The FC Luzern scout in the Bayview stands could have been nothing but impressed by their Europa League opponents’ demolition of East Fife.
he Scottish Cup holders started off on the front foot and looked every inch a team ready for the start of their competitive campaign next week.
It was a familiar looking Saints side which started the game with boss Tommy Wright sticking by the majority of the squad that brought so much success last season.
Frazer Wright, Stevie May, Brian Easton and Alan Mannus were among those picked in an almost full-strength starting XI.
The Fifers too were at virtually full strength but were still without central defender Steven Campbell, who is on holiday.
With the European clash just over a week away, the Saints looked sharp and played at a tempo the Fifers simply could not cope with.
Garry Miller was unlucky after just a couple of minutes when his header came back off the East Fife post. It wasn’t long until the Saints took a deserved lead, though.
Michael O’Halloran cut into the East Fife box and thumped an effort high past Allan Fleming.
It took just minutes for the lively visitors to add another when Stevie May this time made his way into the box and again crashed an effort past Fleming.
Sadly for the Fifers it was all too easy for the Saints and they made it 3-0 when Steven MacLean expertly volleyed home a David Wotherspoon cross.
Any hopes East Fife had that St Johnstone would ease up in the second half were quickly blown away when the visitors were awarded a penalty a few minutes after the break.
Ewan Moyes pushed Chris Kane over in the box but, luckily for the Fifers, Fleming saved well to his left to deny Maclean.
To their credit East Fife continued to battle away against a St Johnstone side that seemed to just attack in waves.
Given the amount of possession they had, it was only a matter of time until Saints added number four and it duly came when Chris Kane swivelled inside the box and beat Fleming from eight yards.
As the substitutions began to flow, the game lost most of its spark. East Fife were determined to at least put some dirt on Alan Mannus’s gloves but Jamie Beaton’s free-kick came to nothing.
Nathan Austin almost found himself through on goal in the dying moments but Mannus was quick to get off his line and cut out any danger.