However, the former Scunthorpe man's night was soured somewhat when referee Stephen Finney ordered Owen Coyle to replace his record signing 10 minutes after half-time for dissent.

Finney, sensibly, kept his cards in his pocket all night despite a number of fierce challenges, and rather than send Paterson off, the 21-year-old was replaced by Latvian trialist Gatis Kalnins.

On a more positive note, 18-year-old Alex MacDonald came off the bench to score his first senior goal for the club, sealing the win with a composed finish late on.

The night had started terrifically for Paterson, in an entertaining first half.

Scottish First Division title favourites St Johnstone were virtually at full strength ahead of their seasonal opener, on Saturday as they begin their defence of the Challenge Cup at Ross County, and they handed Burnley their toughest test of the tour.

The Clarets opened brightly, and Chris McCann chased down a lost cause down the left and laid the ball back to Robbie Blake, whose cunning reverse pass promised an opening for Paterson, but keeper Euan McLean was quick off his line to smother.

Within a minute, the £1m man did find the net as Blake switched play to Wade Elliott on the right, and from his cross, the unmarked Paterson placed his header inside the far corner.

The lead lasted barely 60 seconds as Diego Penny saved superbly from Gavin Swankie, but the ball fell straight into the path of Paul Sheerin, who steered the ball into the unguarded net.

Saints could have added a second midway through the first half when Penny headed away a throughball from Peter MacDonald, and Swankie's audacious volley just cleared the bar.

And further pressure produced a chance for centre back Kevin Rutkiewicz, who turned smartly and slammed a Swankie ball wide from the penalty spot.

Chris Millar then had the ball in the net with a deft touch over Penny from Sheerin's incisive pass, but the midfielder was flagged off-side.

Against the run of play, Burnley regained the lead 12 minutes from half-time when a strong header from Steven Caldwell instigated a break, and as Paterson drove at the Saints backline, he arced a delightful ball into the path of Ade Akinbiyi, who poked home from six yards out.

Paterson, 10 minutes after the break, was ordered to be substituted after disputing a throw-in call, with Coyle allowed to replace him with Kalnins, and the big striker forced a save from McLean with a downward header from a Graham Alexander ball.

As Saints tried to force an equaliser, Burnley switched off from a throw-in and Penny saved well from substitute David Weatherston, but the Clarets sealed the win with three minutes remaining when Joey Gudjonsson swept the ball out to Steve Jones, who drove to the bye-line and pulled the ball back to MacDonald, who cooly side-footed inside the near post for his first senior goal.

Penny; Duff (Alexander 46), Carlisle, Caldwell, Kalvenes (Jordan 46); Elliott (MacDonald 59), Mahon (Kay 72), McCann (Gudjonsson 48), Blake (Berisha 67); Paterson (Kalnins 55), Akinbiyi (Jones 46). Sub not used: Jensen.

Attendance: 2,216