Spot-kick agony for Saints in cup opener

Arbroath edge win on penalties after goalless draw

- TAYLOR MURRAY

Penalty heartache ensued for St Mirren after they lost out to Arbroath in their Premier Sports Cup opener.

After a tedious 90 minutes, with the Paisley outfit failing to register a single shot on target, spot-kicks determined the destination of the Gayfield bonus point on Saturday.

Young Fraser Taylor - the League One player of the year after a dazzling loan with the title-winning Smokies - was denied by keeper Aidan McAdams to give Calum Gallagher the chance to convert for the Championship new boys.

Jayden Richardson was handed his Buddies debut while Slovak stopper Peter Urminsky got the nod in goal as he made his first appearance for the club in two years.

It was Abroath who started brightly as Nikolay Todorov forced Urminsky into an early save.

You could tell it was the opening game of the season with the number of misplaced passes as both teams shook off the cobwebs.