Allan Preston Testimonial - 23/03/2001
Allan Preston Testimonial - 23/03/2001 Saints 4 Bradford 2
Team: Cuthbert,McClune,Forsyth,Monsieur
4,Weir,McCluskey,JR, Monsieur 8, Kane,Tommy,Sylla
Subs: Findlay,Pope,Marco,Bollan,Crozier,Kernaghan,Dasovic
It might have been just a testimonial and there was a decent crowd there to pay respect to Il Biscotti but once he had kicked the game off and left the park (he returned for the last couple of minutes to finish the game off), Saints fans got a chance to see a glimpse into the future as St. Sandy made the changes.
With no Super Ally making it onto the park we had the sight of MoMo lining up as centre-forward in a 4-3-3 formation (attacking football?) with Tommy and JR on the wings. Defensively Weir and McCluskey made up the central pairing whilst teenagers Flash Forsyth and David McClune (making his first team debut) took over the full back slots - and hopefully both will be able to keep their positions in the future. Certainly tonight's performance suggested they deserve to. Midfield saw the changes as well with Kane coming back into the side alongside the two mystery French midfielders (Monsieur 4 and Monsieur 8 until the Mystery Player Identifier reveals who they really are (i.e. until I trawl all the French websites a la Sylla last summer)). Both looked solid enough and played some neat football although the no 8 impressed me more - a decent turn of pace and some lovely close control skills.
Saints set out to attack from the start and Le Mo was tearing Bradford apart with his runs at their defence (supported well by the wingers and no 8 (Christ this is getting like the Prisoner)). And with the legendary (as in we all thought he'd retired decades ago) Neville Southall in goal it wasn't going to be long before the deadlock was broken. So with only 9 minutes gone Tommy sent a lovely through ball for MoMo to split the defence. One sprint into the box and then MoMo took his time rounding the keeper before blasting the ball home 1-0.
Bradford played the offside trap well and Saints were unlucky not to make it 2 10 minutes later. MoMo and no8 combined in midfield before Sylla sent a neat chip out to Tommy on the left. He ran into the box but instead of shooting himself elected to square to JR who had unfortunately gone just offside. Then Tommy made another break on the left, crossed to JR in the middle only for the shot to go wide.
The trialist was making a good impression and a great crossfield pass to Tommy from defence saw the chants of "Sign him, Sign him" break out.
Saints were dominating the game and although Bradford got forward a few times the defence had little to do with the midfield dropping back to help out and the two young full-backs (especially McClune) playing really well. Still the game was niggly at times and ex-Arab scum Billy McKinlay (less the bleached look these day) managed to get in and foul Le Mo - one of several nasty tackles he was going to put in.
Bradford managed to hit the bar (although Cuthbert never looked in any real danger at any other time) towards half-time before Saints missed a good chance to go 2 up. Le Mo made another great run through the middle and laid the ball off to JR on the right. He got to the byeline and sent in a cross for no8 only for Neville "Older than Fatter than Goram" to pull off a good block.
Second-half saw Kernaghan, Dasovic and Pope come on for McCluskey, Kane and no8 and within 3 minutes we were two up. Pope sent the ball out to JR on the right wing and his cross was met by Tommy in the 6yd box for an easy tap-in.
The game was fairly entertaining and MoMo was pulling out all the stops. He beat 3 defenders at one point. JR went close with a free-kick before Bradford broke up the park. A good run saw the ball laid off to Ashley Ward and he put the ball away well to make it 2-1. Bollan came on for Weir although he went to the centre of defence and left Forsyth and Tommy to work on the left.
MoMo had a good run end up in being fouled on the edge of the box but the free kick was sent wide. Bradford broke up the park almost immediately and their no. 15 got through 1 on 1 with Cuthbert but the Saints keeper pulled off a great save. With 65 minutes gone, MoMo had a long-range shot saved but a minute later we increased our lead. Pope laid the ball out to JR on the right and his run saw a cross put in between two defenders for MoMo to manage a semi-diving header into the net.
And Le Mo should have had his hat-trick a minute later. A great run saw him beat the offside trap. He got to the box and rounded Southall ("round" being the operative word) but took the ball too wide and his eventual shot came back off the post. Marco McCulloch came on for Monsieur 4 who left to good applause from the fans. And Marco nearly scored when Tommy did some good work on the left (with the help of the corner flag) to put a cross over which the youngster headed just wide.
Crozier came on for JR next and with 5 minutes to go Scott Findlay made his debut in goal replacing Kevin Cuthbert. It was plain to all the fans (especially when the ref signalled the dugout there was 5 minutes left) that Il Biscotti was going to come back on but let's hear it for the sporting chaps of Bradford who did their best for a couple of minutes to keep the ball in play. Eventually it went out and in the nicest of ways. Tommy picked the ball up and ran half the park. His cross was missed by Sylla but at the back post the Bishop got it and sent it back in for Tommy to tap into the net. 4-1 us and Il Biscotti gets to come onto the park for Le Mo.
That was it apart from a consolation goal for Bradford in injury time. Biscuits got a couple of touches and left the park to massive cheers at the final whistle. Easily the MoM although if I went with my head rather than heart the award would probably go to Le Mo who along with no 8 provided most of the entertainment. Both trialists looked fairly good though. Tommy and JR had good games and Le Mo looked bloody good as a striker (at least for a player signed as a right-back). And in defence we look to have unearthed two excellent full-backs in Flash and McClune - both of whom deserve to get a decent run in the first team.
Anyway at least we've got the first win of 2001. Biscuits as a lucky mascot anyone?