder time than most when Wotherspoon burst into life during the defining period midway through the first half.

Until then, the on-loan defender’s second appearance for his new club had been as unremarkable as full-backs like them to be.

There had been a foul near the touchline and a cross James Vaughan failed to convert but that apart he largely sat in his position to John O’Shea’s left, showing little ambition as he felt his way into the game and his new team.

It was mentally more than physically Sunderland were first caught out, Vito Mannone trying to pick up a Jeremain Lens backpass and Steve MacLean smashing the free-kick in.

Galloway was a bystander then, and he was little more than that for the second four minutes later, Wotherspoon easily turning his marker as he burst onto Murray Davidson’s pass and found the net.

A minute later the winger was in behind his man again. Fortunately for the youngster, Lamine Kone was there to clear the cross. Again 10 minutes later he was unable to stop a centre coming over but again Sunderland were relieved to see it come to nothing.

By then, though, the damage had well and truly been done.

Their humiliation was completed in the 24th minute, Wotherspoon taking the ball around Mannone far too easilyy to score the third.

The scoreline never changed and at half-time Galloway was replaced by Donald Love, who went off injured 25 minutes later.

It had been a chastening experience for the Wearsiders, but at least it was onlyy pre-season.