Temple Of Saints - Down

Scottish Premier League - 22/01/2002

Match Report courtesy of From the Terrace

Saints 1 Dundee Utd 4League Table Here

Team: Miller, Murray, Dods, McCluskey, Falconer, McClune, Lynch, Hartley, Jones, Youssouf, Kane
Subs: Cuthbert, Maher (rep Lynch 74), Russell (rep Falconer 85), Paddy, Kiegan (on for Jones 56)

Pale-faced Billy Stark quite simply had no answer after his doomed Saints side once again succumbed to a walloping defeat from the kind of Dundee United team we would have made mincemeat out of just a couple of years ago. And, while answers may be hard to find for the struggling Perth boss, he can be assured that there will be no shortage of questions from an angry home support fed up to the back teeth of paying hard-earned cash to watch their team getting turned over. Starkers is going to have to do a helluva lot more than stand on the touchline with his arms folded if he wants to avoid his managerial reign turning into one of the shortest in the club’s history.

The signs were there right from kick-off in this match, as United won a couple of corners within the first two minutes and Derek Lilley almost opened the scoring with practically his first touch – but fear not, for there was more to come from him later. Saints, to their credit, looked eager to take the game to United and, with comeback man Graeme Jones partnering new recruit Sammy Youssouf up front, the potential for goals was obvious. Youssouf certainly looked the part, and was deserving of a goal in the 4th minute when he powered through the Coagies’ defence only to have his effort blocked by Paul Gallagher. Another notable chance for the big Dane came in the 18th minute when an acrobatic overhead kick from Jones’ cross resulted in the ball flying agonisingly wide.

With a bit of solid defending at the other end, it’s fair to assume Saints would have got something out of this game. But, once again, we were treated to a textbook display of exactly how a three man defence SHOULDN’T perform. That Stark is happy with Messrs Dods, McCluskey and Falconer playing across the backline when the players themselves so obviously are not beggars belief. Add to that the complete lack of confidence the players now appear to have in Alan Miller – and not without reason, it has to be said – and any fool could see that this was a hammering waiting to happen. And happen it did.

A simple goal just before the half-hour mark saw Lilley tuck away Thompson’s through ball and, with the Saints defence bringing shame on the word “disarray”, the floodgates were open. Seven minutes after that and it was 2-0. Thompson strolled through the Saints defence, McCluskey was turned inside out, and the ball was cut back from the bye-line for Charlie Miller to fire home with our own Miller distinctly wrong-footed. Eight minutes after that and it was 3-0. Charlie Miller passed the ball straight through the Saints “defence” and Lilley simply slipped it under our hapless on-loan keeper. Game over.

For some inexplicable reason the manager saw fit to leave the side completely unchanged for the start of the second half, despite the fact that this team were dying and so too were our slim hopes of staying in the Premier League. Saints got exactly what they deserved in the 52nd minute when Lilley scored again to complete his hat-trick. A free-kick on the edge of the box was rolled into his path and the ball was bulleted into Miller’s top right hand corner from 20 yards. Cue more looks of complete helplessness from the Saints players as they gesture towards the touchline in desperate need of some sort of guidance – unfortunately, under the circumstances, that’s probably the last place there was any point in them looking.

It would have been 5-0 had it not been for the crossbar – probably Saints most competent defender on the night – blocking a volley from Craig Easton. But there was to be a consolation strike in the 65th minute, despite the fact that there were barely any significant number of home fans left in the ground to see it. Hartley’s free-kick from the right wing was met by the rising head of Youssouf – one of the few Saints players who can come out of this game with pass marks – and the ball was sent flying past Gallagher.

It’s perhaps hard to believe that this was Saints’ most important game of the season yet, but believe us, it was. This should have been the game that saw Saints scratching and biting for every ball, smothering every opposing attack as if their lives depended on it, and doing everything possible to make sure the ball was being supplied to our front men at all costs. Instead, we were given this – an absolute tanking. What really hurts is not that we were defeated, but the manner of the defeat. At least if we were to go down fighting then the players could hold their heads high regardless of the result. Unfortunately, it’s starting to look like even that is nothing more than a pipe dream.

Billy Stark can search for positive factors all he wants, but the sorry fact is that, with all the false dawns behind us, this team is no better now than it was under Sandy Clark. Yes, Sammy Youssouf does look like a good signing – he showed some good movement, a lot of strength, and a keen eye for goal. But this one player is not going to be enough to transform the fortunes of a team with such mammoth problems in every area of the park. Sorry folks - it looks like it's Division One for us next season.

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