The travelling support were in full voice but left Perth disappointed after Kilmarnock were edged 4-3 by St Johnstone in a breathless opening-day encounter of the 2026/27 Scottish Premiership.
Early pressure and end-to-end football
St Johnstone set an attacking tone from the outset and opened the scoring on 14 minutes when their number nine, Josh Fowler, found the bottom left corner. Killie responded to pressure with a number of probing moves and an excellent set play almost brought an earlier equaliser when John-Jules slipped a pass through to Joe Hugill, whose touch was just too heavy to convert.
On 37 minutes, after several fine passing sequences, Kilmarnock’s captain Greg Kiltie levelled the game to make it 1-1, restoring parity before the interval. John-Jules was withdrawn for Jamie Brandon just before half-time. Half-time: 1-1.
Thrilling second half sees lead change hands
St Johnstone reclaimed the lead almost immediately after the restart, scoring from a corner on 46 minutes, only for Hugill to equalise moments later and make it 2-2. Killie then struck again on 52 minutes to take a 3-2 lead, the visitors capitalising on a strong spell of attacking play that put the home defence under sustained pressure.
The lead proved short-lived. After a VAR check for a potential offside, St Johnstone levelled on 68 minutes to make it 3-3. Kilmarnock continued to press and came close to restoring their advantage when Lowery’s cross deflected off the goalkeeper for a corner.
But a late set-piece swung matters. A free-kick struck Schjønning-Larsen’s leg and slipped past Max Stryjek to find the net, handing St Johnstone a 4-3 lead which they held until the final whistle.
"After a 7-goal thriller, St Johnstone came out on top."
What it means for Kilmarnock
For Kilmarnock, the result will be a disappointment given the team’s attacking intent and the double response to going behind in the second half. The squad showed resilience and the capacity to create chances — Greg Kiltie’s influence from midfield and Joe Hugill’s presence up front were clear positives — but the side were ultimately undone from set-piece situations.
Managerial staff will take note of defensive vulnerabilities at and around dead-ball moments and the need to convert promising attacking moves into the decisive final touch. The match also underlined the value of squad depth as substitutions — including the introduction of Jamie Brandon at half-time and later changes such as Mathurin and Rice — played a part in shifting momentum.
- Final score: St Johnstone 4-3 Kilmarnock
- Attendance: 5,733
- Kilmarnock starting XI: Stryjek; Ring (O’Hara); Hugill; John-Jules (Brandon); Kiltie (Owen); Stanger; Lowery; Clescenco (Mathurin); Schjønning-Larsen; Schilte-Brown; Tshibola (Rice)
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 14' | Josh Fowler (St Johnstone) opens scoring |
| 37' | Greg Kiltie (Kilmarnock) equalises — 1-1 |
| 46' | St Johnstone score from corner — 2-1 |
| ~47' | Joe Hugill equalises — 2-2 |
| 52' | Kilmarnock take lead — 2-3 |
| 68' | St Johnstone level after VAR check — 3-3 |
| Late | Free-kick deflects off Schjønning-Larsen past Stryjek — 4-3 |
There were bright signs for Killie — notably the movement and link-up between John-Jules and Hugill and the leadership shown by Kiltie — but margins remain fine at this level. The new Premiership season is barely under way; lessons from Perth about defensive organisation at set pieces and finishing in the box will be taken back to Kilmarnock as the squad prepares for the next fixture.
The team sheet and an attendance of 5,733 underline the continued local interest in Kilmarnock’s top-flight campaign as supporters follow the club’s progress throughout what is likely to be a fiercely contested season.
