Saints U20s 3-2 Kilmarnock U20s
U20s

Saints U20s 3-2 Kilmarnock U20s

2nd April 2018

Monday 2 April 2018

Monday 2nd April

Saints U20s defeated Kilmarnock 3-2 at McDiarmid Park this evening. Alex Cleland’s side took the lead after 8 minutes when Ally McCann knocked the ball into the net from close range.

Saints then doubled their lead 2 minutes before half time when Jack Wilson headed home from a Kyle McClean corner.

The Ayrshire side pulled a goal back on 72 minutes courtesy of a deflected Oliver McDonald free kick. However, Saints got a third on 82 minutes as Cameron Ballantyne finished from close range.

Then in the final minute of the match Kilmarnock were awarded a penalty after Ewan McLevy had been fouled by Aaron Comrie. Innes Cameron stepped up and sent Ross Sinclair the wrong way to get the visitors second of the evening.

MATCH REPORT

After defeating Motherwell 1-0 last time Saints U20s welcomed Kilmarnock to Perth this evening for a Development League game. There were several first team players included in the starting eleven for Alex Cleland’s side as Aaron Comrie, Liam Gordon and Kyle McClean were all given game time.

Kilmarnock got the game underway at a cold and wintry McDiarmid Park. Saints started positively passing the ball about well and they took the lead on 8 minutes when Shaun Struthers did well to hold of his man on the by-line before cutting the ball back to Ally McCann who slotted the ball home from close range.

The visitors tried to get an instant response and they were claiming for a penalty on 13 minutes when Innes Cameron went down in the box under the challenge from Jack Wilson but referee Jordan Curran waved play on, indicating that the Saints defender had won the ball fairly.

The visitors made their first change of the game on 23 minutes as Will Graham came on for Jack Paterson.

Then a minute later Saints created a decent chance to double their advantage as Struthers did well to again hold of the challenge on the by-line before cutting the ball back across the face of the Killie goal however, Jamie Docherty couldn’t make a connection with the ball as the visitors cleared the danger.

Kilmarnock were starting to create a couple of chances to get back into the game and on the half hour mark an Oliver McDonald corner picked out Ian Wilson who fired over. Then on 34 minutes Alex Samizadeh won the ball from Aaron Comrie before having a shot which was touched behind for a corner by Ross Sinclair.

Saints though came back into the game and on 36 minutes as Comrie tried to pick out Struthers in the box however, the striker couldn’t make a proper connection with the cross as it went out for a goal kick. Saints came even closer 3 minutes later as John Robertson had a shot at goal which hit Ross Miller’s right-hand post.

Saints though did double their advantage 2 minutes before half time as a Kyle McClean corner from the right picked out Jack Wilson at the near post and the big defender powered a header past Miller.

Saints got the second half underway and on 57 minutes Comrie advanced down the right before crossing into the box however, the ball was turned behind for a corner. McClean took a short corner to Cameron Ballantyne and his cross into the box was eventually gathered by Miller.

Kilmarnock almost pulled a goal back on the hour mark as Samizadeh did well to hold off the challenge from Liam Gordon before having a shot that hit the side netting. Then on 63 minutes Samizadeh unleashed a long-range strike that didn’t trouble Saints keeper Sinclair.

Play then switched to the other end as on 67 minutes John Robertson played in Struthers, who did well to beat the offside trap before having a strike at goal that went wide. Then 2 minutes later Robertson picked up a slack ball on the edge of the box and had a shot at goal that went inches wide.

Killie pulled a goal back on 72 minutes as an Oliver McDonald free kick took a wicked deflection off the Saints wall to take it away from Ross Sinclair before landing in the far corner of the net.

Saints made their first change of the match on 78 minutes as Jamie Mackenzie came on for John Robertson.

With 8 minutes remaining Saints got a third goal as the ball was delivered from the right and it broke to Mackenzie on the edge of the box who directed it goal wards however, Cameron Ballantyne got the final touch on the ball as he flicked it home from close range.

Saints then introduced Cameron Lumsden and under 17s striker Oliver Hamilton into the action for the final 5 minutes of the match.

The scoring was not over as Kilmarnock were awarded a penalty on 90 minutes as Ewan McLevy was fouled by Aaron Comrie in the box. Striker Innes Cameron stepped up and sent Sinclair the wrong way as he calmly slotted the ball into the right-hand corner of the net. However, it was too late for the Ayrshire side as Saints saw the final few minutes out to seal the three points.

Saints U20s: Sinclair, Comrie, Thomson, McCann, Gordon, Wilson, Robertson (Mackenzie 78), McClean, Struthers (Hamilton 85), Ballantyne, Docherty (Lumsden 85)

Unused Substitutes: Wills (GK), Brian, Wooley, Green

Booked: None

Scorers: McCann (8), Wilson (43), Ballantyne (82)

Kilmarnock U20s: Miller, Bar, Kamaneno, I. Wilson, Dempsie, Mouanda, Paterson (Graham 23), McDonald, Cameron, Scally (Taylor 64), Samizadeh (McLevy 78)

Unused Substitutes: Walker (GK), A. Wilson

Booked: None

Scorers: McDonald (72), Cameron (90 pen)

Referee: Jordan Curran

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Jack Wilson

Back to News
Share on Social