St Andrews United: Saints get 4-1 away win at Stirling University despite employing new formation due to injury woes

United, who will finish second to gain promotion, triumphed thanks to first half goals by Ewan Whyte, Ryan Dignan and Kyle Sneddon, with Connor Preston’s free-kick pulling one back for Stirling Uni before Jordan Mackenzie added Saints’ fourth on 88 minutes.

Manager Raeside told the Herald and Citizen: “Considering we had so much injury and illness in the squad it was a great result.

"It wasn’t a great performance and I take the blame for that. Myself and Garry Wright (assistant manager) tried a different formation (3-5-2), which we had never employed before this season.

"We just wanted to look at players in those positions. We have one eye on next season.

"It was literally 10 minutes’ preparation before the game. That was a good part of the reason why we were a bit stop/start.

"I had previously spent five minutes on a board at training, telling the players that 3-5-2 was what I was thinking of doing, just to throw it in their heads and then spoke about it again just before the game.

"It wasn’t a fluid performance. But it was effective and we won the game which is important.

"There’s enough experience there. I’m sure they’ll have played 3-5-2 at some point in their careers but I’m looking to go back to normal – a hybrid of 4-4-2 – this weekend.”

Saints will end their league campaign at home to fourth-placed Arniston Rangers – who have also been promoted – this Saturday, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

Raeside added: “The players will know it’s a great game because they’ll have to be up for it. There’s no ‘end of season’ feel because Arniston are bringing through 100 supporters as this could have been their promotion game and they had their buses booked.

"There will be a good atmosphere and it will be a really competitive game. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Although Raeside will be in attendance, he won’t be watching the match from his usual position as he has incurred a dugout ban after picking up four bookings.