Temple Of Saints - An Entertaining Draw?

Scottish Premier League - 28/11/2000

Saints 0 Sheep 0 League Table Here

Team: Main,Sylla,Blaster,Dods,Weir,McCluskey,Dasovic,Kane, Russell, Parker, McCulloch
Subs: Cuthbert,Pope,JR,Paddy,Evers

Not quite the win we were looking for but given the way the game panned out tonight a draw was probably a fair result and despite any crap mentioned on Radio Scotland this was one of the most entertaining goalless games I've seen.

St. Sandy stuck by the same side as Rugby Park with even the subs remaining the same as the team went for the 4-3-1-2 formation (I just love tactics). The Sheep were near enough at full strength although they also had Shyte in the side to make it a bit easier. As for the conditions - not quite as bad as the Sellik match a few weeks ago but despite Cap'n Jim's short sleeves nobody in the large crowd envied the players.

From the start both teams played open football and the Sheep could have taken the lead within the first minute when DiMacaroni found himself unmarked in the 6yd box only to blaze his shot over the bar. At the other end a Kane free kick and a corner saw a header go well over and the Sheep defence block any attack in numbers.

The game was being played at a fast rate and the end to end stuff was at times excellent. Kiegan was getting lots of attention to say the least and was bundled off the ball more times than not (although he still has a wee bit of a tendency to make the most of it). A second Saints corner saw Cap'n Jim send a header just wide and into the side netting.

With quarter of an hour gone Kiegan had a great run up the left - he got to the bye line and cut the ball back for Le Mo to send a MoMo Missile drive low towards the goal which Esson managed to palm away, although the lack of Saints follow up was a bit annoying - maybe they've just got too much faith in MoMo Missiles. By the way it's really great to see the novelty value of a Sheep keeper with all his own teeth and no zimmer frame.

Entertaining though the game was it was also pretty dirty with a lot of niggling shoves and tackles which the ref did well to ignore to allow the game to flow. Not surprisingly both Le Mo and Kiegan were coming in for most of the stick. There was little in the way of goalmouth action with the usual scrambles going on as Saints tried to get past the packed defence. Le Mo tried another long range effort which went over the bar, but the best chance fell to the Sheep on the counter attack. With a good break on it was left to McCluskey (having another excellent game) to put in the last ditch sliding tackle to save the day, whilst Main managed to get the rebound.

Kane managed to get his name in the book first after a fairly innocuous challenge just before the break. Unfortunately he kept on questioning the refs decision and eventually McDonald yellow carded him. In fact he was lucky it wasn't followed by the red as the Saints player kept on mouthing as he walked away. Some justice was done when Darren Young (a dirty wee shite if ever I saw one) joined him in the book just afterwards for a cynical hack on Dasovic.

Second half was a much slower affair. It was still even but the first 45 seemed to knock the wind out of the players and both sides tired. Having said that we still had the best chances to win the game. Marc McCulloch had a 20-yarder well saved just after the restart. Main was called into action for the first time just after when a Sheep break saw Jess take a potshot (after the Saints midfield stood off him). Main saved the shot but failed to hold onto the ball and needed McCluskey to clear the lines.

Le Mo got onto the end of some neat Saints build-up play with a turn and shot from 12 yards out but the ball went wide. Paddy came on for the off-form Russell who looked caught out by the frantic pace of the game. Almost immediately he sent a neat chip from outside the box which went just over the bar. Then a Paddy run up the left after a pass from Marco saw him get to the byeline and send a low ball across the goal. Marco ran onto it only for his volley to be well saved, with Kiegan just too slow to get to the rebound.

After picking up a booking Marco was again involved in what was probably our best chance. A Le Mo run up the right saw him hit a long cross over the goal. Marco got on the end of it and sent it back in only to see the Sheep defender McGuire come in and try to clear via the post - if it had gone in it would have been a classic o.g.

Both teams were tiring now and the play was getting scrappier. McCluskey picked up a yellow for a challenge on the halfway line as Saints pressed. Cap'n Jim and Dods were forming a lethal partnership pushing up the right wing although it did leave us exposed at the back - not helped by the lack of tackles from the midfield men. There were the usual last minute corners from both sides but no goals.

Overall it was a good game - and a pretty decent performance from Saints just lacking in the final touch. Kiegan played well considering the attention he was getting and the defence looked solid enough. MoM for me was McCulloch - a much better and more confident performance than last Saturday and a willingness to push forward more. Mentions too though for Dods and McCluskey in defence - Dods is proving an excellent right back and as for McCluskey he's finally looking like the player we hoped he'd become.

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