WHEN footballers are described as brave it’s usually because they are unafraid to put their head into a challenge most wouldn't risk a foot.

It was the late Tommy Burns who preached that anyone could dive into a tackle and take a kick but it took real courage to demand the ball and actually try something when things were going badly.

Weak players hide, good players show. It's easy to play a pass when your team is winning.

Tommy Wright, the St Johnstone manager, lamented his side’s lack of courage on the ball after their defeat to Kilmarnock in the opening weekend of the Ladbrokes Premiership season.

Second-half goals from defender Scott Boyd and new signing Mikael Ndjoli were enough to give Killie a 2-0 victory at Rugby Park, their first opening day win since 2009.

In a game the home side dominated, the Perth men struggled to create any clear-cut chances or put their opponents under any real pressure.

Last season's dip has not yet been take care of . Yet.

“I feel sorry for Tony Watt because he had no service,” Wright said. “There was a severe lack of bravery on the ball.

“We played three centre-backs because they do put the ball into the box, particularly on this pitch, and we dealt with that, but we kept giving the ball away whenever we had it.

“There’s a lot of work still to be done, but, most importantly for me, the players need to be braver.

"It’s no good wanting to be on the ball and pass it around against Montrose and Forfar if you can’t come and do it against the bigger, stronger teams. It’s extremely disappointing.

"Too many mistakes, too many players under par. I would say that only Steven Anderson, Jason Kerr and Matty Kennedy, when we got him on the ball, were the only ones that had any sort of performance that was acceptable."

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke praised his side’s attacking prowess. They have picked up where the left off from the previous campaign. Winning games and playing good football.

Ndjoli, a 19-year-old loan player from Bournemouth, added to the three goals he bagged in the Betfred Cup group stages with a brilliant 25-yard strike into the top corner with five minutes left.

“He is a goalscorer and he showed that again,” Clarke said. “We are happy to have him because he gives us something a bit different.

“Someone asked me about our options for goals and I think we have enough. I couldn’t even get Greg Kiltie on the pitch because we have good options.

"We’re not here to set records, we’re here to win football matches.

"We wanted to have a good start today and we’ve done that. Feet back on the ground, back in training tomorrow and get ready for another difficult game away at Livingston next weekend."

Clarke is still in the hunt to add players to his squad before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month, one of those being Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

The 24-year-old had a loan spell with Ross County in 2015 and Clarke confirmed the club hope to tie up a loan deal in the coming days.

“We are in the latter stages of discussions with him,” he said. “I needed another goalkeeper and we hope to get it over the line soon.