St Johnstone’s route to the Scottish Cup final

Goalkeeper Zander Clark has played key roles at both ends and in a penalty shoot-out.

Zander Clark has proved vital along Saints' march to Hampden (PA Wire)

St Johnstone and Hibernian face off in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final at Hampden.

Callum Davidson’s Betfred Cup winners are looking to lift a rare trophy double for a non-Old Firm side.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at the Perth side’s route to the final.

Third Round – Dundee 0 St Johnstone 1

Guy Melamed’s strike handed Saints victory in this Tayside Derby at Dens Park but the Perth side had goalkeeper Zander Clark to thank after he saved a late Charlie Adam penalty and denied the Dee the chance to take it to extra time.

Relieved boss Davidson said: “They have a Premiership squad in my opinion so I knew it was going to be a really tough game with the likes of Charlie Adam involved. He’s a top-class player and I thought he would score because I have watched him take penalties enough times. But it’s a fantastic save.”

Fourth Round – St Johnstone 2 Clyde 0

It was game over inside 21 minutes as goals from Guy Melamed and Michael O’Halloran put Saints in front, but Davidson was frustrated his team did not run up a bigger scoreline against Danny Lennon’s League One strugglers.

He said: “It’s a job well done. I thought in the first half we were very good. I actually really enjoyed the performance. For me, we probably should have scored a couple more goals to take the game away from Clyde.”

Quarter-final – Rangers 1 St Johnstone 1 (St Johnstone win 4-2 on pens)

St Johnstone players swamp goalkeeper Zander Clark after his Ibrox heroics (PA Wire)

James Tavernier thought he had snatched victory for Steven Gerrard’s Premiership champions with three minutes left of extra-time – but that was just the start of the drama as Saints keeper Clark raced forward for a corner to head the ball down for Chris Kane’s 122nd-minute equaliser before pulling off two saves in the shoot-out to send the jubilant McDiarmid men through.

Clark jokingly tried to claim the goal before adding: “Hopefully by winning the first cup we have given ourselves a chance to try and get to another final. It’s massive for everyone involved at the club.”

Semi-final – St Mirren 1 St Johnstone 2

St Johnstone’s Glenn Middleton made the difference at Hampden (PA Wire)

Glenn Middleton produced a second-half star cameo to book Covid-hit Saints’ place in the final, first setting up Kane for the opener before sweeping home with a sublime free-kick to render Connor McCarthy’s late strike for the Buddies meaningless.

Davidson – who saw four players forced to self-isolate before the Hampden clash – said: “We’ve hardly trained this week. But the players’ attitude was tremendous. I’m just delighted for them. Glenn came on and produced the magic which you sometimes need to get to a final.”