Temple Of Saints - 3 points, crap performance

Bells League Division One 08/02/2003

Qos 1 Saints 2 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Baxter, J-Ro, M-Ro, Murray, Maxwell, Hay, Reilly, JR, Paddy, Tommy
Subs : Miotto, Marco, Dods, Noble, Parker

God was that dire but in the end it seems that the Gods decided to smile upon us and we managed to get all three points - not the most deserving win of the season to say the least after some play in the first half which bordered on the worst of the season. Reilly and Baxter both passed muster to start the game with J-Ro back on the left side of defence as Saints went 4-3-3 with Hay given the nod over Noble up front and Parker also left on the bench.

Saints started well enough and put some pressure on the home side despite playing into the wind and rain, although not of Gayfield standard. But for some reason we just couldn't get past their defence or string any decent moves together. Paddy was huffing and puffing as Connolly's are want to do and Tommy did a lot of running and Hay...well he tried, but it seemed as though we couldn't string more than a couple of passes together.

We did have a decent penalty claim in the 9th minute when a free kick from JR into the box saw Tommy have his shirt held. No spot kick but the ball still broke to Paddy at the back post only for him to send a decent shot across goal and wide of the post. Tommy had a long-range effort deflected out for a corner and then another run saw him link with JR and Paddy who had his shot tipped over for another corner. Of course the terms Saints, corner and chance just don't go together so the ball was soon cleared although M-Ro had a decent chip deflected.

That was it for the first 20 minutes and as if a magic shite-switch had been thrown by the Saints bench, we decided to go on the defensive. And I mean defensive - we're talking 11 men in the box at corners here. Some might say Stark was warming up for the trip to Parkbog in a fortnight but it was just asking for trouble. The 23rd minute saw the first chance for the Doonhamers when a Queen of the South ball into the box was headed down and the Cat had to make a decent save to force a corner. We broke up the park and Paddy set up Hay in the box but his shot was sclaffed into the side netting. But that was it for our attack as the panic set in and we seemed happy to just punt the ball clear never mind find a team-mate.

QoS nearly scored in the 26th minute when another ball in found one of their players unmarked and his turn and shot came back off the post with Cuthbert quick to save the follow-up. Then after Murray gave away a free kick on the edge of the box Hay managed to block a goalbound shot. The home side were forcing plenty of corners and Saints seemed unable to get clear of their lines with the Cat making several saves. Reilly limped off on the half-hour mark to be replaced by Marco as his calf injury seemed to flare up. Saints seemed to settled for a few minutes and even managed to get up the park to win a corner and free kick (both wasted by Hartley). M-Ro also had a shot go well over the bar.

But in 41 minutes it went sour when a simple ball up the park found Brian McLaughlin in acres of space and he sent a low drive past the Cat into the net to make it 1-0. I'd like to say we took the game by the scruff of the neck and fought back but our token retaliation was a Hay effort which Scott easily saved.

The second-half lasted all of 30 seconds before the panic set in in the Saints defence with Murray and Maxwell all over the place and relying on the assistant referee's flag to keep the attacks at bay.

There was no shape or confidence in Saints at this time with our sole effort being a JR free kick which went sky-high over the bar. And in case you thought life couldn't get any worse for the Saints fans in 51 minutes, JR was sent through on the right. He got to the box and cut in only to be brought down. Easy penalty said Martindale. Up stepped Mr Cool and Confident and the man you want to have in a crisis to take the kick - yup it was Chris Fucking Hay with one of the weakest shots he's had yet which was easily saved by the keeper.

We managed a couple of crosses after that but after missing a kick our so-called target man was missing and it was left to Paddy to head Baxter's cross over the bar (with our right-back being about the only decent player on the park). Hay was duly hooked and Cher Noble came on and within 60 seconds had found room in the box - if only he'd had some support. Still Saints seemed to liven up a bit and Marco linked well with Tommy who crossed into the box for Noble who's turn and shot ended up going just wide.

M-Ro had a decent shot just after the hour mark go over the bar before Queen of the South reminded us how shite we could be by scything open the defence and only being stopped by another great save by the Cat. Tommy had a decent shot go just wide but we were getting nothing from set pieces with free kicks seeming destined for the heavens and corners a waste of time. Even worse was the way the heads were going down and the lack of confidence any Saints player had on the ball with no one willing to take any responsibility.

Parker came on for Tommy in a final throw of the dice in 72 minutes. It seemed a kick start for the strikers and we began to run at Queens more. With 15 minutes left Noble had a great run end in a cross which was put out for a corner. From that the ball was cleared off the line. But 2 minutes later and a free kick won by Paddy 25 yards out saw M-Ro's shot take a wicked deflection (the sort that usually affects us) and bend into the net to make it 1-1. Strangely QoS seemed to give up on their timewasting then and try to get into the game more and within a minute almost regained the lead from a corner with the ball being played to the unmarked Bowey on the edge of the box (i.e. no Saints player within 10 yards). He volleyed the ball off the bar though and to add more pain to the away fans "entertainment" Marco managed to injure himself heading the ball clear as Saints panicked - he was able to play on after some treatment though.

The last 5 minutes saw Saints pile on the pressure. Paddy and JR linked to send Baxter wide in 86 minutes and his cross was met by Noble only to be saved. But from the loose clearance, Saints pounced and released Cher Noble up the left side. He tore into the box, held off the defender and hit a sweet low drive past the keeper into the net to make it 2-1 and send the large away support into ecstasy. Still there was plenty of time for the Doonhamers to get back into the game and the last few minutes (including injury time) saw us in backs to the wall panic more with M-Ro picking up a yellow card for his efforts.

Overall it was a shite performance but we fluked the 3 points so I'm not complaining that much. Saints looked lethargic, possibly after the game on Tuesday night and the heavy pitch didn't help. Too many on the park though - Hay, J-Ro and Tommy in particular - were just passengers in the side. If there is any consolation it's that the younger players - the Cat, Baxter (who gets my MoM just ahead of Paddy), Noble and Marco were able to carry the game and get us the win.

Stark's got another week then.....

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