St Johnstone 3
Ayr United 3 (4-5 on pens)
Scottish Challenge Cup (KDM Quarter Final)
St Johnstone |
3 - 3 |
Ayr United |
 |
Scottish Challenge Cup (KDM Quarter Final) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
|
Josh McPake (pen 30) Liam Smith (89) Jamie Gullan (90) |
George Oakley (15) George Oakley (29) Kevin Holt (47) |
| Team Managers | |
| Simo Valakari |
Scott Brown |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
T Steward (G) 1 C Diabate (D) 3 M Boyes (D) 4 M Foulds (D) 14 J Baird (D) 15 (45) J Holt (M) 7 (63) S Stanton (M) 11 T Steven (M) 19 (45) J McPake (M) 24 (45) R Paton (F) 18 (72) A Agyeman (F) 27 |
Max Thompson Leon King George Finney Liam Dick Kevin Holt Scott McMann Stuart Bannigan Mark McKenzie Ben Dempsey George Oakley Anton Dowds |
| Bench | |
|
R Sinclair (G) 20 R Tumilty (D) 2 (72) L Smith (D) 33 A Forrester (D) 35 (63) J Svedberg (M) 8 (45) J Gullan (M) 10 (45) S Mallan (M) 22 F Franczak (M) 46 (45) K Fotheringham (F) 21 |
Liam Russel Kenzie Mitchell Shaun Want Ethan Walker Nick McAllister Jude Bonnar Jamie Hislop Lucas McRoberts |
| Substitutions | |
| None. |
Nick McAllister for George Finney (46) Ethan Walker for George Oakley (75) Jude Bonnar for Anton Dowds (80) |
| Cautions | |
| None. |
Ethan Walker (90) |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Lloyd Wilson (Referee) |
Match Report
Despite producing a late comeback Saints were narrowly beaten on penalties this evening as their KDM Evolution Trophy campaign came to an end against Ayr United.
George Oakley fired the Honest Men into a two-goal lead after 28 minutes however, Josh McPake pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by George Finney to give Saints a lifeline before the break.
Ayr restored their two-goal cushion just two minutes into the second half when Kevin Holt turned home a Stuart Bannigan free kick. Saints refused to fold, though, and set up a dramatic finale. Liam Smith pulled a goal back with a fine right-footed effort before Jamie Gullan took the match to penalties, reacting quickest to slot home the rebound after his initial spot-kick had been saved by Max Thompson.
In the shoot-out, Stevie Mallan saw his effort kept out by Thompson as Ayr moved 2-1 ahead after two penalties each. Toby Steward produced a vital save to deny Mark McKenzie to keep Saints hopes alive, and with the sides locked together after five kicks apiece, sudden death was required. There, Matty Foulds was denied by Thompson which sent the Honest Men through to a semi-final tie against Inverness CT.
Played at Falkirk due to the game being postponed 3 times.
Match report written by St Johnstone FC Web
Squad Statistics (as at February 17th, 2026)
| 2025-26 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Max Thompson (GK) | 21 |
|
2 | - | 2 | - |
| Kevin Holt | 33 |
|
27 | 4 | 27 | 4 |
| Liam Dick | 30 |
|
24 | - | 24 | - |
| George Finney | 18 |
|
5 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Leon King | 22 |
|
22 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| Scott McMann | 29 |
|
33 | 2 | 74 | 3 |
| Mark McKenzie | 25 |
|
33 | 7 | 226 | 24 |
| Stuart Bannigan | 33 |
|
24 | - | 25 | - |
| Ben Dempsey | 26 |
|
21 | 3 | 147 | 19 |
| Anton Dowds | 29 |
|
22 | 4 | 64 | 27 |
| George Oakley | 30 |
|
16 | 7 | 64 | 23 |
| Nick McAllister (sub) | 25 |
|
23 | 2 | 133 | 5 |
| Jude Bonnar (sub) | 20 |
|
25 | 1 | 25 | 1 |
| Ethan Walker (sub) | 27 |
|
25 | 5 | 49 | 10 |
League Table (as at February 17th, 2026)
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | St Johnstone | 24 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 49 |
| 2. | Partick Thistle | 24 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 44 |
| 3. | Arbroath | 24 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 37 |
| 4. | Ayr United | 23 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 32 |
| 5. | Morton | 25 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 30 |
| 6. | Dunfermline Athletic | 23 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 29 |
| 7. | Raith Rovers | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 29 |
| 8. | Queen's Park | 23 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 24 |
| 9. | Airdrieonians | 25 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 23 |
| 10. | Ross County | 24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 22 |