Hamilton's poor record at McDiarmid Park continued on Saturday as St Johnstone ran out comfortable winners in Perth.

For St Johnstone it was an impressive five games unbeaten, while goalkeeper Zander Clark set a new club shut-out record.

For Hamilton though it's back to the drawing board, especially with Celtic up next in a fortnight.

First-half goals from Murray Davidson and Drey Wright had Saints on easy street by the interval, and they simply never looked back.

Hamilton boss Martin Canning made four changes from the side that won at home to Livingston as suspended Mickel Miller, Tom Taiwo, James Keatings and Fredrik Brustad dropping out in favour of Darian MacKinnon, Dougie Imrie, Steven Boyd and Mason Bloomfield.

Tommy Wright made two changes from the side that beat Hibs last week, as Davidson and David Wotherspoon came in for Ross Callachan and Tristan Nydam.

Both sides had chances inn the first couple of minutes, with Boyd sending a snap-shot past for Accies, before Liam Craig sent a curling effort over the top right corner from the left, just inside the box.

In five minutes a decent cross from the left reached Wright in plenty of space, but he sent his angled drive well wide of the left post.

Liam Craig's ninth-minute free kick caused havoc for the Hamilton defence and there was a penalty claim before Davidson sent a bicycle kick past the right post.

Saints used a well-rehearsed move down the left in 16 minutes that resulted in Liam Craig playing the ball back to Matthew Kennedy, but his powerful shot was well blocked.

It was no surprise then, when Saints took the lead in 20 minutes when Wright beat Gordon on the right, his cutback was fumbled by Gary Woods into the path of Davidson, who smashed it into the net.

Accies took until the 32nd minute before they had anything approaching a chance, as Aaron McGowan's powerful shot was blocked before it could end up in the bottom left corner.

Saints scored their second goal in 36 minutes in bizarre fashion when Wright's cross/shot from the right bounced straight over Woods and into the net.

A continuation of that form for Saints saw them bag the third in 55 minutes when Tony Watt's through ball released Matty Kennedy and he dinked the ball over outrushing Woods and into the net.

Saints tried their luck again in 68 minutes with a powerful Wotherspoon free kick from the left, but Woods parried and it was eventually cleared.

A minute later Ziggy Gordon's headed clearance fell to Kennedy and he lashed a shot off the crossbar from 30 yards.

But Saints added a fourth in 74 minutes when sub Chris Kane mugged Delphin Tshiembe on the right and his path was deflected into the path of Wotherspoon to smash into the net.

Hamilton actually created a chance with five minutes left when sub Brustad set up fellow bench-mate Sam Kelly, but his shot was deflected over. From Imrie's corner Bingham's shot hit the top of the crossbar.

ST JOHNSTONE: Clark, Foster, Shaughnessy, Kerr, Tanser, Wright, Davidson, Craig (Nydam, 80), Wotherspoon, Kennedy (McMillan, 77), Watt (Kane, 63).

Subs (not used): Hurst (GK), Scougall, Gordon, Callaghan.

Bookings: Kennedy (62)

HAMILTON: Woods, McGowan, Kilgallon, Tshiembe, Gordon, Martin (McMann, 61), MacKinnon, Boyd (Kelly, 46), Imrie, Bingham, Bloomfield (Brustad, 72).

Subs (not used): Marsden (GK), Taiwo, Penny, L. Smith.

Bookings: Imrie (18), McGowan (39), Martin (51), MacKinnon (74)

Referee: Steven McLean.

Attendance: 2125.