By Scotsman.com
February 19 2004

BILLY Stark is beginning to see the benefits of the fine tuning he has made to his squad during the transfer window, which could yet yield an important dividend come the end of the season. ST JOHNSTONE 3
Maxwell 7; McQuilken 42, Donnelly 60
AYR UTD 0

BILLY Stark is beginning to see the benefits of the fine tuning he has made to his squad during the transfer window, which could yet yield an important dividend come the end of the season. Their strength in depth is becoming more evident with the confidence they displayed in their comprehensive three goal win over Ayr yesterday.

Saint Johnstone picked up on the goal trail again within seven minutes, maintaining the momentum from their five goals flourish in their last home league game against Raith Rovers. Stark is obviously pinning hopes of a promotion place on a policy of all-out attack.

With time running out and nine points off the lead yesterday, St Johnstone could not afford to slip further behind. They had already forfeited a potential four points to the club lying second bottom of the table this season and could not afford such a lapse again.

Concerns about damage in defence, where they have conceded 17 goals in their last 12 games, had been rectified to some extent with the return of Jim Weir, who now links up with Rudi Vata in the centre of the defence.

A thoroughly modern footballer - more for his itinerant behaviour than anything else - the Albanian has returned to Scotland again via Germany and Japan.

Already they are beginning to look a solid and reliable unit, but what must have been particularly encouraging for Stark in the first half was goals are beginning to come from all areas of the pitch. Ian Maxwell opened the scoring when he initiated the move in midfield, playing the ball wide to Brian McLaughlin in the 7th minute. The winger moved briskly into space on the right and his cross into the centre was knocked down in a joint challenge only as far as Chris Hay. The former Celtic player forced a fine save from Ludovic Roy with his reflex shot at the near post and then pumped the rebound back across goal through a tangle of legs.

Maxwell lunged forward to edge the ball over from about a yard out, following it into the net. It was not pretty, but it was effective. However, instead of turning the screw, St Johnstone failed to build on their lead when Hay, Stuart Taylor and Simon Donnelly all failed to turn the ball in a few minutes later after Ayr defenders Scott Chaplin and David Craig had all stood back, failing to clear the ball as it bounced about the box.

With that let off, Ayr managed to gain some composure. St Johnstone had given them breathing space which they may well have regretted when Douglas Ramsay’s shot in the 32nd minute forced Craig Nelson into action, but the goalkeeper was alert to save.

It was a wake-up call St Johnstone heeded and they extended their lead ten minutes later. Donnelly, who has more often than not flattered to deceive at McDiarmid Park with his propensity for the delicate touch and little flick rather than imposing himself on the play, was this time as direct as his manager would want him to be when he cut a perpendicular pass in for Hay who squared it back across goal. Full-back Jamie McQuilken launched himself at the ball to poke in his first of the season from six yards.

By now St Johnstone had settled and they went on to take complete control in the second half. Hay almost scored twice, shooting on the turn before Donnelly got the third on the hour.

He had already wasted a good chance after McQuilken had set him up but on this occasion he timed his run perfectly as a cross from Hay on the left looped over Roy and the striker was there to head in from close range.

Play was now concentrated in Ayr’s half and substitute Ryan Stevenson almost became the second full-back on the score sheet when he played a one-two with Donnelly in the box only to see Roy make an excellent save.

St Johnstone can still feel they are in the hunt for the SPL, while Ayr could be destined for the drop.

St Johnstone: Nelson, Robertson (Stevenson, 54), McQuilken, Vata, Weir, Maxwell (Forsyth, 45), Hay (Parker, 74), Reilly, Donnelly, Taylor, McLaughlin. Subs: Cuthbert, Dods

Ayr Utd: Roy, Smyth, Dunlop, Chaplin, Burgess (McGrady, 84), Craig, Lyle, Ramsay (Miller, 66), Brown (Ferguson, 54), Kean, Hardy. Subs: Conway, Hillcoat

Referee: K Clark