New signings impressed as St Johnstone picked up three points against St Mirren.
Experienced forward Nicky Clark, making his debut for the club, found the back of the net in the first half with a delightful piece of play before Drey Wright added another on 66 minutes.
Connor McLennan then came off the bench to win a late penalty which was beautifully dispatched by Graham Carey for number three.
Clark, who had arrived earlier in the week, was partnering Stevie May in the forward department.
He’d had little to work off in the opening exchanges but on 26 minutes showed exactly why he was brought to the club.
May had done well to nod back across goal towards the back post where Clark, showing sublime composure, killed the ball on his chest before lifting high into the net beyond Trevor Carson.
It was the kind of finish - and link-up - that has been missing and there was something simplistically pleasing about watching two strikers playing up beside each other.
Earlier St Mirren had seen plenty of the ball and had worked a couple of promising openings without producing the final piece of quality.
The Buddies would later apply pressure early in the second half but, again, goalkeeper Remi Matthews had not been called into serious action.
In a rare home chance after the break, captain Melker Hallberg curled a left-footed strike narrowly over the crossbar before, up the other end, Jonah Ayunga also sent an attempt just too high.
Callum Davidson’s side had soaked up a lot of pressure but the Perth manager was soon jumping for joy again when Saints doubled their advantage.
May and Adam Montgomery were the architects, the latter picking the perfect moment to slide across the box for Wright to slam high into the top corner with 66 minutes on the clock.
St Mirren looked to retaliate as the game entered its latter stages and familiar face Scott Tanser would nod off the bar and Ayunga followed up by hitting the outside of the post.
McLennan, signed on loan from Aberdeen, then entered the action as Saints made three changes. Daniel Phillips and Theo Bair also came on.
Wright was soon in the mood for another and fancied his chances from range, forcing Carson to touch behind for a corner.
There was to be another when Saints were awarded an 85th minute penalty after a precise long kick forward from Matthews found McLennan.
He produced a lovely chop inside to baffle Marcus Fraser, was felled, before Carey took the honour from 12 yards and slammed high into the net. That was that.
