Match Report - By John Hoey

Collin Samuel's first-half strike sent St Johnstone into the Scottish Cup semi-finals as they beat Second Division Brechin City in their replay.

Danny Invincibile had forced a good save from Brechin's Craig Nelson and Saints' Peter Enckelman did superbly to deny Gary Fusco before the winner.

Brechin improved after the break, but the Premier League side progressed.

Saints play holders Dundee United or Motherwell, who replay at Fir Park on 30 March, in the 16 April semi-final.

St Johnstone had introduced Peter MacDonald up front instead of Stevie May following their goalless draw with Hamilton in the SPL.

And the Perth side were quickly on the attack at McDiarmid Park, with Samuel sending a volley off target and Liam Craig toe-poking over from close range following a Murray Davidson ball into the box.


St Johnstone were delighted with Samuel's first-half strike
Brechin's defence were under pressure and was not helped by the loss of Paul McLean with a hamstring injury after only 11 minutes, with the full-back being replaced by David White, who himself had made way for Gerry McLauchlan in the starting line-up.

Goalkeeper Nelson belied his 39 years by stretching down to turn wide a low 16-yard volley from Invincibile.

The Australian forward appeared to be denied by his own team-mate moments later when his close-range half-volley struck Samuel on the line.

Brechin had given St Johnstone a major fright in the 2-2 draw at Glebe Park and the creative Kevin Byers had recovered from injury to start.

However, they were rarely seen as an attacking force in the first half, although they went close to taking a surprise lead.

Saints defender Steven Anderson stumbled and, when a pass from David McKenna sent Rory McAllister clear, the striker being watched by several SPL clubs hurriedly sliced high and wide from the edge of the area.

Invincibile responded with another volley that missed by a couple of feet from 14 yards out.

Brechin again went close to a surprise lead when Fusco's low drive from the edge of the box forced Peter Enckelman into a superb, one-handed parry to turn the ball clear of the far post.

St Johnstone made the breakthrough in the 37th minute thanks to the perseverance of Samuel.

His first effort cannoned off McLauchlan, but he followed to volley powerfully past Nelson from a tight angle after the ball spun into his path 12 yards from goal.

McLauchlan was lucky not to concede a penalty on the stroke of half-time when the defender's trailing leg downed Samuel as he stumbled inside the box.

MacDonald headed a few feet over following an early corner, but Brechin began to enjoy more of the possession after the break.

Nelson produced another fine instinctive block on the line from a close-range strike from Samuel, who followed up into the side netting, although the striker was unlucky to have been ruled offside in any case.

Brechin's Craig Molloy produced a sublime finish from the edge of the box over the head of Enckelman, but the whistle had already gone for a foul by McAllister.

Desperate Brechin defending prevented a second goal, with Nelson parrying clear a dangerous Invincibile cross, Samuel being unable to connect with the loose ball and Chris Millar's goal-bound drive being blocked by McLauchlan.

Millar sent a drive just wide of the post and the unmarked MacDonald fired high over the bar from 15 yards as Saints failed to kill of the part-timers.

However, McAllister, who scored twice to earn Brechin a replay, was an increasingly forlorn figure up front as his side's chances of a historic first semi-final appearance and his own opportunity to impress the watching scouts petered out at McDiarmid Park

(Report Courtesy of Clive Linday BBC Sport)