St Johnstone got their pre-season programme off to a winning start at Gayfield, with goals from Liam Craig and Kevin Moon securing the victory.
They will now set off on their trip to the Republic of Ireland tomorrow in good heart after being given a decent test by second division newcomers Arbroath.
Craig set the ball rolling just a minute after the break, then Moon finished things off in the final minute of the friendly.
Manager Derek McInnes said, “This was our first game proper of the summer and there is always a lot of rustiness. That was the case tonight and mistakes were made but Arbroath gave us a very competitive match.
“This is where the football begins and we have three weeks now to work towards being ready for the first SPL game of the season against Aberdeen.”
Home player-boss Paul Sheerin seemed satisfied with his team’s efforts. He said, “I have been delighted with the fitness of the players and they have been a credit to themselves, although it is early days yet.
“We played well in spells and had a few chances so I couldn’t ask any more of the lads.”TrialistsSaints included a couple of trialists in their starting line-up, one a Serbian striker and the other a winger.
The Lichties fielded seven ex-St Johnstone players in their side Mark Baxter, Kieran McAnespie, Stewart Malcolm, Steven Doris, Gavin Swankie, Josh Falkingham and Sheerin himself.
The match took a while to warm up and it was the 20th minute before Saints threatened, with Dave MacKay’s cross headed goalwards by Carl Finnigan, only for the offside flag to go up.
Up at the other end, Swankie went on a mazy run then had his strike saved well by Perth keeper Peter Enckelman.
Moon brought the game to life on 28 minutes, cracking a shot off the Lichties’ bar after playing a one-two with the trialist striker.
Arbroath hit back again, though, with Steven Doris having a snap shot from eight yards out well saved by Enckelman, then seeing another low strike more easily gathered by the big Finn.ChangesBoth sides made a couple of changes at the break. The hosts brought on Keith Gibson and Joe Prince-Wright for Baxter and Brian Kerr, while the visitors gave runouts to Stevie May and Sean Higgins, with the trialist winger and Finnigan coming off.
The McDiarmid men took just a minute of the second period to take the lead, with a move started by Higgins, helped along by May then finished by Craig, who dinked the ball over keeper Darren Hill and into the net from 10 yards.
The Lichties then brought on Lee Bryce for Doris, Jordan Elfverson for Swankie and Craig Wedderburn for Malcolm, while Saints swapped one trialist striker for another, Murray Davidson for Chris Millar and Callum Davidson for Alan Maybury, who is set to sign a new deal with the club.
With 66 minutes gone, player-boss Sheerin came close to levelling when his rocket shot from 25 yards had to be pushed away by Enckelman, then Falkingham and McAnespie tried their luck from long range, both going close.
It was Saints who had the last word, though, with a superb deep cross from sub Paul Caddis side-footed home by Moon at the far post in the 90th minute.Attendance: 750 (est).Arbroath: Hill, Baxter (Prince-Wright 46), McAnespie, Falkingham (Sibanda 76), Malcolm (Wedderburn 65), Busch, Finlayson, Kerr (Gibson 46), Doris (Bryce 53), Swankie (Elfverson 65), Sheerin. Subs not used: Burns.St Johnstone: Enckelman, MacKay (Caddis 77), C Davidson (Maybury 67), McCracken, Wright, Trialist (May 46), Millar (M Davidson 67), Moon, Craig, Trialist (Trialist 67), Finnigan (Higgins 46). Subs not used: Clark, Rodgers, Moffat, Reynolds, McIntosh.Referee: Frank McDermott.