Aside from a 15 minute spell in the first half this was a fine Buddies performance. There was a bit of frantic defending at times and Craig Samson made some terrific saves, while at the other end we were a bit wasteful in the second half. However, we have two strikers now who are in top form and one of them helped himself to a fine double - Goncalves' terrific header and brilliant turn and shot from a Steven Thompson knock down enough to put is through to the last eight at the Saintees' expense.
Despite our players probably being rather tired after the last week there was only one change to the Saints team. Kenny McLean was missing completely as John McGinn returned, Paul Dummett having to make do with a slot on the bench. The same went for former Saint Nigel Hasselbaink with Gregory Tade, Rowan Vine and Steven MacLean preferred up front. Another former Buddie, Patrick Cregg, was in the team and while Murray Davidson missed out, there was a place for future Hibee Liam Craig.
Aside from the odd Goncalves run and a few questionable offside calls there was little to get the pulses racing in the early stages. Conor Newton saw his shot saved by Alan Mannus before Thompson shot just wide after Goncalves beat a few players and pulled the ball back from the byline. The forward was looking lively on the right and he ghosted past Frazer Wright and burst into his box before falling to the ground as Wright and Tam Scobbie closed in. It was never a penalty and he should probably have passed to Thompson instead of going himself. Paul McGowan did deliver a fine pass out to Gary Teale before he shot miles over, then Graham Carey tried his luck with a free-kick from well out that almost troubled Mannus thanks to a deflection.
Cregg was first to go into the book for a rash challenge on Thompson and while we seemed to be in control, we should perhaps have been behind when we switched off at a free-kick and allowed Michael Doughty to get a free header, but the new Saintee put it well wide. Cregg shot wide as the visitors began to pose a threat then Vine rattled the ball towards goal, his effort unintentionally finding MacLean whose close range shot was well blocked by Samson and went behind for a corner. Samson was busy again a few moments later, reacting brilliantly to palm away a Vine header. We were struggling to cope and had a huge escape when the Saintees charged up field from our corner, Tade picking out MacLean who had acres of space to pick his spot and proceeded to blooter the ball over the bar. It would have given them the lead at the break, instead it remained goalless.
If that miss was bad, the next was comical. Our defence appealed in vain as Craig was correctly given onside and the ball was played into the box for the unmarked Tade. He barely moved when he took his shoot so it was perhaps little surprise to see it spin miles away from goal and almost go out for a throw. So often in football you are made to pay for missing chances like that and for once we took full advantage, McGowan's neat pass finding Teale in acres of space and he produced a fine cross for Goncalves to head in his third goal in as many games. He must think this Scottish football lark is a bit too easy.
The Saintees tried to respond and Tade headed wide from a cross, although it was a hard chance, before Teale fizzed a shot wide and Goncalves nearly doubled his tally when Mannus saved as the Portuguese forward stuck a leg onto the end of a Carey cross. It was merely a delay as a couple of minutes later he gathered a fine Thompson knockdown before composing himself and shooting low into the bottom corner. Four in three games - and it was very nearly five as a terrific run took him into a shooting position where he was unlucky to see his shot go just wide.
In between the goals Tade had been replaced by Hasselbaink - who was unsurprisingly booed - before Mehdi Abeid came on for fellow debut boy Doughty. Craig and Scobbie were both booked for dissent before Vine had a decent chance but shot straight at Samson. Thompson should then have finished things when Goncalves knocked on a Teale cross - although it was probably an attempt at goal - and the man who scores when he wants fired a shot across goal that flew just wide. McGowan got a rather silly booking for booting the ball away seconds before he was replaced by Dummett, making his second debut if such a thing exists. Gwion Edwards was definitely making his first Saintees appearance as he replaced Cregg 20 minutes from time.
We waited for the St Johnstone onslaught and while Hasselbaink was causing Goodwin a few problems Samson was calm and composed in goals while a few blocks and clearances weremade, his save from a header irrelevant as the flag had already gone up for offside. Craig did have a go from the edge of the box that looked close as it went wide before Lewis Guy came on for Thompson, who looked rather tired. His fellow veteran Teale almost sealed things with a superb free-kick that didn't seem to fly wide by much. That was unlucky but Goncalves should have had his hat-trick when he shot wide from close range after chasing onto a long ball - a surprise considering, like Thompson, his confidence must be sky high.
There was a scare five minutes from time when Craig caught his volley perfectly but Samson did terrifically well to turn it behind. That was as close as they were to get and we had another chance for a terrific third in stoppage time, Guy staying onside (for once!) to chase down a pass and then play it back for Teale, but he snatched at the chance and sent it spinning wide. Hasselbaink nearly got one back for the Saintees in the final minute but again Samson was equal to the effort, capping a great performance with another brilliant save.
So, the final of one cup and the quarter-finals of another. Things are shaping up rather nicely!
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