Saints 1 Clydebank 0
Team ::
Main,McQuillan,Davison,Preston,Weir,Griffin,Scott,ONeill,Tosh,Georgio, Jenko
Subs : McCluskey,Bowman,McAnespie
Back on form again with a win but given the conditions and the opposition tactics it was not the most entertaining of games. With gale-force winds swirling round the park and a steady drizzle, the ref only allowed the game to go ahead at 2pm altho both managers wanted the match played.
Saints seemed to look like the hungrier side for the first 15 minutes or so with the wind behind them but they sorely missed Dasovic and Dino in midfield. Scott still lacks consistency and Jenko didnt look 100% fit. Up front Georgio was doing all the running as usual and Fergie ?....well lets just say he wasnt the most useful of players. Clydebank packed their defence well and snuffled out all our attacks (it seems to be a standard tactic of our opposition these days to put 2 defenders onto Jenko - it usually works).
The first half overall was fairly even with O'Neil and Georgio having good chances and Weir coming close with a header. At the other end, the defence was caught square a few times but coped well enough although Main had to catch a few awkward efforts. The ref also was doing his best to stifle any real play with any sort of contact at all being penalised. Fizzy was yellow-carded for use of the elbow as he and a Bankie tussled (both players were actually booked but the Bankies got the free-kick!?!).
As the first-half progressed, Clydebank came into the game more and more and you got the feeling it would be another Stranraer. Saints up front seemed to have no idea what to do and any time a good ball went into the box all we got was a few passes before it was cleared - Phizzy especially had plenty of room on the penalty spot at one point to turn and shoot but instead passed back to Preston. Jenko had a few good corners and also one 40-yard free kick which if it hadnt been deflected looked like it would be in.
The second-half started better for Saints. The Bankies appeared to be willing to settle for a point and began a series of time-wasting goal kicks and throw-ins. Saints looked more comfortable at the back with all the defence beginning to push forward more. The winning goal eventually came from a poor Bankies clearance finding Georgio who passed the ball to Jenko on the wing, he crossed and after one failed shot Phizzy shot home from close in altho a Bankie defender did his best to help it in.
After the goal Saints settled a bit more and played with a lot more confidence. Keyring came on for Fergie (victim of a soft booking) and despite his lack of height up against the Bankies defence, acquitted himself well with one attempt on target and the likelihood of scoring if Georgio hadnt been a tad too greedy. Clydebank never really recovered from losing the goal altho they did force a couple of saves from Main and had the Saints defence clearing their lines on a number of occasions. Amazingly enough though, their goalie seemed to suddenly speed up all his kicks.
Full-time saw a look more of relief than anything else on the faces of the boys but at least we're back on form and with the Scum only managing a draw at Methil Saints are now 12 points clear with 8 to go - by my reckoning if we win the next 4 we're up !!!!