Temple Of Saints - End it now please

Bells League Division One 19/04/2003

Clyde 2 Saints 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Baxter, J-Ro, Murray, Dods, Maxwell, Peaso, Reilly, JR, Paddy, Noble
Subs : Miotto, McCluskey, Parker, Hay, Flash

Not with a bank but with a whimper with one of the poorest Saints performances of the season. Falkirk get the title, Clyde get 2nd place (hopefully not for long) but if one thing was a bit clearer today it's that there are a lot of players currently donning the Sacred Blue who more than deserve to be punted at the end of the season - and if the manager can't start identifying which players play on which side of the park he might not last much longer. With the player taking the field to the Champions League Anthem (such wit in Cumbernauld these days) the only change to the Saints side was the reintroduction of Cher Noble up front. It meant J-Ro got to keep his place wide left and Noble partnered Peaso up front with Paddy tucked in behind the pair. And with a good pitch, a decent travelling support and the sun shining the stage was set.

Unfortunately someone forgot to tell the Saints players and within 3 minutes we had the delights of a J-Ro tackle (I use the word tackle in the Harry Curran sense of the word) which allowed Clyde to break down their right wing and cross - luckily the shot went just wide, as the phrase "Warning Sign" appeared in great big neon letters in front of the away fans eyes. Three minutes later and it looked like the same phrase was about to be sent to Swinecastle after a heavy tackle on JR left him limping (hope it doesn't affect that medical). Still we managed to get the ball in the net a couple of minutes later after some good build-up. The ball went to the right and Baxter had a decent shot blocked. The rebound fell to JR and his chip into the box was met by a diving header from Paddy into the net - only problem being the flag for offside from the linesman.

Clyde managed a few attacks on the break but Saints were going for the slow build-up and trying to walk the ball into the net. Paddy had a couple of misses and we were suffering from a poor final ball to Paddy, Noble and Peaso with the midfield struggling to get forward (although Reilly was winning more balls in midfield than you'd expect). We had our first corner in the 16th minute but it was easily cleared - memo to Stark, if JR is leaving in the summer can we start getting someone else to take corners please? We kept pressing and a couple of minutes later Peaso had a decent shot from the edge of the box saved by Halliwell. But after another poor cross from JR was cleared in the 23rd minute Clyde broke up the park and won a corner at their end. A low cross into the box was met by the unmarked Potter running in and his powerful header went into the back of the net with Cuthbert helpless.

Saints tried to get back into the game and a few minutes later Paddy played the ball wide to Peaso on the left. He ran to the byeline and crossed only for Halliwell to palm the ball away with Noble just too slow for the rebound. Saints had a corner which was easily cleared but we were still pressing. Reilly was fired up and putting in some great tackles to win the ball back on the edge of the Clyde box and on the half hour mark he slipped the ball to Paddy who won a corner. JR's kick went to the back post were it found Noble who came back round to the edge of the box and let rip with a cracking 20yard drive which took a deflection up to go into the top of the net and make it 1-1.

The game was pretty even with goalmouth chances few and far between. Clyde's no 10 picked up the first booking on 39 minutes for a dirty challenge on Reilly which left the player down. He recovered though but 4 minutes later the entire Saints defence looked crippled. Poor defending let the ball into the box on the Clyde right with J-Ro and Maxwell missing The ball broke to Millen in the 6yd box. Cuthbert tried to come out to block it but Millen's low drive went into the net with not a hint of a challenge from a Saints defender.

Second- half was basically shite - total crap with Saints having obviously heard the half-time score from Brokeville and deciding to give up. Cuthbert had a good save in 58 minutes after a Clyde free kick on the edge of the box had only been half blocked by the Saints wall. And on the hour mark the game livened up when Dods tackled Millen and cleared his lines with Millen collapsing as if Dods had been impersonating Sol Campbell.

That was the start of the bookings - both escaped that time but Noble picked up the first Saints yellow 4 minutes later for a foul from behind. It marked the end of his game as well as he was replaced by Mr Invisible Chris Hay, and going by the conversation Noble had with Stark in the dugout he didn't look too chuffed. Baxter got the next yellow a couple of minutes later after Millen clashed with him - nothing in it at all and totally undeserved. Five minutes later and a J-Ro cross from the left came off the junction of post and crossbar but needless to say the Saints strikeforce was missing (as bloody usual).

Two minutes later JR was yanked (having contributed sod all) and Parker came on which meant J-Ro going to right-back and Baxter moving to midfield (Confused? you will be). Paddy was the next booking for kicking the ball away after another decision went against him, spoiling a decent performance on his part but even funnier was seeing Clyde sub Wullie Falconer getting booked for going onto the park without the ref's permission - about the only time the ref managed to enforce the rules all day. Flash replaced J-Ro with 11 minutes to go but Saints by that time looked beat and out of ideas. A Murray back pass header 3 minutes later was poorly cleared by Cuthbert but luckily he saved the resulting shot. And with 5 minutes left Clyde headered the ball off the bar. Saints broke up the park and Paddy slipped the ball behind the defence for Parker but Halliwell reached it first to save. Paddy had a good run into the box a minute from time and was bundled over but as you'd expect no penalty was given.

Crap performance then with Saints looking lost for the most part and the teamwork that has been present recently having almost vanished along with any confidence. J-Ro is still being played on the left which is a total liability and JR isn't bothered about playing or creating anything, whilst Hay is a waste of space with his lack of fitness - he's hardly getting a touch when he comes on. MoM for me was Reilly - he caused plenty of problems for Clyde today and won more tackles than the rest of the team combined - pity there wasn't a flair player willing to take the ball forward.

Aw hell - next season will be better.....

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