ELGIN CITY 1
Duff (49) ST JOHNSTONE 3 Swanson (16), Cummins (72), MacLean (80)
SAINTS boss Tommy Wright shrugged off a second-half scare as his team saw off League 2 hosts Elgin in the Betfred Cup group match.
The Perth men ran the show at Borough Briggs but their failure to add to Danny Swanson’s first- half opener was punished by a shock home equaliser.
Strikes by front two Graham Cummins and Steven MacLean in the closing 18 minutes avoided the possibility of a penalty shoot- out and pleased the Saints boss.
“Players don’t miss chances deliberately and although we did miss a few, there was some good goalkeeping in there as well,” he said. “Credit goes to Elgin for the way their keeper played and how they defended to keep the score to 3-1.”
Elgin boss Jim Weir, a former Saints captain, missed the game as he was taking part in an Ironman triathlon event in Bolton.
His assistant Gavin Price, also an ex-Saint, was in charge for the day.
He said: “We were on top for about 10 minutes after we got our equaliser and I felt we had a chance.
“But you have to take your opportunities and we didn’t.”
The visitors piled on the pressure from the off with Graham Cummins denied by the foot of goalkeeper Stewart Black on seven minutes.
The opening goal was only delayed nine minutes, with Danny Swanson dancing across the Elgin back line before arcing a low drive into the bottom corner of Black’s net.
Millar fired just wide and Cummins forced a save out of Black, while a Cummins header off Liam Craig’s corner floated wide just before the break.
Saints were stunned when Elgin forced an equaliser four minutes into the second half from their first serious effort on goal.
Defender Jamie Duff met Daniel Moore’s free kick from deep with a slick
glancing header to beat keeper Zander Clark.
Two minutes later Elgin’s Craig Gunn wasn’t far away with a fierce 25- yarder as the home side finally came to life.
On 70 minutes Craig missed an easy chance for the away side, heading Cummins’ cross over from six yards.
Saints blushes were spared when Millar slotted a pass through for Cummins who rounded the keeper and rolled home on 72 minutes.
The str iker almost added another a minute later but his drive was cleared off the line.
But on 80 minutes the visitors added a third when Alston hit the byline on the right and his cross was forced in by MacLean.
Craig volleyed over from another great chance two minutes from time but the Perth men comfortably held on for their win.