Learning their lesson from a 2-1 home defeat in the Europa League three years ago was a common theme of Tommy Wright’s pre-match build-up ahead of St Johnstone’s return to Europa League action.
Unfortunately, it was a repeat scoreline against FK Trakai that has left the Perth men with a major recovery job on their hands in an away leg once more.
First-half goals from Maksim Maksimov and Vaidotas Silenas, either side of a Joe Shaughnessy header, will make the Lithuanians strong favourites to progress to the second qualifying round on their artificial pitch next week.
And it will take one of Saints’ best results in Europe to stop that happening against one of the strongest teams they have faced in their five recent campaigns.
There were plenty of team news talking points for Saints fans to absorb as they arrived at the ground.
Zander Clark was preferred to Alan Mannus in goal, Ally Gilchrist was chosen to partner Shaughnessy at centre-back, new signing Stefan Scougall was on the bench and Murray Davidson missed out altogether.
Wright wanted his players to operate at a tempo Trakai wouldn’t be accustomed to in their domestic league and they certainly started in a positive fashion.
In the very first minute Brian Easton floated a cross to the back post, which keeper Ignas Plukas made a bit of a mess of. He was a relieved man when his flap didn’t result in the ball falling to a Saints boot.
It quickly became clear though, as suspected, that Trakai were a capable footballing side and on seven minutes a nice move culminated in Valdemar Borovskij crossing into the box where a glancing header from Aliaksandr Bychanok narrowly missed the target.
The visitors had settled into a rhythm and it wasn’t a great surprise when they took the lead on 14 minutes. Nor was it a great surprise that it came from the Trakai right.
Another ball into the box from Borovskij was aimed at Murphy Dorley. The 18-year-old showed why he is already a Liberian international with a classy dummy that earned his team-mate Maksimov time and space for a side-foot finish that gave Clark no chance.
Things started to get better for Saints midway through the first half.
On 20 minutes Steven MacLean worked the keeper with a well-struck low shot, then three minutes later they earned their first corner. A training ground move saw Liam Craig picked out on the edge of the box but his shot was charged down.
The improvement should have produced a goal shortly before the half-hour mark. A flick by MacLean left Blair Alston with a glorious chance but he shot straight at the keeper. From the rebound Craig then had a go, as did Graham Cummins, who blasted his effort over.
If the Trakai goal had been coming earlier in the match, it was the same when Saints got their equaliser.
Kilmavicius nearly scored an own goal but from the corner he conceded on 32 minutes, his keeper was caught flat-footed and Shaughnessy headed home from virtually on the goal-line.
After the hard work of getting back into the tie, Saints were stunned to go behind again just four minutes later when Silenas found the top corner with a spectacular long-range left footer.
After the break Paul Paton had his pocket picked by livewire Dorley and he didn’t need a second invitation to burst into the box. The low shot that followed was wide of the post, however.
Wright made a double substitution just after the hour – Scougall and Chris Millar for David Wotherspoon and Paton.
Scougall’s impact was almost an instant one, and his cross teed up Craig who was uncharacteristically wild with his finish. The former Sheffield United playmaker came even closer on 68 minutes when it took a combination of post and keeper to keep out a low 18-yarder.
Trakai appeared to be a team happy to settle for what they’d got but they nearly had another goal to take home when Maksimov’s quick feet deceived Richard Foster and Clark was forced into making a fine save with his feet.
Saints pushed for a late equaliser and a deflected Alston shot went just wide, and then from the corner a goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.
Vaidotas Silenas was sent off for a second yellow card after catching Scougall, and Cummins missed the chance of the night – hitting a shot straight at Plukas from six yards.
St Johnstone – Clark, Alston, Shaughnessy, MacLean, Wotherspoon (Scougall 62), Paton (Millar 63), Foster, Easton, Craig (Kane 84) Gilchrist, Cummins. Subs not used – Mannus, Tanser, Kerr, Thomson.
FK Trakai – Plukas, Vorobjovas, Maksimov (Cesnauskis 90), Dorley (Kruk 90), Janusevskij, Silenas, Wakili (Cyzas 82), Shyshka, Klimavicius, Borovskij, Bychanok. Subs not used – Sheremeta, Traore, Marazas, Mamaev.
Referee – Fran Jovic (Croatia)
Attendance – 5,636
