St Midden 0 Saints 2 (after extra time)
Team : Cuthbert, Robertson, Baxter, Bernard, Dods,
Maxwell, Parker, Reilly, Mixu, Donnelly, Malone
Subs : Nelson, M Robertson, McLaughlin, Forsyth,
Fotheringham
Well it sure wasn't pretty and in terms of sexy action on the park it was up there with Anne Widdecombe's last fling. But in the end the perseverance and sheer bloody-mindedness of the Saints display won through despite some poor refereeing, some nightmarish play at times and a level of goalmouth action as frequent as a Darren Dods volley. Stark stuck by the same team as dispatched Brechin both for a starting eleven with Maxwell and Bernard passing fitness tests, and on the bench. For the Paisley Plebs well let's just say that given the appearance of Barry "Vanessa Feltz" Lavety, it's unlikely that there will be any pie-munching jibes aimed at Mixu from a Love Street direction. As it is they've managed to select oor Keigan as their replacement hate target now that Hartley's gone to Swinecastle.
To the game and with the large travelling support chucked alongside the pitch in The Stand With A Crap View (including a journey to it which seemed to pass through some fields given the smell of shite that permeated the trip) we watched as both sides adopted the cautious Bertiesque approach - one mistake and it's all over.
Actually the game was pretty even to start with neither side able to break down the opposition defence or to get any moves together as the midfield was crowded out. In fact it took until the 13th minute for Saints to get a move together with Maxwell setting up Mixu for a one-two with Sid only to be ruled offside. There were some hefty challenges going in as well including the Beckham lookalike Alan Russell who was impressive for the home side but doesn't stand a chance in the game unless he ditches the posing and the karate kick challenges on defenders - even if the ref missed his assault on Robbo.
In 20 minutes Bernard set up Dods for a run up the right and his cross was flicked out to Eddie Malone (who had a cracking game on the left side of midfield) but the end shot went just the wrong side of the post. Saints lived dangerously and twice Russell managed to get through on the counter attack despite looking offside. Dods and Maxwell did well to get back and clear. At the other end Sid had a shot blocked and Mixu a header which missed the target from a free-kick after Keigan was brought down (and which started his frustration at the match officials). Gillies had a 30-yard free kick cleared and then in 40 minutes Reilly was lucky to get off with a warning after a hefty late challenge. Finally in the half a Reilly free kick in from the right was floated into the box where Mixu headed the ball down and just wide of the post.
The second half started much the same with both teams still playing a patient game. We had a couple of good crosses into the box early on but failed to capitalise on the chances. Kiegan had a turn and shot go well wide and in 49 minutes a long ball from defence saw Mixu beat the offside trap only for the ball to bounce off his back. Maxwell picked up the first yellow of the game for a late tackle then a foul by Bernard on Gillies at the edge of the box saw St Midden get a free kick which Mavis did well to block. Baxter had a cross which Mixu managed to head on target only for Hinchcliffe to save in 56 minutes. And a minute later it was the Cat in action after a seemingly innocent cross was tipped over the bar by the Saints keeper. St Midden pressed and Saints had a couple of panicky saves and a goalline clearance to thank for keeping the scores level. That seemed to shake the defence up a bit and St Midden started to up the pressure with the Saints midfield struggling to get any moves going. S
id and Mixu both had headers blocked as the game opened up for the last20 minutes or so. Bernard had a shot go wide after taking too long in his build-up before we had a good penalty claim in 74 minutes when Sid seemed to be brought down in the box. Then a minute later Malone played a great cross in from the left for Mixu to hold and turn and shoot into the keeper's hands. Dods picked up a yellow with 13 minutes left of normal time for a late foul and a minute later the Cat made a great save from a diving header. Three minutes later Beckham or whatever he looks like this week went for a major dive and got Mavis booked as the niggles and grudges began to boil over. But there was no more score with our last effort a Baxter shot which was blocked on the edge of the box.
So to extra-time and first up was Mixu with a good cross from the right which was easily held. M-Ro came on for Mavis as Saints put the pressure on and the home side began to visibly tire. Eight minutes in and Parker had a good run up the right. He cut the ball in to Mixu whose shot was blocked and fell to Sid. His effort was saved and the rebound came to Steady Eddie only for Hinchcliffe to hold the ball the 2nd time. But we didn't have to wait long. In the 100th minute Sid won a soft free kick just inside the Paisley half. One long ball into the box, a flick out and there at the back post rising like a Masai warrior was Darren Dods with a looping header over the keeper and into the net. 1-0 and the away fans finally find our voice (along with the Saints dugout where a certain manager looked more than a bit relieved).
St Midden broke up the park a couple of minutes later and with the Saints defence sitting back Russell was given room to try a long-range shot which went just over the bar. But in 104 minutes it was all over. Mixu slipped the ball left to Keigan and he broke into the box before being felled. Even Wullie Young had to award that spot kick and after a barney between Keigan and Mixu over who was to take it, it was the Finn that sent the keeper the wrong way and made it 2-0. Parker picked up a booking a minute later but by now the fight was gone from the home side and their fantastic support (no honest) began to wander off to spend their giros on some Buckfast.
The second period of extra time was still pretty even but Sid and Bernard were starting to take the piss out of the home side and along with Mark Robertson we began to press for a third. Maxwell had a good header saved, Sid a long-range shot deflected wide and Bernard a 20-yard effort saved. Defensively the worst was an O'Neill effort which went way over the bar. St Midden did get the ball in the net but it was correctly ruled offside and we just had to wait for Wullie's whistle for the celebrations to start.
Overall it wasn't pretty but then games at Love St rarely are. There were still plenty of dodgy moments early on with St Midden if anything looking better than the side we drew with in the league a few weeks ago. The Saints midfield took too long to get going and Parker had a bit of an off night. Defensively though we were sound for the most part with Robbo a star at the back and Dods and Maxwell playing well. My MoM though goes to Eddie Malone - ran his arse off all night and showed the sort of spirit and dig that the team has been looking for. He is the new Paul Cherry.
What a difference a week makes eh? ?
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