Saints daring to dream after easy cup victory
ST JOHNSTONE 2 MacLean (6), Alston (32) STENHOUSEMUIR 0
ST JOHNSTONE have been urged by manager Tommy Wright to dream of a repeat of their historic 2014 Scottish Cup triumph after beginning this season’s campaign with a routine victory.
Steven MacLean’s breakthrough after just six minutes was exactly what the Perth outfit required as they sought to blow away any cobwebs after the winter break.
Blair Alston speared in a second in the 32nd minute to remove any lingering hopes Stenhousemuir had of springing a surprise and the rest of the tie was played out in comfort for the Premiership hosts.
“Hopefully this is the start of a good cup run,” said manager Tommy Wright.
“It’s important for every club. It adds excitement to your season and, hopefully, adds financial clout to your budget.
“We are always looking to do it and having won the cup recently it’s fresh in our memories, and some of the players are still here.
“We know that five wins on the days that the cup ties are on and you win a trophy. “So, four to go.” St Johnstone enjoyed the welcome sight of Keith Watson making his home debut and his first appearance since July following a thigh injury.
The former Dundee United defender was barely troubled throughout as the McDiarmid Park side coasted to victory against their League One opponents.
The visitors would have
been sent out with the message to defend stoutly in the early stages, but that plan was ripped up in just the sixth minute.
Chris Millar’s cross from the right was dangerous but the way MacLean lost his marker and nodded in from six yards out was all too easy.
The Perth outfit kept up the momentum in search of a second and it duly arrived in the 32nd minute.
Graham Cummins flicked on and was clattered from behind but MacLean made the most of the attack when he back-heeled into the path of Alston, who drove in from the edge of the box with the aid of a deflection.
“We made a great start and really the job was probably done once the second goal went in,” added Wright.
Sub Chris Kane had a shot on the turn cleared off the line as the full-time whistle approached with Stenhousemuir waning.
However, Warriors manager Brown Ferguson was rightly satisfied with the way his players had responded after the break.
“To concede early was not what we were looking for,” said Ferguson.
“It was too easy a goal at and I don’t think we really recovered in the first-half. We never did ourselves justice but we did in the second-half.”