After storming to the Scottish Championship last season, St Johnstone are gearing up for their return to the top flight and will hope to go into next week’s opener against Kilmarnock by beating East Fife in the Scottish League Cup on Saturday.
A 1-0 defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle was a setback for the Saints, but while their opponents have drawn with the Highlanders and beaten both Linlithgow Rose and Greenock Morton, this represents a steep step up in class for the team that finished eighth in Scottish League One last term.
St Johnstone v East Fife Tips Summary
Best Bet - St Johnstone to win to nil @ 1/1
Alternative Bet - St Johnstone to win 2-0 @ 13/2
Bet Builder - Under 3.5 goals & St Johnstone-St Johnstone half-time/full-time @ 5/2
St Johnstone v East Fife Prediction
Best Bet: St Johnstone to win to nil @ 1/1
St Johnstone’s 1-0 defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle ended a run of seven straight victories for the team who stormed to the Championship title last season and it may be understandable if thoughts about the new Premiership season begin to dominate.
They have a league opener against Kilmarnock to look forward to next week, but they should be able to claim a comfortable victory when they entertain East Fife.
Their defence has been the most impressive element of their recent strong form as Alfie Stewart’s 16th-minute goal on Tuesday was the first they had conceded in six games, so after solid wins over Linlithgow Rose and Greenock Morton, they should end the group stage with a flourish.
East Fife were eighth in League One last season, avoiding playoff involvement because of Hamilton’s 21-point deduction and while they were pegged back by a last-minute goal in a 1-1 draw with Inverness, this still represents a step up in class for a team without a win in their last 11 away games.
Alternative Bet: St Johnstone to win 2-0 @ 13/2
While St Johnstone should have few problems collecting three more points, don’t expect them to go goal crazy as their 3-0 win over Greenock Morton has been the only occasion in their last six games when they have scored more than twice.
The Saints settled for a 2-0 win over Linlithgow Rose and claimed victories over Raith Rovers and Dunfermline on their way to confirming the Championship title at the end of last season.
It looks more than possible that we will witness a repeat of that scoreline on Saturday.
St Johnstone v East Fife Bet Builder Tip
Under 3.5 goals
St Johnstone-St Johnstone half-time/full-time
Pays @ 5/2
This does not look like a fixture that will feature a host of goals as there have been fewer than three in six of East Fife’s last eight outings and in all but one of St Johnstone’s last six.
When looking at a double, selecting under 3.5 goals may offer a little leeway and it seems sensible to take that option, especially as the accompanying bet should be to support St Johnstone to be winning at both half-time and full-time.
The Saints have shown they can get off to strong starts as they have scored in the first half in five of their last eight outings and there will be a temptation to get the game in the bag as early as possible with a demanding league campaign in the Scottish Premiership set to start just around the corner.
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Key Match Stats
St Johnstone won seven straight games before Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle
The Saints have conceded just one goal in their last six games
Under 2.5 goals has been a winning bet in five of St Johnstone’s last six matches
East Fife have lost one of their last seven outings
The visitors have won none of their last 11 games on the road
There have been fewer than three goals in six of East Fife’s last eight away matches
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
