St Andrews United 8-0 Peebles Rovers

The rain, and the goals, fell at Barnetts Park. Pic by Blair Smith.

United went into the fixture as heavy favourites for the win, but still had a professional job to do.

Their attitude would have no doubt pleased boss Andy Brown as United started on the front foot and put the game to bed early on.

Forced to play up the Barnetts Park slope in the opening 45 Peebles simply couldn’t cope with the Saints onslaught and found themselves 7-0 down with 45 minutes still to play.

Kyle Wilson started the rout before triliast forward Fionn McLeod Kay, who has since signed with Glenrothes, made an instant impression by adding number two.

By the time Dylan Honeyman notched a third for United only seven minutes had passed.

Wilson went close to adding further damage and grabbing the fourth goal of the game on 13 minutes but his shot drifted wide of the post.

It was one way traffic and Saints were constantly pestering the poor Peebles ‘keeper Kerr.

Ryan McInnes wanted in on the act and he created space for himself to fire a shot away.

This time Saints did find the net and it was 4-0.

The game was over as a contest but United were far from finished adding to their tally.

The trialist forward grabbed the fifth goal of the game when he finished off a neat move by the home side.

Peebles had conceded 28 goals in the opening nine games before their visit to Fife and found themselves woefully exposed at the back every time United broke forward.

Ex-Brechin striker Charlie King had far too much quality for the leaky visiting defence and he notched number six on 23 minutes.

Peebles had their first real chance on 30 minutes but Forrest’s effort went wide of the post.

With less than five minutes before the break King got his second when a fierce effort rebounded down off the bar and over the goalline.

The visitors appeared to be better organised in second half and squeezed the game with their defence playing well forward down the slope.

Saints, therefore, found it difficult to get space for their passing game and were often caught offside trying to get through on goal.

Wilson completed the scoring with just over 10 minutes to go.

Saints: Curtis (Shaw),Drew Fleming, King, Doig, Rendall, McInnes, Honeyman (S Cunningham 60), Blaney, Wilson, Trialist, R Cunningham (C Fleming 77).

Subs: Fital, Falconer.

Peebles Rovers: Kerr, Dodds, Cursiter, Newell, G Lamb, R Lamb, Lindsay (Crawford 80), Brown, Forrest (McLeod 70), Mackay, Sclater (Wood45).

Saints’ vice chairman, Blair Smith, was delighted with the side’s emphatic performance in front of goal.

He said: “The game was really over as competition, after we had scored goals in the fourth, fifth and sixth minute, but it was great to see so many goals, and particualry good performances from several players, including our new striker, Kyle Wilson, who scored his ninth goal in four games.”