Forfar Athletic 2 St Johnstone 1

The Loons defeated St Johnstone by the odd goal in three to progress to the second round of the League Cup on Saturday.

Goals early in either half from Callum Tapping and Ross Forbes had Forfar cruising with Matthew Kennedy grabbing the Saints’ consolation at Station Park.

The visitors had the first chance as Liam Craig blasted wildly over from distance but Forfar took the lead inside ninety seconds; Dale Hilson and Ross Forbes combining for the latter to swing a cross into the danger zone allowing Callum Tapping to scramble the ball home.

Forbes was involved again shortly after as his corner found Michael Travis but the Loons captain couldn’t direct his header on target and it fell wide of the mark.

Home keeper Marc McCallum was called into action for the first time in the thirteenth minute when he gathered Matthew Kennedy’s shot with ease.

A Ross Meechan free kick caused problems three minutes later; the ball falling to Jordan Kirkpatrick who sent it out wide for Forbes to control and send a volley goalwards, however Elliot Parish managed to catch the looping shot.

Scott Tanser had Saints’ best chance of the first half late on as he sent a 20-yard strike rasping over the bar with McCallum beaten.

The Loons doubled their advantage seven minutes after the restart as Andy Jackson was fouled by Liam Craig thirty yards from goal. Free-kick specialist Ross Forbes stepped up and curled one into the top corner past Parish.

Kirkpatrick almost added a third when Callum Tapping burst forward and sprayed the ball wide to the winger; he cut inside and sent a rasping shot towards goal with Parish scrambling to punch the effort away.

Four minutes after the hour mark the visitors pulled one back when Ross Callaghan’s shot was blocked by Darren Whyte, however, the ball looped towards goal where McCallum got a hand to it but not enough to take it away from Matthew Kennedy as he headed home from yards out.

Kirkpatrick had a free kick in the 75th minute that was sent towards goal but agonisingly missed Tapping at the back post by inches.

Hilson had an even better chance to make it 3-1 just after this when he turned his man and from a tight angle his effort was pushed wide by the keeper while under pressure.

Forfar Athletic: McCallum, Meechan, Burns, Whyte, Travis, Tapping, Hilson, Irvine (Robertson 84), Jackson (Aitken 86), Forbes (Coupe 72), Kirkpatrick

Subs not used: Docherty, Mackintosh, Aitken, McGuff

St Johnstone: Parish, Duffy, Tanser (Callachan 46), Vihmann, Swanson (Northcott 70), Kerr, McCann, McClean (McMillan 56), Hendry, Craig, Kennedy

Subs not used: Davidson, O’Halloran, Foster, Clark

Match report by Lee Smith.