Stevie May sends St Johnstone soaring through

ST Johnstone pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the club’s 128-year history by completing a remarkable 2-1 aggregate win over Rosenborg to send the Norwegian side spinning out of the Europa League.

Stevie May celebrates in front of the St Johnstone fans after levelling the score Picture: Sammy Turner/SNS

The Perth outfit stunned the 22-times Norwegian champions with Frazer Wright’s winner in Trondheim and then completed the job at McDiarmid Park as young striker Stevie May netted a precious equaliser to secure safe passage to the third qualifying round.

The incredible two-leg victory is Tommy Wright’s first act as new Saints boss and sets up a meeting with Belarusians FC Minsk.

However, things looked bleak for the home side when Alexander Soderlund got the visitors off to the perfect start when he found the net just four minutes in.

A wayward Gary McDonald pass soon after almost had Saints undone for a second time but Wright’s men held their nerve and levelled when Rosenborg defender Mikael Dorsin paused long enough to allow May to pounce on a David Wotherspoon pass and prod past goalkeeper Daniel Orlund.

The Saints’ aggregate victory also kept up a proud Scottish tradition with Scottish clubs having won 65 out of 66 European ties where they won the first leg away from home. The only defeat was Hearts against Bordeaux in 2003/04.

The Perth side will travel to Minsk next Thursday for the first leg of their third qualifying round tie.