Partick Thistle went marching into the quarter finals of the Betfred Cup with an impressive win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

In what was a game of two halves, in that the first half was excruciating to watch while the second was more than enjoyable fare, a penalty from Stevie Lawless, a glorious Ryan Edwards strike and a fine late finish from Chris Erskine saw the Jags into the hat for the next round.

There were changes for both sides after their exertions in the Premiership’s opening weekend, and Jordan Turnbull was handed a debut by visiting manager Alan Archibald.

Thistle started on the front foot and a nice passing move ended with Ryan Edwards laying the ball off for Stevie Lawless to have a go, his effort being deflected just wide.

Young Kevin Nisbet was handed a start in the absence of the injured Kris Doolan, and he proved a constant threat all evening. He showed his inexperience early on though as he danced past Steven Anderson, drawing what looked to be a foul in the area. His determination to stay on his feet, admirable though it was, may have dissuaded referee Euan Anderson from pointing to the spot, and his shot was blocked away by Joe Shaughnessy.

The youngster was making a nuisance of himself though, and he robbed Shaughnessy before exchanging passes with Chris Erskine and testing Alan Mannus at his near post.

Thistle’s Danny Devine was forced off just before the half hour with a knee knock he had picked up earlier in the game, with Niall Keown entering the fray.

St Johnstone hadn’t been seen much as an attacking threat to this point, but Steven MacLean forced an outstanding save from Cerny from what turned out to be an offside position, before David Wotherspoon bent an effort just past.

In truth, the quality of the game had nosedived long before the interval to such a point where Donald Trump’s escalating his war of words with North Korea and the impending nuclear holocaust didn’t seem so unwelcome.

Mercifully, things picked up after the break, and Nisbet soon got the penalty he should have had earlier as Erskine fed the ball through to him in the area and Anderson clumsily came through the forward to concede the spot kick. Lawless tucked the ball home low to his left, sending Mannus the wrong way.

Saints responded as Anderson had a header knocked off the line by Erskine, before Nisbet came close at the other end with a curling effort with the outside of his boot.

Anderson missed a glorious opportunity to make up for his earlier error as Wotherspoon drilled a ball across the area, but the defender somehow headed wide of the gaping Thistle goal.

He was to rue the miss as Thistle midfielder Ryan Edwards produced an absolute stunner to double his side’s lead just after the hour. Lawless fed the ball into the Aussie 25 yards from goal, and he swiveled before curling a wonderful effort into Mannus’s top left-hand corner.

Substitute Graham Cummins had a glorious chance to haul Saints back into it just after coming on after being put through on goal by MacLean, but he blasted high and wide from 18 yards.

Thistle wrapped things up on the break in the final minute of regulation time as Nisbet’s cute flick from a long ball found Erskine, who rounded Anderson with ease before slotting under Mannus.

So, a more than deserved win for the Jags in the end over a desperately disappointing St Johnstone side, with Nisbet, Edwards and Erskine in particular outstanding.

St Johnstone: Mannus; Foster, Shaughnessy, Anderson, Easton; Wotherspoon, Davidson, Craig (Scougall, 58’), Alston (Cummins, 64’); O’Halloran; MacLean (Kane, 78’).

Booked: O’Halloran (23’), Davidson (82’)

Partick Thistle: Cerny; Elliott, Devine (Keown, 29’), Turnbull, Booth; Osman, Barton; Erskine, Edwards, Lawless (Bannigan, 77’); Nisbet.

Scorers: Lawless (pen. 50’), Edwards (62’)

Attendance: 2619

Referee: Euan Anderson