ST JOHNSTONE 3 FALKIRK 0

DANNY SWANSON scored from the spot twice as St Johnstone brushed aside a lacklustre Falkirk in the Betfred Cup.

St Johnstone were awarded three penalties in the first-half at McDiarmid Park. Danny Rogers saved the first one from Liam Craig but Swanson netted the next two to give the Saints a comfortable cushion at the break.

Steven MacLean added some gloss to the scoreline by tapping home the rebound from Graham Cummins’ initial header.

Falkirk manager Peter Houston said: ‘The first was a definite penalty and we have no complaints. The second was a maybe. But the third was a joke. It was a poor decision.’

Delighted Saints boss Tommy Wright added: ‘I don’t want the penalty decisions to take away from the performance because we were very good.’