ST JOHNSTONE 2 CITY 0

THE Hiwula and Hanson partnership will have to wait another day.

James Hanson wasn’t due to start last night in Perth anyway. But a slight niggle, picked up during an air-shot in training, kept him out altogether as City were undone by two poorly-defended set-pieces.

It was purely precautionary and it was the same with James Meredith, who sat out his second game. Both would have been okay to play if yesterday had really meant anything.

But Hanson’s unavailability still denied Stuart McCall the opportunity to see a strike duo that he believes can work well when it matters.

The absence of two main players, to go with long-term absentees Rory McArdle and Stephen Darby, underlined the thin nature of City’s squad currently when they pick up knocks.

Back-up keeper Joe Cracknell was also nursing a dislocated finger but he was still on the bench, despite the presence of Rouven Sattelmaier in the stand.

On the plus side, Filipe Morais made his first pre-season start against the club where he played 51 times in two spells.

The winger had the night’s first shot, forcing one-time City trialist Alan Mannus into a low save, as the visitors worked the ball around sharply. McCall’s mantra is to get the players confident on the ball but not just passing for the sake of it.

He also urged Morais to stay upfield when St Johnstone won the first corner, which Tam Scobbie headed past the near post after outjumping Nathan Clarke.

Nicky Law started on City’s left flank – an area where they do lack a genuine left-footer – but frequently cut inside and swapped with Liam Agnew.

But the former Sunderland man’s sloppy pass allowed Blair Alston to warm Colin Doyle’s hands from 25 yards before both sides stopped for a drinks break on the half hour – hardly a common sight around these parts.

St Johnstone were revived enough to grab a 33rd-minute lead after Doyle’s decision-making did him no favours.

The keeper opted to come for Scobbie’s angled free-kick, didn’t get there and watched the header from Graham Cummins loop in. It’s not been the best first week for Doyle.

Worse followed for City five minutes later from another set-piece in the same area. Alston whipped the ball in this time and nobody responded as Brad McKay diverted the ball into the bottom corner.

McCall reacted furiously from the touchline at the lack of City marking.

The St Johnstone goal scorer then became goal saver as he blocked Hiwula’s snap-shot in the goal mouth after Morais had put in a teasing delivery.

That was the Portuguese’s last involvement as he made way for Mark Marshall at the break – something that had been planned beforehand as City ease him back in.

The Bantams continued to have most of the ball in the second half and Nathaniel Knight-Percival almost halved the deficit on the hour, flashing a header past the far post from Agnew’s cross.

As City stepped up the pressure, St Johnstone could only half-clear a Marshall centre but Hiwula got his first-time effort all wrong.

Paul Anderson’s arrival for Billy Clarke midway through the half saw a change of shape to 4-2-3-1 with the sub joining Law and Marshall to play behind Hiwula.

After showing up well at Gateshead, Marshall again added some purpose to City’s attacking play as he looks to make the most of his opportunity since the change of manager.

The left wing is very much up for grabs and he can genuinely use both feet. The 150 or so City fans certainly appreciated his wide play right beneath them.

City tried to give him the ball at every chance and Marshall dinked a pass through for Hiwula, who cut it back across the goal-mouth but beyond any white shirt.

Second-year apprentice Niah Payne was a late swap for trialist Agnew, who had looked tidy enough since the interval but not really done anything to catch the eye in his bid to fill one of the central midfield vacancies.

CITY: Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Clarke, Devine, Morais (Marshall 46min), Agnew (Payne 81), Dieng, Law, B Clarke (Anderson 68min), Hiwula. Subs: Webb-Foster, Boateng, Cracknell.