An experience St Johnstone side, under the guidance of Owen Coyle, made the trip to Fraserburgh for the first of a weekend double against Highland League opposition and it was a game that was played at a high tempo right from the start.

St Johnstone were the first to threaten and a real mix up at the back eventually saw the ball drop to Jason Scotland who sidestepped keeper Michael Thomson and was set to roll the ball into the empty net when Steven Main came in cleanly from behind to make a tremendous tackle.

Main was at it again to deny Steven Milne after Jason Scotland had jinked his way past three players before setting up his strike partner. Simon Mensing went even closer when he hit the face of the bar with a 20 yard clipped effort after he created the space with a mazy run from the middle of the park.

There was a distinct feeling the goal was coming with Jason Scotland looking particularly lively up front. Only a fantastic reaction stop by Michael Thomson denied Scotland after he flicked a Kevin James goalbound header towards the top corner in the 20th minute.

However Scotland got his reward minutes later when he collected the ball out on the right wing and cut inside, beating two defenders, before drilling a low left footed shot in at the near post.

Fraserburgh were battling hard but the First Division side were in the ascendancy and Ryan Thomson had to make another fine stop, this time at the feet of Andrew Lawrie after a long free kick into the area was flicked on by the lighthouse that is Kevin James for the right back.

Thomson then tipped over a Martin Hardie effort after Kevin Rutkiewicz had raced forward to overload the back post from a Darren Sheridan free kick, the former Don nodding the ball across for Hardie.

From the corner the deep delivery found Kevin James who headed it down onto the goal line where Jason Scotland was handily placed to flick the ball into the net with his heel doubling his tally for the night in the 37th minute.

The Fraserburgh keeper was being given plenty to keep him warm and when Martin Hardie knocked the ball into the path of Simon Mensing and Thomson was required to leap to tip the ball over the bar once more.

It simply lead to another classic St Johnstone set piece routine when Darren Sheridan floated a high ball to the back post where Kevin James nodded it down. This time Steven Milne was the first to react but his shot was blocked on the line. Jason Scotland was on hand to pick up the pieces, claiming a first half hat trick.

Within two minutes of the start of the second half the Saints were to the four with Kevin James claiming a goal for himself heading a Darren Sheridan delivery home from seven yards, with Steven Milne cutting in front of the keeper to add a necessary distraction.

The flow of the game continued towards the Fraserburgh goals and it wasnt long before the fifth goal went in. Substitute Peter Macdonald tried an audacious chip with his left foot from 18 yards out and although Michael Thomson touched it onto the crossbar Steven Milne came rumbling in to bustle if over the line.

The home team demonstrated an undiminished spirit as they forced Kevin Cuthbert into three good saves in the space of a minute on the hour mark. Firslty a Graham Johnston corner was played diagonally away from the area for Gavin Wemyss who thumped a 25 yard volley towards the goals.

Cuthbert parried the shot leaving Neil McLaren and Michael Stephen to both swing for the bouncing ball. The ball was only partially cleared and Steven Main went between two players to win a free kick. Graham Johnston curled it viciously towards the top corner from the angle and Cuthbert did well to claw it away.

It wasnt long before the ball was back in the area and Graham Johnston had another chance but he failed to connect from six yards out and Cuthbert was able to grab the ball to relieve the pressure.

A trio of subs combined to extend the visitors lead to six halfway through the second half when player boss Owen Coyle fed Stephen Anderson and his low cross shot found Andrew Jackson in space at the back post. Jackson took a touch before blasting home from eight yards.

There was a surprise name on the scoresheet, veteran Jim Weir, rounding off the scoring from 10 yards when he got on the end of a Goran Stanic cross from the left to make the final score Fraserburgh 0 St Johnstone 7.

Fraserburgh: M Thomson, Milne, Elrick, McBride, Christie, Wemyss, Johnston, West, McLaren, S Main, Stephen Subs: Kwaitkowski, McDonald, Camerson, Reid, McRobb, R Thomson

St Johnstone: Cuthbert, Lawrie, Stanic, McManus, Rutkiewicz, James, Mensing, Sheridan, Milne, Scotland, Hardie Subs: Macdonald, Anderson, Stevenson, Jackson, Coyle, Weir

Ref: Mike Ritchie