For O’Halloran

“One of the main things that got us through was the frustration we felt at going out and then having to wait so long for the next competitive game,” he said.

“We’d been playing friendlies but that frustration was still there.

“But, against Killie, I think you saw our togetherness and that we have all the ingredients you need to make a successful side.

“The work we did at training after that Europa League defeat also showed today and it helped us get the win.”

It was a very familiar Saints side on Saturday, with Scougall the only new signing to start.

“I’ve been here for a good few months now and this team is well-drilled,” he said.

“The gaffer had them playing in a manner that’s effective in this league and that showed again at Kilmarnock.

“We’ll take it one game at a time, though. We have Partick Thistle in the Betfred Cup on Tuesday and then we’re at home to Motherwell next weekend.”

The visitors also received a backhanded compliment from Killie skipper Boyd.

“Sometimes you need to commit fouls, get behind the ball and make it difficult for teams,” he said.

“There’s a reason why St Johnstone are top six every year.

“It’s an example of if you go and do the dirty things in football then you’ll win games. They do that really well.”

Boyd also claimed that Saints wouldn’t have lost the goals Kilmarnock conceded.

“It was a great finish (by Wotherspoon) on his left foot but, had it been one of our players running at the St Johnstone back four, there would probably have been a foul,” he said.

Goalkeeper Cammy Bell, who joined Kilmarnock on a two-year deal on Friday after leaving Dundee United, was on the bench for the Ayrshire side.

Sometimes you need to commit fouls, get behind the ball and make it difficult for teams. KRIS BOYD