Temple Of Saints - Keep the Faith
Friendly 26/07/2002
East Fife 1 Saints 3
Team : Cuthbert, Robertson, Flash, Stevenson, Dods,
Maxwell, Parker,Reilly, Mixu, Fotheringham, McLaughlin
Subs : Nelson, Ferry, Malone,Hay,McCluskey,
Lovering,Baxter
Well that's the pre-season rounded off and another decent performance from
most of the Saints side with a chance to see Hay and McCluskey get some
time on the pitch under their belts as well. But just in case you though
it was all rosy and wonderful Dods and Maxwell had an absolute stinker
today - maybe they were just acting up for the benefit of Yogi Hughes and
Alex Smith in the stand though. Mind you conditions weren't that perfect
either - despite a decent pitch, the typical Scottish summer rain led to
plenty of wayward tackles and players on their backsides.
We started brightly enough and in the 2nd minute Keigan had a shot
deflected and held. Then 5 minutes later Robbo (who had an excellent game)
set up Stevenson for a run. He then latched onto the return and let fly
with a first time chip which the keeper did well to hold. We were pretty
much dominating the game both in terms of chances and possession with the
midfield well in control and playing some nice stuff. The breakthrough
came in the 14th minute when a break to Fotheringham in the centre of
midfield saw him slip the ball left to Parker. He ran into the box and
fired a low shot which the Fife keeper managed to block but not hold and
there was Fotheringham to help it over the line and make it 1-0. And just
to keep up the form Parker was guilty of a crap dive a few minutes later
as he went looking for a penalty.
The
chances were still coming though. Some good build up saw McLaughlin on the
left wing beat a defender and cut in but his cross was put just wide by
Mixu. Then McLaughlin had his own chance after 20 minutes with a dipping
shot from the left go just wide. But two minutes later he got a deserved
goal. Good play from Stevenson on the right saw him free Reilly whose
cross was missed by Mixu and Fotheringham in the box. But it broke to the
far side and McLaughlin was there to fire in a low drive past the keeper
to make it 2-0.
Easy street then and time to rack up the goals you'd think? Aye well
then you'd have to make allowances for Dods and Maxwell doing their bit of
publicity for Crap Footballers as they went to sleep in 25 minutes. An
attack by the home side was easily cleared but when the ball was knocked
back into the box the first free header was blocked by Cuthbert but he was
stranded when the Fifers no 9 (?) rose between the Dozy Duo to stick the
ball into the net to make it 2-1. Let the recriminations begin.
Saints
were still in relative control but the momentum was gone and the game got
a bit scrappy. Robbo and Stevenson both had decent crosses into the box
only to find a total lack of blue shirts. East Fife were winning the odd
corner (one thanks to Dods being caught in possession which Cuthbert
luckily held) and were unlucky not to draw level five minutes from the
break when a long ball saw Maxwell lose out on the chase back to clear his
lines allowing the Fifer in to chip the outrushing Cuthbert only for the
ball to go just wide of the post.
The Dozy Duo screwed up again within a minute of the restart but
Cuthbert provided a safe pair of hands. Then in 50 minutes we sealed the
win after some good pressure. A corner was cleared out to Stevenson and
his ball into the box was met by Mixu with a looping header from almost 20
yards out over the keeper's head and into the net to make it 3-1. Chris
Hay replaced Stevenson in 57 minutes and on the hour mark almost increased
our lead but just missed heading McLaughlin's cross into the net. Two
minutes later he had a better long-range effort go just over the bar.
Ferry came on for Parker who'd taken a nasty ankle knock just after that.
Hay had another good shot tipped wide by the keeper a minute later then in
68 minutes good build-up play on the right set up Robbo in the box. He
slipped the ball across to McLaughlin but his weak shot was held. At the
other end Cuthbert had to look sharp in 75 minutes to tip the ball wide
after East Fife had broken against the run of play.
Baxter
and Malone came on for Reilly and McLaughlin with 15 minutes left and 3
minutes later McCluskey and Lovering replaced Forsyth and Dods. It took
less than 60 seconds for Lovering to demonstrate his committed tackling
and make his mark on the game - that'll be his "aggressive tendencies"
then? Fotheringham almost made it 4-1 with 8 minutes left . He latched
onto a loose ball but after that shot was blocked he hit the rebound first
time and was unlucky to see the keeper punch it clear. Hay came close next
after Baxter had set him up from a corner and then in the last minute he
got onto the end of a Fotheringham through ball but ran into the box only
to see his narrow- angled shot come back off the post.
Hard to read too much into this game - with the exception of Lovering
and Bernard that was probably the starting line-up for next week on
display. Up front and in midfield we looked excellent at times (my MoM
McLaughlin and Fotheringham being the star turns) and in defence both full
backs had good games. But the Dozy Duo in the middle probably did enough
to keep the doubts niggling away. It was good to see Hay back as well - he
looks badly short of match practice and sharpness but he did create
several good chances - maybe Stark will be proved right about him in the
end.
Right summer's over - time for the real stuff to begin.
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