Temple Of Saints - The Run Continues

Bells League Division One 15/03/2003

Ross County 2 Saints 3 League Table Here

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

Well if nothing else today should prove to Saints that we just can't afford to ease up on the opposition. How else can you account for us comfortably leading 3-0 with 20 minutes to go and then letting County back into the match with a couple of late goals. Still we got the points which in the end was all that mattered to the large travelling support, so the race isn't over yet. As expected Mavis returned to the starting line-up in place of Marco who dropped to the bench and dislodged Parker. This meant Maxwell moving to left-back and Saints going with a back four which was flatter than a shirt freshly pressed by the Susan Weir Home Ironing Service. It also meant M-Ro and Reilly taking up duties in the centre of midfield alongside Paddy whilst JR seemed to drift to a wide left role - something he seemed unable to do for long leaving us badly exposed on the flanks. Up front it was the Noble Peaso partnership which was the pick of the day.

Despite the sunny conditions the pitch was fairly heavy and Saints made similar going early on despite a bright start. As early as the first minute M-Ro found himself being held back and the resulting JR free kick forced Bullock into a good save. But County were just as dangerous - Baxter called into early action to block a shot in the 3rd minute. The game was fairly even and end-to-end for the opening stages. Peaso had a semi-decent header saved after he got onto the end of a JR cross from the right. And then a Paddy cross a minute later was cleared.

Saints though looked slower on the ball and the midfield, despite getting some tackles in was unable to get any passing flowing, whilst Maxwell, Murray and Dods were more than happy to stick to punts to clear their lines. And it was slack defending in the 12th minute that nearly saw County take the lead. Murray played a poor passback from the byeline to the Cat and he sclaffed his clearance to a County attacker. Only the superheroesque intervention by Darren "Lightning" Dods blocked the resulting shot.

But four minutes later the defensive frailties were forgotten. A decent run and build-up from midfield combined with some lovely short passes saw the ball slipped left to Noble in the box and he made no mistake with a neat low drive into the net to make it 1-0. That seemed to settle us a bit (well for a couple of minutes anyway) but after our next effort (a JR free kick from the edge of the box) was cleared one time Saints target Steve Ferguson broke up the park and was through unmarked on the Cat only to put his shot well wide of target. Saints were pressing but the County defence were holding firm and seemingly happy to hit us on the counter. Having said that, when they were pressing forward they were staying up the park for a while forcing several corners and despite not hitting the target the nerves were starting to show a bit.

In 25 minutes, Reilly who had taken a head knock earlier limped off (not having contributed much) with Troy McClune the replacement - surprising since it still left us weak on the flanks. Within a couple of minutes County had capitalised on that and a break down the left (with Maxwell and JR missing) saw a good cross in force the Cat to punch clear. Luckily the rebounded shot was headed wide (with the attacker ruled offside). Saints pressed back and on the half hour won a corner. Paddy had a neat flick on at the near post which was headed off the line. The ball came back wide to JR and despite his cross being half-cleared it still landed at the feet of Darren Dods whose shot was cleared. A minute later Peaso and JR linked well to set up McClune with a shot which went just wide of the goal. County had a chance in 35 minutes when a Murray foul saw them get a free kick on the edge of the box which our wall just blocked. Peaso picked up the first booking of the game for his part in the protests.

Two minutes later though and we started to settle. A good break through M-Ro in the middle (looking back to some decent form at last) saw him play a 1-2 with JR and when he played the ball into the box Webb in the County defence only half-cleared the ball to Stuart Noble and the youngster made no mistake with a rocket of a shot to make it 2-0. Saints kept up the pressure for the rest of the half and a good move saw Paddy, Peaso and JR string a series of passes together before the latter saw a curving shot held by Bullock.

McGarry came on for Venetis for the 2nd half for County as Saints started slowly. In fact we seemed happy with the score and settled for playing the long ball out of defence - not the wisest of tactics. Seven minutes into the half County threatened our goal for the first time with a cross across the mouth of the goal which was missed by everyone. Saints had a couple of decent runs through Peaso (showing off his greed in one of them) with our best effort a Maxwell header from a corner which was cleared. JR had a freekick headed clear to M-Ro only for his shot to go wide and then some good work down the right saw Paddy set up Baxter for an excellent cross which was missed by Peaso in the 6 yard box. County meanwhile counter attacked from that and after the Saints central defence failed to clear their lines it was left to Baxter to put in a good tackle. Even then though, County still pressed but were unable to find the target. County kept up the pressure with a couple of well worked free kicks almost catching Saints out and JR being forced to defend. The Cat was called into action as well and made a couple of decent stops.

In 68 minutes though it looked all over. A handball from a home player on the edge of the box saw Rowbotham give us the free kick. Despite a good wall lining up it didn't stand a chance when JR curled the shot round it and past the diving Bullock into the top corner of the net. 3-0 and one of his best goals of the season. Hay came on for Peaso a couple of minutes later as the home terracing started to empty (just like being at Ibrox really given the amount of time left). But with 13 minutes left Ross County were back in it. A loose ball in was blocked by the Cat and when the rebound came back he again blocked the shot only for the ball to be deflected in off Dods to make it 3-1.

Still we didn't panic - not even when Baxter seemed to be fouled in the box at the other end and Rowbotham waved play on. Nor when JR had another shot saved nor when Hay had a decent shot deflected wide. Nope the panic didn't really show until 9 minutes from time when a totally innocent long cross from the right went past the back post of the Cat's goal only to find Steve Ferguson rise up and head a looping header over the outstretched Cat and into the net to make it 3-2. Some of those home fans wandered back in and most of the Saints fans started to worry.

Saints tried to regain the two goal advantage and a minute later a Hay pass to Noble in the box saw him turn and shoot across the goal only for the effort to go just wide of the far post. Two minutes later and the Cat was out at the edge of his box putting a tackle in to break up another County attack. Noble had another effort go wide but it was left to Paddy and Hay to use their skills to kill time by holding up the ball on the touchline with Hay getting the last shot which went just wide in injury time.

Not the best performance of the season but County are a decent side and at least it was a million times better than last week. The formation switch didn't quite come off but Saints should have won this by a bigger margin. MoM for me was Paddy - just out-shading Noble with some good touches, decent passes and a couple of shots. Noble had a good game and took his goals well (ironic comment of the day was when we almost began to believe that he might get a hat-trick. Go on then who was the last Saints player to do that in the league?) but still tends to get caught offside too often. Dods, Murray and Maxwell played OK whilst Baxter was as good as usual. Reilly didn't look fit and whilst McClune had an OK game I'd rather have seen Marco brought in to give us some width. JR scored a cracking goal and M-Ro looked back on form to give us some hope.

Oh and a word for Ross County - they're playing some decent football and have a good set-up there (the trips to Dingwall have IMHO been the best away games of the season). Hopefully they can stay up - I'd rather go to Victoria Park than bloody Alloa again.

So the run continues......

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