Temple Of Saints - Three Strikes

Bells League Division One 06/11/2004

Saints 3 Accies 0 League Table Here

Team : McGregor, Baxter, Forsyth, Hannah, Rutkiewicz, Maxwell, McCann, Sheerin, Moorie, Peaso, Hardy
Subs : Cuthbert, Stevenson, Hay, McConalogue, Webby

So the big question today was do double training sessions have the slightest effect on the crap performances and attitude of the eleven impostors that dared to shame the sacred robes of St. Johnstone blue last weekend. It's not as though we've not even had enough reminders throughout the week with the much lauded forcing the players to be at the ground for more than five minutes and John Connolly's beseeching of the fans to turn out and back the side even though a fair few look set to be shifted on in the next few months. And while the first half had hints of a hangover last weekend, the second 45 finally showed what Saints can be capable of with probably the best attacking display of the season so far with the added bonus of all the home strikers getting on target. So that'll be doubtful training sessions all next week then?

Changes were made to the side from last week although amazingly enough some actually managed to keep their places. Out of course was the suspended idiot Pamela Anderson with Baxter switching to right-back and Ryan McCann coming in in front of him. David Hannah was recalled to midfield instead of Mahood and Chris Hay was dropped for Lee 'Ardy a Saints started in a 4-4-2 lineup. On the bench Ryan Stevenson took up his customary splinters up the arse position.

I'd love to say we started brilliantly but within the first 20 seconds we had the wonderful sight of Moore and Peaso clashing going for the same ball. It looked like being more of the same fayre that had us all reaching for the bottle / Prozac / oven last Saturday night. But within a minute good old Lee 'Ardy was there to show that we had some hope with a sprint down the left wing that ended in a cross that Moorie just failed to connect with. Of course it wasn't one-way and Accies first attack ended in a 25-yard freekick that went inches wide of RobRoy's left-hand post. But Saints were certainly showing a million percent improvement over the Kirkcaldy debacle (well in effort if not skill!).

Accies next attack also ended in a freekick being fired into the box. The Saints defence too an age and several attempts to clear their lines and when they did, a deflected shot came back in and RobRoy had to be sharp to deal with the bounce. At the other end, Ryan McCann sent in a cross for Moorie but his attempt on the turn was fairly easily dealt with. Moore got on the end of a Flash freekick in the 14th minute but his header was saved. Accies had a shot go just wide but Saints were making plenty of running of their own. Flash had a run and cross for Peaso but his header went across the goal.

Then in the 25th minute Saints best move of the half saw Hardy set up Flash on a run. His cross found Moore who knocked the ball down for McCann on the edge of the area but his shot sailed over the bar. And when the opener came seven minutes later it was out of nothing but for a change the long ball was used to good effect. Rutkiewicz played a long freekick from the halfway line which floated into the box, was knocked down where Peaso from just inside the 6yd box blasted it into the roof of the net.

Accies tried to hit back with a corner which Saints cleared and then we had a 25yd Peaso freekick go wide. Hannah picked up a booking for overdoing the elbow but both him and Sheerin were pretty anonymous - unlike Mr Underhill, whose definition of officiating seemed to involve blowing the whistle any time two players came within 10 yards of one another. The half wound down with a spell of Accies pressure after Flash saw a right-footed shot go wide. But for all their work and possession Hamilton couldn't capitalise despite Saints being reduced to ten men for a period as Beaky had to go off for treatment to an ankle injury. As if that wasn't enough to set the nerves jangling we then had the sight of Sheerin having to dribble past 2 opponents from within his own 6yd box - well we've been crying out for some excitement. With the rain pouring down over the break, the teams returned to a much slippier surface.

Whether it was another half-time roasting or just having to run around aa bit more to keep warm in the rain, Saints got off to a good start. Five minutes gone and Moore had a run and shot blocked by the keeper. Then another Moore run ended in a pass to McCann. His shot was blocked and the ball broke to Sheerin who was cynically chopped down. Unfortunately the Saints player got up and reacted with the old handbags- at-dawn reaction. Several others joined in but in the end it was a booking for Sheerin and the Accies thug. When the freekick was eventually taken the ball came to Peaso in the box but his turn and shot went just over. Accies had a corner which RobRoy punched clear and then he made another good low save on the hour mark but Saints were gradually starting to dominate the play. Two minutes later McCann was scythed down on the wing (earning a booking for the Accies no 6). The freekick was floated into the area by Hannah who found Moorie whose free header went just wide of the goal. Accies broke up the park and it took a Flash block to prevent a shot on target whilst Saints next effort came courtesy of a long-range Hannah lob.

Hardy had a shot across goal missed by all and then another Hannah freekick found Moore's head again but this time the Accies keeper was there to save the shot. RobRoy had to be sharp again to save a deflected shot in the 74th minute. Then a minute later Moore, Hannah and Sheerin linked well across the park (in the opposition half, which shows how excited our midfield were getting). Sheerin found Lee 'Ardy on the overlap down the left but his angled shot went millimetres wide of the goal. Two minutes later and it looked like we'd increased out lead. Hardy set up Peaso for a run down the left and his cutback found Moorie whose 10yd shot was tipped over the bar.

Peaso was replaced by Hay for the last 12 minutes and two minutes after coming on we went two up. Hannah (yup him again) was set up on the right for a run into the box. He found Moorie close in who turned and stuck the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-0. Suffice to say that the striker's celebrations showed just what that goal meant to him. And two minutes later we made it three when a ball in the box found Ruti whose shot was blocked by the keeper. He failed to hold onto it and Chris Hay was there to poke it home. After that it was a bit of an anti-climax with one or two chances but a feeling that perhaps we were relaxing now the game was won.

The attacking performance in the 2nd half has done a lot to restore the faith in the side - sure there were nerves in the first half and some of the passing was atrocious at times but all three goals were taken well and it could easily have been a much greater tally. The midfield took it's time but for the last half-hour we had all 4 finally pushing forward to support the strikers. The defence were solid enough with Baxter and Flash outstanding. Hannah came onto a good game but Hardy and Peaso were both excellent today whilst my MoM Michael Moore showed that hard graft does pay off.

The kebab will be very enjoyable tonight - all we need to do is try and take this onto next week.

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