Temple Of Saints - What a Joke!

Scottish Premier League - 30/09/2000

Saints 0 Hibs 3 League Table Here

Team: Main,Sylla,Blaster,Weir,Kernaghan,Dasovic,Russell,Kane,Jones, Parker,Hartley
Subs: Cuthbert,Dods,Pope,Tommy,Forsyth

So Sandy sticks by the same side as last week's scrappy win with the only change being the appearance of 17-yr old Ross Forsyth on the bench instead of the injured Marco McCulloch. Unfortunately that's about the only vaguely supportive thing I can think to say of Saints today. Even allowing for Dallas' piss-poor refereeing decisions (guess what the cameras were here) and some questionable tactics from the management and the supposed form of the opposition, the Saints players on that park today were amongst some of the most pathetic to have worn the blue shirt.

Christ I can take losing the game, I can even take going down to 10 men but I don't think that any fan should have to put up with the lack of professionalism that some of those players showed today. Far too often they would just stand off their opponent or settle for punting the ball up the park, looking more intent on getting rid of it than anything else. Even worse was the lack of fitness on the part of some players, the crap passing and the indiscipline that is fast becoming a sign of Saints play this season.

As for the game it was over in the first 20 minutes. An okay start from Saints (with Kiegan too slow to reach a good ball in the box in the first couple of minutes), and a series of corners soon turned the other way. First up ex-Saintee Del O'Neil saw a 20yd volley saved brilliantly by Main who made a similar block a minute later.

Then after quarter of an hour the game was over. A Hibs break saw PantyLinen get the ball. A tackle from behind by Jim Weir saw the ball go out for a goal kick (as signalled by Dallas), and Weir left badly injured. But as he was being stretchered off and Dods preparing to come on Dallas changed his mind and signalled a free kick on the edge of the box. Then refused Dods permission to come onto the park as Dallas ran to the dugout area to red card Weir (there must have been a camera there). At worst it was a yellow.

With Saints in disarray and the wall missing the extra man Sozzled stepped up to send a curving freekick into the net. Dods then came on for JR as St Sandy went for the familiar tactic of confusing the fuck out of everyone by going for damage limitation instead of the sexy football we were all promised in the summer. Saints were furious now and after a bad challenge on him went unpunished Jonesy saw the red mist come down and a hack on Jack saw him go into the book. Then a quick ball up front and Zitelli looking about a mile offside ran behind the Saints static defence and lobbed the oncoming Main. Game over.

After that it was down to Dallas to provide the entertainment as he punished any minor Saints challenge but let Sozzled away with 2-footed tackles on Parker and Jones with the latter looking more and more like joining Weir in being sent off. But when most teams would settle down and try and fight back into the game Saints were about the worst they've been this season. Kernaghan and Dods both got caught in possession as Hibs closed them down all the time. Even when they did play the ball the midfield trio of Russell, Dassa and Kane were useless with slack passing, missed tackles and general crap positioning the order of the day. With MoMo and Parker running the right wing Kiegan had to drop back more and more which meant that the long high ball to Jonesy was as ineffective as it's been all season (think East End Park, Pittodrie etc.).

Second-half started better with Saints as Hibs seemed to sit back a bit more. We nearly lost a third goal when Sozzled had the gift of a free-kick 20yds out after Kane needlessly fouled him whilst at the other end the novelty of a Saints shot on goal courtesy of a Dasovic 25-yd volley saw Colgan make a good save, then Russell who looks more and more out of place every week sent a shot wide.

Hibs had the ball in the net on the hour mark but at least the linesman was on the ball spotting Zitellis push on Cartman although the closer Dallas had totally missed it. Dallas stuck to his form 5 minutes later when Kane caught Jack and was booked. Bollan went over to Jack and the Hibee got up bloody quickly for a supposedly injured player and raised his hands to Blaster. Cue for Dallas to intervene, a yellow for Blaster and despite raising his hands only the same for Jack.

Tommy came on for Jones and moved up front proving more and more that he's a winger but with 12 minutes to go it was all over as Dasovic and Russell stood back off Lotopee and let him waltz into the box and send a shot past Main to make it 3-0.

Parker was replaced by Forsyth who at least showed that some Saints players in the club are willing to play for the jersey by harrying the opposition, putting tackles in and moving about a bit. It was all to no avail though with only Blaster and Tommy shots towards the end as pathetic attempts to get a consolation from the game.

So apart from Main with some good saves, MoMo for at least trying to attack and Forsyth for making a decent debut there is not one of the Saints side that can hold their head up tonight. The worst thing is that it's 2 weeks before the next game which means 2 weeks of listening to the same old excuses and cliches from the club. Personally in Clark's shoes I'd walk into the club tomorrow, make the buggers put in double training sessions for the next fortnight and then the night before the Well game tell the U-21 side that they're playing at Fir Park. It might just provide the kick up the arse that so many of those so-called "professionals" need.

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