MATCHWINNER Adam Barton admitted he had no idea that frustrated Firhill fans have had to wait nine years for a Scottish Cup quarter final.

The Jags midfielder, who was asked to vacate his more familiar central defensive role due to a combination of injuries and suspension, delighted the 891 travelling supporters with a sixth minute goal which secured a fourth successive victory at McDiarmid Park.

It also avenged a 1-0 defeat from Saints in Glasgow 10 days earlier but the former Coventry and Portsmouth player was more concerned with the morale boost it will provide Partick players for forthcoming fixtures in both the league and cup.

“I didn’t know about our cup record but I’m delighted to get another goal for the club,” said Barton.

“I didn’t think too much about it at the time. I just wanted to get the win under our belts and get into the next round.

“If you’re a midfielder who can play centre back everyone thinks you’re a defensive midfielder. But I can go forward. If you play alongside Abdul Osman, he’s so good in that sitting role that it gives me licence to get forward.

“Hopefully I’ll get a few more opportunities to play in this position. I like getting into the box late and I’m glad I’ve taken my chance to get us the win.”

Barton tucked away a fine 12-yard finish after Sean Welsh and Seven Lawless had caught out the home side with a decisive counter attack.

He revealed that the FA Cup hadn’t been kind to him during his years south of the border.

“I never really had a big cup run in England. Maybe third round,” he admitted.

“There is more of a buzz in Scottish Cup. In England during my three years at Coventry, I played against Arsenal twice and Spurs once and they just play reserve players.

“It’s good to get the experience if you are lower league players but it’s nothing like up here where every team plays its best team and they go out to win the tie - that makes it a lot better.”

Jags boss Alan Archibald again got his tactics spot-on in Perth, with a 3-4-3 formation frustrating a Saints side which only threatened to claim a replay with late efforts from subs Blair Alston and Chris Kane.

But lively winger David Amoo was denied by a remarkable save from home keeper Zander Clark on the stroke of half-time and defensive lynchpin Liam Lindsay was also frustrated when a netbound header was palmed out and grounded Perth skipper Steven Anderson blocked Amoo’s follow-up effort.

Saints had snatched a 1-0 win at Firhill 10 days earlier and Barton admitted: “We knew what a tough team we were up against. We were working on things all week in training and knew if we defended well the main thing would be taking chances.

“We had three of four good chances against St Johnstone and could have made it 2-0 before half time with David. But first and foremost we had to defend and I thought that’s what we did really well.

“A lot of the teams in the Premiership are very similar but it’s down to confidence and St Johnstone always look a confident side even if they are not playing well and they still get results. So to win this game was massive.”

Archibald was delighted with the response from personnel who carried out their instructions to the letter.

He explained: “We had to reshuffle our shape with no full-backs available. We had a different shape and it was important we got a lead early on to give the players belief.

“I was delighted to see the goal going in because their keeper has made some great saves against us over two games.

“I am just glad to be in the quarter final and we will take whoever we get and go and enjoy it.”

Perth boss Tommy Wright admitted Saints had handed away the initiative with Barton’s early strike.

Wright groaned: “We lost the game in the first 20 minutes. We didn’t start well. We gave the ball away too much and the goal came from us giving the ball away cheaply.

“I thought second half we were much better but still suspect at the counter attack. It was a frustrating afternoon for us.”