St Andrews United signed off their season in style with a deserved 3–1 away victory against already-relegated Edinburgh University on a scorching afternoon in the capital.

With the sun beating down and the pitch dry and bobbly, both sides struggled to produce fluent football early on. The difficult conditions made for a scrappy opening ten minutes, but it was the hosts who struck first after a crisp strike from the edge of the box beat Saints goalkeeper Logan Halliday low to his left.

Despite the early setback, Saints responded positively, creating a number of clear-cut chances as they began to take control of the match. The breakthrough came shortly after a much-needed water break halfway through the first half, which allowed manager Greg Shields to rally his players with some stern words!

The equaliser was a moment of real quality. Finlay Allan did brilliantly down the left, skipping past his man before cutting inside and delivering a pinpoint cross into the box. James Collins met it sweetly, volleying over the Edinburgh keeper with aplomb to draw Saints level.

Five minutes later, and on the stroke of half-time, St Andrews completed the turnaround. The impressive Lewis Lorimer picked the ball up just inside the Edinburgh half, drove at the heart of the defence, and unleashed a low shot that nestled perfectly inside the keeper’s left-hand post. It was a superb solo goal to give Saints a 2–1 lead at the break.

With the temperature continuing to rise, the second half became a more subdued affair. Both teams made several substitutions, and the rhythm of the game suffered as a result. Chances were few and far between, but St Andrews Utd remained solid and disciplined at the back, managing the game professionally.

The points were sealed late on as top scorer Lewis Payne added to his season tally. A clever one-two on the edge of the box opened up space, and Payne finished clinically to make it 3–1 with just minutes remaining.

The win ensures St Andrews United end their campaign on a high and comfortably placed mid table in the East of Scotland Premier Division. With sights now firmly set on a promotion push next year, manager Greg Shields and his squad can look ahead to 2025/26 with real optimism.