Thumbs down

Hamilton Accies against St Johnstone at Mcdiarmid Park, or the Lanarkshire side in the Scottish Cup, just doesn’t seem to be a winning combination.

Accies have lost six out of their last seven visits to Perth, and the writing was on the wall in just 45 seconds, as Jason Kerr beat hesitant goalkeeper Ryan Fulton to a free-kick, and when the keeper parried a shot right into the path of Tony Watt in 26 minutes, he wasn’t going to miss.

With all due respect to Accies, who had decent efforts from Dougie Imrie and Tony Andreu saved by Zander Clark, we could all have gone home after that. The outcome wasn’t likely to change, and the scoreline didn’t either.

So, all the focus is on the Premiership now as Accies scrap to stay in the top flight for a record sixth season, while Saints march into the last 16 and a game at Celtic Park.

Hamilton threw debuts to striker Steven Davies and midfielder Andreu, and both did well enough, but they couldn’t save this Accies side from going down in a poor game that saw few chances created by either side. An elbow injury kept Gary Woods out of the team and Fulton made only his second appearance of the season, which was a bit unfortunate for the young goalkeeper. He made some decent saves, but was badly at fault for both goals. The game had barely got going before St Johnstone effectively negotiated their passage to the fifth round. Liam Craig floated in a free kick from the right, Kerr beat Fulton to the punch and knocked the ball into the net. Saints tried to double their lead in 11 minutes, but Chris Kane shot weakly at Fulton. Hamilton did attack in 15 minutes when Andreu sent Mickel Miller down the right, but Davies couldn’t quite connect with the cross and sent his header past the left post. St Johnstone doubled their lead in 26 minutes when Ross Callachan’s shot was parried by Fulton right into the path of Tony Watt, who fired home from close range. Two minutes later Dougie Imrie could have pulled a goal back, but his Hamilton last won at Mcdiarmid Park on January 4, 2015. In the seven visits since, they have lost six and drawn one. half-volley was well saved by Zander Clark.

The Perth side didn’t need a third to wrap up this game, but nearly got it in 41 minutes anyway, when David Wotherspoon went on a run down the left and his cross was headed just over by Matty Kennedy.

Mickel Miller had a fierce shot taken at the second attempt by Clark in 52 minutes.

Kane sent a glancing header over from a Richard Foster cross, and Wotherspoon sent a 20-yard shot just over as Saints tried to turn the screw.

Hamilton nearly pulled a goal back in 88 minutes but Andreu’s shot was taken at the second attempt. St Johnstone Hamilton