Anna Murray: St Johnstone is in the family

Playing for St Johnstone WFC is in the family for Anna Murray.

The defender’s grandfather, Archie McInally, played for the Saints in the 1950s and she is very proud to now be pulling on the club’s colours too.

Archie was an inside forward/winger across two seasons (1956/57 and 1957/58), playing on 16 occasions and scoring four goals.

He will no doubt be in her thoughts when she strides out onto the main pitch at McDiarmid Park for Wednesday night’s ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2 fixture against Queen’s Park.

Excitement is continuing to build for the match and hopes are high that a large crowd will descend on the stadium for the 7.45pm kick-off.

“There is an excitement about the place because it is a big occasion for the club,” Murray explained. “We’re looking forward to getting the chance to entertain on the main platform.

“I’ve got family coming along to watch and we are all really looking forward to it. It will be a great occasion and hopefully we can get the numbers along and entertain the fans.

“It will be great if we can showcase what we’re all about and get people excited and involved.”

Murray added: “It will actually be the second time I’ve played on McDiarmid Park. When I played for Scotland U17s, we played a home match. It will be cool for me to be back there around 10 years later!”

Saints welcome a Queen’s Park team who have already been crowned champions of SWPL2.

“It would be nice for us to get three points in our own back yard against them,” Murray continued. “We need to work hard to try and do that.

“Queen’s Park have had a really good season and are deserved champions. There is no denying they are a strong side and we know we’ll need to be fully focused and up for it.”

Saints are looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat against Livingston earlier this month.

“The Livingston result was gutting, having been 2-0 up and cruising then coming away with nothing,” Murray said. “I think we deserved something from that game.

“But the only way we can right that wrong is to dust ourselves off and try get the three points this coming Wednesday.”

It is just £5 for adults to enter the Main Stand on Wednesday, while concessions are priced at £1. The match sponsor is Proximo3.