Saints stun Star to get League Cup campaign off to a flyer

St Andrews United began the 2022 League Cup campaign with a trip to Premier Division side Newtongrange Star and Barry Cockburn's players produced their best performance of the season to date.

Saints had not won at New Victoria Park in six previous visits to the ground, dating back to 1987.

Star took the game to United during the early stages but Jake Grady soon began causing the home defence problems at the other end.

In the seventh minute, Liam Peden attempted a pass back towards his own goalkeeper yet the ball was hit too powerfully for Sean Brennan and Grady quickly moved in to find the empty net with a good header.

That goal shocked the Star players and they put the away defence under some pressure for the ensuing quarter of an hour, with Ben Finnan looking lively.

However, Scott Reekie, Tom Milne plus the returning Jack Rollo defended comfortably and St Andrews United's trialist goalie did not have to make any serious saves of note.

A long ball led to Nitten hitting the post in the 43rd minute before the impressive Reekie cleared a follow-up shot off his own line and the score remained 1-0 to Saints at the break.

The Star players pressed hard for an equaliser throughout the second-half and the visiting defence did well to cope with a series of corners midway through the half.

The St Andrews United fans suffered a nervous end to the match but further good defending kept Star at bay.