The home side looked far more dangerous throughout the first half. Steve Milne hit the target in the 32nd minute after he dispossessed Queens captain Stuart Lovell in midfield. Milne, with his signal mindedness, then charged past the defence and coolly dummied opposing goal keeper Richard Barnard before dispatching the ball into the net.
The Queen's defence was often caught in possession throughout the match and were again punished in the 43rd minute. The offender on this occasion was central defender Tommy English, who gave the ball away to Darren Sheridan. Sheridan in turn released Stephen Dobbie down the left wing. The Queen's defence was badly exposed and Dobbie's cross presented strike partner Milne with the simplest of task to knock home from four yards.
The already slim hopes of the visitors taking anything from the game were further reduced just after half time when Gary Wood was sent off for a second bookable offence.
St Johnstone scored their third in the 50th miute after a Jim Thomson clearance fell into the path of full-back Ryan Stevenson, whose drilled shot gave the keeper no chance.
St Johnstone's fourth came from the unlikely source of big defender Mark Campbell, who headed home from a Simon Mensing free-kick.
On this display a happy Owen Coyle has every reason to believe his side will make a real challenge for the league title this season
.