St Johnstone celebrated Derek McInnes' contract extension with victory over Queen of the South.
Second-half blitz enables Co-operative Insurance Cup win
St Johnstone celebrated manager Derek McInnes' contract extension with a Co-operative Insurance Cup third-round victory over Queen of the South at McDiarmid Park.
McInnes, who signed a two-year extension on Tuesday morning, saw his side make the draw for the quarter-finals after three goals in six second-half minutes - two by substitutes.
Jody Morris opened proceedings with a 68th minute penalty before substitute Marcus Haber tucked in the second four minutes later and fellow replacement Chris Millar added a third after 74 minutes.
St Johnstone, who claimed their first SPL win of the season against St Mirren last Saturday, struggled to assert themselves in the first half against Scottish First Division side Queens.
Early pressure
The 2008 Scottish Cup finalists from Dumfries brought five former Saints players with them to Perth and applied early pressure.
Paul Burns beat Danny Grainger in the opening minute and from the subsequent corner Saints cleared after goalkeeper Peter Enckelman fumbled.
Morris put Jennison Myrie-Williams through on the right at the other end and the winger cut back for Collin Samuel, whose near-post effort was blocked by Craig Reid.
The visitors' right-flank combination of Burns and Allan Johnston provided a threat, but it was Saints who had the better chances.
Liam Craig fired over after Lee Robinson had spilled Myrie-Williams' cross after 20 minutes before the Queens goalkeeper collected cleanly as Michael Duberry could not get much power on a header from a long throw.
Sam Parkin headed over from Grainger's cross before Johnston curled off target on the counter-attack following a strong run by Willie McLaren.
Samuel headed narrowly over from Maybury's cross after 35 minutes in the closest Saints came to scoring in the first period.
Second-half
Craig was replaced at half-time by Millar, with Myrie-Williams switching to the left wing.
Myrie-Williams' distribution was poor, but he hit the post with a header after a deep cross from Millar and then had a stroke of good fortune when his cross struck the arm of Reid, with the defender positioned inside the box.
Referee Alan Muir pointed to the spot and Morris drilled the resulting penalty low into the bottom right corner.
Their confidence boosted, Saints pressed on.
Haber, a replacement for Samuel, latched on to Maybury's ball down the right, raced beyond the visiting defence and tucked in beneath Robinson for a second.
A third came when Parkin neatly flicked on Duberry's through-ball with his heel and Millar ghosted through before replicating Huber's near-post finish.
McLaren had an effort ruled out for offside in the closest Queens came to a consolation as Saints progressed.
