Temple Of Saints - Murray Spares the Blushes

Bells League Division One 08/03/2003

Saints 2 Arbroath 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Baxter, Marco, Murray, Dods, Maxwell, Peaso, M-Ro, JR, Paddy, Noble
Subs : Miotto, McClune, Forsyth, Hay, Parker

Okay, it's confession time and I must admit that at 4.40 today I had my doubts that we'd get any more than a point today after a performance bordering on the abysmal with too many players well under par. But these days we do seem to have the odd piece of luck and thanks to a cracking Murray header in the 93rd minute the 3 points are staying at McDiarmid whilst Arbroath have to rethink their policy on timewasting for the last 30 minutes of the game. Stark unsurprisingly decided to go with the same starting line-up from Tuesday's win at Somerset Park apart from Parker dropping to the bench and Cher Noble getting a starting spot. So it should be easy shouldn't it - I mean it's not as though it's the first time these players have played together.

To say the least you could have fooled me. Things started well enough with a 2nd minute attack seeing Paddy and Peaso combine to set up Baxter running into the box only for his shot to be blocked. Our first corner a minute later was cleared and then just after that Paddy running through the middle sent a great ball to JR only for the first of some dubious offside decisions to be given. Saints though looked nervous in the early stages and Arbroath, who were defending in numbers were soaking up the pressure. A cross into the box in 10 minutes was flicked on to Peaso by a blue shirt and although his effort was saved, it was again ruled offside. Then a minute later, Baxter and Paddy combined well on the right before slipping the ball to Marco in the box who turned and shot just wide.

Signs that it was more even though came in the 15th minute when Murray had to look sharp to head clear an Arbroath free kick. Noble then had a good run down the left and cut back into the box. His pass to Peaso ended in a shot being held by Hinchcliffe.

But then in the 19th minute it went arse-up. A good Saints build-up ended in another easy clearance for the defence and Arbroath counter attacked with 4 forwards against 2 Saints defenders. They made the numbers count and despite the best efforts to put a tackle in the ball was slipped to Swankie who made no mistake with a cracking finish from 15 yards to stun the Saints crowd.

Luckily, before the moaners could really start we broke up the park and despite Arbroath being in possession, Marco made a great interception on the left. He ran forward, laid the ball inside to Peaso and from 25 yards Peaso let rip with a dipping rocket of a shot that went straight into the back of the net leaving the keeper stranded to level the scores. Two minutes after that Saints broke up the park outnumbering the Arbroath defence. Paddy passed the ball inside to Peaso who slipped it to JR only to again be ruled offside.

Then on the half hour mark we should have increased the lead. Maxwell played a good long ball from defence up the left wing to Marco and his cutback into the box found Noble only for the youngster to send his shot miles over the bar. And a couple of minutes later we had another golden chance. From a throw-in on the left the ball came to Noble. His shot was deflected into the path of Baxter all of 3 yards out and unmarked. Unfortunately in about his only mistake of the game, Beaky hesitated too long and by the time he shot towards goal the defence were able to block his effort. Saints faded after that with long ball the name of the game accompanied by some nightmare poor passing with Dods, Maxwell, M-Ro and JR all guilty and effectively removing the backbone from the team.

Despite a couple of runs from Cher, Arbroath had the next good chance in 37 minutes when Dods was caught in possession and they broke into the box but luckily sent the shot over the bar. Apart from a Marco shot that went over the only sign that we were going to have any luck today came in the final minute of the half when Dods had a shove on the Arbroath forward but escaped any penalty claim (it was easily as bad as the one at Ayr that ended up in a spot-kick).

Second-half saw us start a bit livelier. A couple of corners were cleared early on although there was still signs of life in Arbroath especially when one break down the right saw Maxwell left for dead - luckily for him the end result was a cross missed by everyone in the box. Noble had a run up the left and crossed to Paddy whose cutback ended in a JR shot being blocked. Then Peaso tried to walk the ball into the net (when a pass would have been easier) and was eventually tackled. We were making plenty of chances with Paddy, Peaso and Noble all failing to find the target. A free- kick from the right from JR was aimed for Dods but easily cleared and Baxter had to show some brilliant reactions to get back, put in the tackle and break up the counter-attack proving that at least there were some Saints defenders able to play football. We had a few chances but to be honest looked poor despite having enough pressure which forced Arbroath to start some major timewasting for the last half hour.

Their only real chance came from a corner in 66 minutes which saw Murray have to look lively to head the ball over his own bar. Marco, who had had a pretty poor game was replaced by Flash in 67 minutes and a minute later we had our best chance of the half when Noble linked well with Maxwell on the left side. Maxwell's low cross was cleared only to the feet of JR and Hinchcliffe did well to save his first-time volley. Flash had a header end in an easy save a few minutes later. Noble was replaced by Hay in 73 minutes and just after that Flash and Maxwell combined well on the left to send a good cross into the box. Paddy rose to head it but put the ball just wide of the target. Then Hay had a run halted with a tug on his shirt. From the free kick 30 yards out JR put the ball into the box. Hay's header broke to the back post where Maxwell saw his shot saved.

Mark Robertson was replaced by Parker in the 80th minute. A minute after that Baxter showed his fighting qualities on the right wing when despite being tackled he won the ball back and beat 3 defenders before putting the ball out to Parker. His cross was met by Hay whose shot was just wide. Saints to be honest looked out of ideas at this point and despite their fatigue and timewasting Arbroath looked to be happy with a point. Parker had a shot go just over and then Hay put one miles over the bar with 3 minutes to go after being set up by Paddy. But in the 93rd minute Arbroath tried to counter attack but handled the ball. The linesman spotted it, signalled the ref and Saints got the free kick. From it, wide on the right, JR sent the ball into the box where Murray rose up to head the ball into the net and allow the McDiarmid Collective Sigh Of Relief to be heard once more.

Crap performance then with Dods, Maxwell, M-Ro and Marco all poor. Peaso looked sharp up front and Noble caused some problems. But MoM for me by a mile had to be Mark Baxter who ran his arse off on the right side of the park and was about the only one who didn't seem to give up the points.

Crap performance but 3 points though - can't argue with that.

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