Saints 2 Scumdee 3 League Table Here
Team:
Main,McCluskey,Bollan,Weir,Kernaghan,Sylla,O'Neill,Kane, Kiegan,Paddy,Pope
Subs: Cuthbert,Russell,JR,McCulloch,Forsyth
Well doesn't that just sum it all up. Another day of getting a nice half-time lead followed by a second-half collapse containing some of the most glorious cock-ups that we've had the so-called pleasure to see this season, along with dissent and a general show of what happens when a team loses any belief in itself.
St. Sandy rang the changes with only Weir being passed fit. He moved to a 3-man defence along with Father Dougal and McCluskey with Sylla and BoBo out on the wings of the midfield in a 3-5-2 formation. JR managed to sneak onto the bench at the apparent expense of Tommy. We started brightly enough with Parker, Paddy and Pope combining well. A 2nd minute free-kick saw Bollan blast the ball over the bar, and then 10 minutes later, a Pope chip set up Kiegan only for a poor shot to be easily held by Frascati. A minute later and we were in front though. Kiegan went on a run through the middle of the park only for the Dens Mafiosi to hack him down. Kane taps the free kick, Pope dummies but Bollan blasts a low drive past the keeper from 20 yards out. 1-0 us and the coagies shut up at last.
The game was a lively affair at this point and Bollan picked up a yellow a few minutes later to be followed by Coyne for the Scum for a scythe on Paddy. Scumdee weren't too hot on the attack and it was only thanks to some poor defending that they were able to get a shot on goal which Main did well to save. With 25 minutes gone we should have gone two up - Kiegan got the ball on the right wing and made it to the bye-line. His cross went across the goal, being missed by Le Mo only for an unmarked O'Neill to totally miss the ball.
Five minutes later and a MoMo break on the right saw his cutback fall to Kiegan who turned and let loose a snap volley which went just wide. We were dominating most of the play with Kane and Pope playing a neat short passing game although the midfield was slow to get up in support of Paddy and Kiegan up front with the two strikers having to do more running than necessary. Still before the break Kiegan saw a shot well saved by Ravioli and then Pope sent a shot over the bar.
Second half started with Saints looking sharp. MoMo beat the offside trap and sent a lovely cross in from the right only for Kane to see his shot well-blocked, and then Kiegan and Paddy combined well on the break only for Parker's square ball to be missed by the onrushing O'Neill. Just after that Le Mo picked up a well-deserved yellow for kicking the ball away and you knew he was finished in the game. Still the ref managed to show some wonderful inconsistencies with Cannigia and Rae not picking up any yellows (the former for diving and the latter for fouling Paddy) before the collapse began.
56 minutes gone and after absorbing another attack MoMo fails to clear properly from within the box. Instead the ball lands at the feet of Rae who lets fly with a 25-yarder over Mains head and into the net although I think that the keeper was caught off his line and possibly should have had it. St. Sandy put on McCulloch for O'Neill and then McCluskey picked up a yellow for needless dissent (a trait which is becoming far, far too common amongst the players).Cannigia was getting far too much room and another break by Scumdee only saw a goal prevented by a last-ditch Father Dougal tackle. Kane went into the book next for a foul on Cannigia (with the Scumdee striker making the most of the challenge). MoMo was finally replaced by JR on the right wing.
Almost straight away though Saints fell behind. Again poor defending and a break down the right for the Coagies saw the ball come off Weir (innocent for once) only to fall for Sara to volley past Main. 2-1 to them and you could feel the knives being sharpened amongst the home fans.
Weir had a header well saved at the other end as Saints tried to get back into the game and with 13 minutes left it looked like we might. A long ball from Bollan saw JR break up the right, get into the box and then get fouled by Di Marchi. No red card but we got the penalty which a brave Kane duly despatched with style - so at least that's one hoodoo put to rest. Russell came on for the tiring Paddy but with the midfield tiring it was easier for Scumdee to hit us on the break and Main made an excellent save from the feet of Claudia Schiffer with 8 minutes to go.
But then with 5 minutes left a hash in defence from Kernaghan and Bollan let Artero get in and slot the ball home for the winner. It got worse as well with the last minute seeing Bollan and Cannigia clashing off the park. Whilst the ref was willing to let it go for both players it looked like Bollan wasn't willing to - he spoke to the ref, out comes the straight red card and Bollan is up the tunnel. To be honest with his attitude at times a suspension now means it's unlikely he'll be back in the side.
Booed off the park at the end - but then that's nothing new for Saints. Kane was my MoM - he had a good holding game in the centre of midfield. Father Dougal looked back on form if still a little slow but too many players suffered from a real discipline problem today. Sylla, McCluskey, Bollan all need a kick up the arse.
Season's over Sandy so start playing the kids. It's not going to get any worse.
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| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Points |
| Celtic | 28 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 72 | 22 | 73 |
| Rangers | 28 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 56 | 25 | 63 |
| Hibs | 28 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 50 | 19 | 59 |
| Kilmarnock | 29 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 34 | 36 | 45 |
| Hearts | 29 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 43 | 39 |
| Dunfermline | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 28 | 41 | 37 |
| Motherwell | 29 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 34 | 42 | 35 |
| Dundee | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 40 | 37 | 33 |
| Saints | 28 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 29 | 41 | 31 |
| Aberdeen | 27 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 28 | 40 | 28 |
| Dundee United | 29 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 52 | 18 |
| St. Mirren | 30 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 19 | 62 | 15 |
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