Match report: St Johnstone U18s 3-4 Partick Thistle

Our under-18s were edged out 4-3 by Partick Thistle in an entertaining Club Academy Scotland Performance League fixture on Friday afternoon.

Played on the astroturf surface at McDiarmid Park, the young Saints were without a couple of key faces due to injury but started impressively.

Jacob Fleming’s early cross was not far away from finding Ollie Cairns at the back post, with only a visiting defender’s outstretched boot halting the progress of the ball.

Cairns was not denied on 10 minutes, however, when he kept his composure by guiding low into the far corner of the net.

The visitors started to come more into the game and were level on 17 minutes through Chris Mackay. Goalkeeper Kyle Thomson did get a touch on his effort, but not enough to prevent the goal.

Thomson was called into action again moments later and pulled off a fantastic one-handed save on the stretch to tip the ball behind for a corner.

We would nudge back in front as the half hour mark approached and, again, it was forward Cairns wheeling off in celebration. Another composed finish after a quick break gave us the advantage at half-time.

Into the second half and Partick were back on level terms with 54 minutes played. Mackay was again the scorer, this time from the penalty spot.

The young Saints showed character and did not let the equaliser set them back, instead pushing into the lead through Fleming’s close-range finish after a deep corner to the back post.

They continued to battle well but two late Partick goals from Charlie Waddell and Steven Docherty flipped the script and secured a 4-3 win for the travelling team.