Temple Of Saints - Tired Saints

Bells League Division One 06/12/2003

Saints 1 Ross County 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, J-Ro, Flash, Bernard, Dods, Maxwell, Hay, Stevenson, Mixu, Sid, McLaughlin
Subs : Nelson, Malone, Peaso, Fotheringham, Parker

It was back to league business following the fun and games at the Death Star, and while it wasn't a balmy summer afternoon, at least the pitch, unlike last week, didn't resemble the North Sea. Pity that the Saints performance on the park went the other way - we didn't deserve to lose but any win would have been harsh on the visitors even if our overall play possible shaded County's. With M-Ro still got a dicky thigh, Ryan Stevenson again started in midfield whilst Chris Hay was the favoured strike partner up front alongside Mixu. It meant three attack-minded players on the bench.

The game had a scrappy start with County having the first real chance in the third minute when they got the better of a good claim for offside and broke between Dods and Maxie but luckily for Saints, the Cat came out to narrow the angle forcing the County player to pull his shot wide. The action was fairly even although Saints didn't look settled in midfield and seemed nervous on the ball. Mixu did win a corner for us after a lung- bursting run but when the ball was floated into the area, Dods was adjudged to have fouled in the box.

Despite the end-to-end nature of the game we had a few breaks ruled offside as we began to threaten more and the midfield got their act together with Sid and Stevenson playing well and in the 12th minute we took the lead. McLaughlin set up Chris Hay for a run on the left and his cross was met by a glancing header from the unmarked Mixu who headed the ball downwards and it bounced off the deck and into the roof of the net. Cue the trademark somersault from the Finn. Saints kept up the pressure and a good mazy run by Flash ended in the left-back being brought down. From the resulting freekick, Stewart in the County goal punched the ball clear. Two minutes later good link-up play from J-Ro, Sid and Hay fed McLaughlin in the box who just missed the ball.

At the other end, Cuthbert had only a couple of crosses to deal with, but in attack the final ball was found wanting. County had a good break in the 25th minute but Stevenson was there to cut the final cross out and a long pass found Hay up front only for the East Stand linesman to somewhat controversially rule him offside in what was going to be one of several dodgy decisions on the day. Hay missed another good chance a minute later when he got onto the end of a Mixu flick from a J-Ro freekick. Then a minute later Hay turned provider when he beat his man and broke down the left. He got to the byeline and hit a cutback across the goal to Mixu whose low drive was saved by Stewart. Sid went in for the rebound but saw his effort deflected over the bar. From the corner kick, the ball was headed clear as far as Sid but his long-range shot was deflected just past the post.

J-Ro was behind the next attack on the half-hour with a good run and cross from the right which was only half-cleared to McLaughlin who blazed his effort over the bar. Apart from another County break which ended up in the ball going over the bar, Saints had the majority of the pressure for the remainder of the half without causing any real problems in the County goal. After Hay was brought down 30 yards out, but Ryan put the freekick well over the bar. For all that, the only thing to cheer up the home fans was seeing a County striker being booked for dissent and Darren Dods taking the piss out of Hamilton as he played the ball out of defence.

Unfortunately the ex-Coagey got his revenge within a minute of the restart as he latched onto a long ball (despite looking a mile offside - not that the linesman) and chipped Cuthbert with the Saints defence static. To say the least we weren't impressed by the linesman.

Saints hit back and another good linking move saw Wee Brian set up Hay, but his cross to Mixu was cut out by the keeper. And in 51 minutes, we had a semi-decent penalty claim turned down after another long ball from Mixu to Hay saw the latter apparently held in the area. A minute later the roles were reversed as Hay slipped the ball to Mixu but the Finn's 15 yard shot went wide. Then two minutes after that we came even closer when Ryan released J-Ro down the right. He cut into the box and played a short pass to Bernard. One nice turn and the midfielder's angled shot cannoned off the bottom of the goalpost. Hay had a shot from the same angle in 59 minutes but his effort was held as the striker seemed to be tiring quickly.

The game was delicately poised at this time with Saints dominating the game but still looking susceptible to the counter-attack (no doubt Alex Smith would disagree). We even had the sight of Maxie taking a free kick in the 65th minute when Hay had been fouled 25 yards out. The effort was blocked though. Hay had another break a minute later but his final shot was weak and tired. In 68 minutes we caused more problems when Flash's cross from the left was missed by Mixu and Sid. And County suffered a minute later when from a Sid ball on the break McLaughlin's header found Hay behind the defence and after a 50-50 challenge with Stewart in the goal the keeper ended up being stretchered off and replaced by Les Fridge. Hay himself was replaced by Peaso.

Three minutes later Peaso's persistence on the right won us a corner. From it the ball was cleared to Sid but he was flattened by the County defence. No freekick of course and when County broke up the park and Stevenson went in late he picked up a yellow card - talk about rubbing salt in the wound. Saints kept on fighting though and Mixu set up Peaso on the left. He cut in and forced Fridge into a good save. Then 10 minutes from time J-Ro won a corner. McLaughlin hit it over and Mixu headed the ball only for Fridge to tip the ball over the bar. We kept up the pressure but only forced a couple of crosses which were cut out. Keigan came on for Sid with five minutes to go but to little effect.

It's hard to tell whether or not Wednesday night's game affected our performance much. Certainly there were some tired and jaded legs on show - J-Ro, Hay and Stevenson (although he started well). We lacked pace up front against the County defence and perhaps Parker or Peaso should have been introduced earlier. As for the MoM - it's that man McLaughlin again who ran his arse off covering every blade of grass. Getting predictable this....

At least we didn't slip down the table.

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