Breedon Highland League champions Fraserburgh were beaten 2-0 by St Johnstone B in the first round of the SPFL Trust Trophy at Bellslea.
A youthful Broch side competed well with their full-time opponents, but strikes in either half from Bailey Pert and Taylor Steven earned victory for the visitors.
The hosts – who finished with 10 men after Scott Murison’s late sending off – brought on a number of first-team regulars in the second half, but couldn’t mount a late comeback.
The Perth side’s reward is a second round trip to New Bayview to face East Fife. Fraserburgh are back in league action on Saturday against Lossiemouth at Grant Park.
Home boss Mark Cowie made eight changes from the side which defeated Wick Academy on Saturday.
Only Ross Aitken, Kieran Simpson and Logan Watt kept their place with Paul Leask, Aidan Combe, Sean Butcher, Jordan Guild and youngsters Scott Murison, Kyle Wood, Zane Laird and Jamie Maclellan drafted in.
The visitors included club captain Liam Gordon in their side, as well as former Brechin City loanees Jack Wills and Max Kucheriavyi.
Hosts look for fast start
On a sunny evening, Fraserburgh started well forcing a couple of corners, while St Johnstone skipper Gordon was required to make a last-ditch intervention to stop Butcher getting away.
In the 11th minute, goalkeeper Wills did well at his near post to beat away Watt’s free-kick from the left flank.
Saints’ first effort was a 16th-minute Charlie Gilmour snap-shot from the edge of the box which sailed harmlessly over.
A few minutes later, Bobby Dailly almost caught out Leask with a strike from 35 yards, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.
Just after the half hour mark, Kucheriavyi showed his quality to skip away from two challenges and tee up Steven inside the box, but his finish was wayward.
However, on 34 minutes, the Saints did take the lead. Steven found Pert on the edge of the box and he stepped on to his right foot and curled a terrific shot into the top right corner.
St Johnstone knocked the ball around with increasing authority as the first half wore on.
But at the break the Broch were very much in the tie and just a goal behind.
Tie still in the balance
The Perth side started the second period purposefully as they looked for a second goal to make their evening more comfortable.
Fraserburgh held firm and just before the hour Young and Scott Barbour were introduced as substitutes.
Midway through the second period, the back-pedalling Leask did well to turn Kucheriavyi’s curler from 25 yards behind for a fruitless corner.
Moments later, the home custodian was required again to tip over goalscorer Pert’s powerful header.
Then, in the 71st minute, St Johnstone netted the crucial second goal with Steven showing great control to take the ball down inside the area, swivel away from Aitken and finish beyond Leask.
Fraserburgh threw plenty at Saints in the closing stages, with Ryan Sargent, Paul Campbell and Willie West all coming on.
Their comeback quest wasn’t helped by referee Alex Shepherd, who awarded the visitors a couple of particularly soft free-kicks, which relieved pressure.
Then, in the 84th minute, the official showed Murison a straight red for what appeared to wrestling with Scott Bright – although there were accusations that Murison may have stood on Bright when the Saints defender was on the ground.
