St Johnstone wanted a fast start to their 2023/24 season but instead they suffered League Cup déjà vu.
The Perth side drew with Annan Athletic in their opening group fixture this time last year, losing the penalty shoot-out.
On this occasion it was an even worse opening day result – being defeated over 90 minutes by another League Two opponent.
Ex-Saint, Euan O’Reilly, was the man who scored the only goal of the game in Stenhousemuir’s shock 1-0 victory.
The first half was pretty uneventful in terms of goalmouth action.
Saints dominated possession and the young midfield trio of Cammy Ballantyne, Max Kucheriavyi and Alex Ferguson won their fair share of tackles and popped the ball about crisply.
But getting in behind the Stenhousemuir defence was the biggest issue.
The closest to an opener came in the last minute of the half when Andy Considine picked Ryan McGowan out with a diagonal ball to the back post and Stevie May was foiled by keeper, Darren Jamieson with his eight-yard shot from the knockdown.
Terrible start to second half
Instead of Saints building on their end-of-half momentum, they soon found themselves facing a comeback job when the hosts took the lead four minutes after the restart.
Captain Liam Gordon was sloppy with a pass out of defence and in the blink of an eye, O’Reilly was bursting into the box and giving Ross Sinclair no chance with a low shot.
The comeback didn’t happen however, with a shot over the bar from substitute Ali Crawford after a corner was half-cleared the best of several opportunities squandered by Saints, who were booed off the pitch at full-time.
St Johnstone – Sinclair 6, Gallacher 6, Considine 6, McGowan 6, Gordon 5, May 5, Carey 7, Wright 5, Kucheriavyi 7 (Steven 4), Ballantyne 6 (Mylchreest 3), Ferguson 6 (Crawford 4). Subs not used – Mitov, Parker, Bright, Ellison, Klimionek, McCrystal.
