Temple Of Saints - Total Bloody Disgrace

Bells League Division One 05/03/2005

Saints 0 Accies 2 League Table Here

Team : Samson, Cowan, Forsyth, Hannah, Webb, Maxwell, Bagan, Sheerin, Moorie, Hay, Keyring
Subs : Cuthbert, Anderson, Jackson, Sloan, McCann

Well that was another footie-bereft weekend that came and went before we went into this game - not that there was any pressure on us at all - oh no. Not the fact that anything less than 3 points was probably going to mean more gloom and doom and thoughts of slipping into the relegation battle. And of course we're not even allowed to think about the fact that we've hardly scored any goals in 2005 never mind won a bloody game. But the last McDiarmid meeting with Accies saw us start a winning run and going into today's game there was a wee bit of hope. Well, that's well and truly gone now and if Saints don't want to be making the trip to Gretna and the like next season the entire side including the management staff need to have their arses well and truly kicked. The sentimental aspect of the current management counts for absolutely nothing if results aren't turned round in the next 2-3 weeks. And just to add salt into the wound of another humiliation, another wonderful demonstration of the intelligence of your average Saints player this afternoon means we'll be denied the services of Sean Webb next week.

As you'd expect the changes had to be rung today after Peaso took up a seat in the stand as punishment for being an injury-time arse at Love Street. But it did give a chance for Michael "Out of Favour" Moore to try and redeem himself with a starting jersey and a chance to score against a side that he's had some success against this season. Partnering him was Supersub Chris Hay. Elsewhere and Dave the Bagester started on the right wing in place of Ryan McCann who dropped to the bench. For the opposition ex-Saints winger Lee Hardy came back to haunt us.

Saints started the game in front of a home support boosted by the wonderful recent backing from the local media (aye right!!). Mind you, the missing ones were the lucky ones and missed a first 45 minutes which has to rank amongst the worst McDiarmid has witnessed in the last five years. There is simply no excuse for the apparent lack of basic skills that the Saints players seem to possess. It's not as though we didn't have the chances against an Accies side that's fighting for survival. Hannah had the first opportunity with a low 30yd drive after pouncing on a loose ball in the 3rd minute only to see the shot held. But the opening stages were dominated by shite passing and tactics which for Saints seemed to involve punting the ball forward and standing still - no movement and bugger all entertainment, typified in the 11th minute when Hannah had a good break but his cross to Hay found the striker taking an epoch to decide what to do - cue another case of lost possession. Keyring had a half-shot held but we didn't cause the Accies defence any problems.

Some strange refereeing decisions favoured Accies and the impressive Corcoran came close after latching onto a freekick that beat the Saints wall. Flash had a freekick himself which he spread over to Bagan on the other wing and his cross found Maxie but his shot was blocked. But our passing and movement was generally pathetic with little sign of the Saints players having even met one another prior to kick-off.

The half-hour saw the East Stand frustration starting to show. Sheerin caught some of the early verbals mainly when he repeatedly gave away the ball but Hays lack of effort and Hannah's continual conceding of daft freekicks also came in for deserved flak. It didn't change things on the park though. Ten minutes from the break, Cowan was caught in possession by Corcoran who went on an unchallenged run forcing Samson into a save. Another Accies break a couple of minutes later, saw a cross come over and Keyring made an excellent tackle in the box to prevent the shot. Five minutes from the interval, Flash and Sheerin linked to set up Moore but his effort was blocked. The corner (which as with all Saints corners these days takes two blue shirts to cock up) broke to Maxie but his cross was held.

But a minute to go Saints paid the price for their play. An Accies break down the left was closed down by Maxie but for some reason Samson came out to the edge of the box to help. One quick chip and the ball is past both Maxie and Samson and heading across the box. With an Accies player closing in to score into an empty net in stepped Webb to haul him back. No questioning the decision and Webby saw red as the ref pointed to the spot. Samson redeemed himself slightly by diving low to his left to tip the spot-kick wide, but our joy was short-lived when the corner came over. The ball bounced around the penalty box and wasn't cleared. Even Samson blocked one shot but Corcoran was there to bundle the ball over the line from close-range. One-nil down and the boos were the only noise from the stand when the players trudged off a minute later.

Half-time saw Connolly swap things about. Anderson came on to replace Webb and Hay was the sacrificial lamb (not that we missed his lack of involvement), with McAnespie pushed forward a bit more. Within a minute Moorie had been brought down on the edge of the box. Hannah and Bagan dummied the freekick and set up Maxie who's shot was blocked. But Accies were well into the timewasting now and as they won lots of soft freekicks their inability to place the ball or decide who took the kick was staggering. The closest they came was in the 52nd minute - Bagan took an elbow in the ribs but with the whistle remaining silent Accies pressed to the edge of the Saints box where Anderson looked at Hardy the wrong way giving away the freekick - the shot went well over though.

Back up the other end Moorie and Keyring won a few corners but down to 10 men and requiring two players to take a bloody corner kick left us short-staffed in the Accies box and unable to capitalise. Even worse on the hour mark Cowan and Anderson managed a total cock-up to give the ball away and it took a semi-rapid reaction from Samson to save at feet. Saints were poor though with no real sign that we could string more than a couple of passes together and the discipline was starting to go - with our skipper one of the worst examples. Hannah did have a shot in the 65th minute as Saints pressed and after a decent build up the ball was played to Keyring in the box but his shot was blocked. The ball broke to the edge of the area where Hannah let fly forcing McEwen into a good save. The corner was wasted (naturally).

Ryan McCann came on a couple of minutes later for Bagan who hadn't had a bad game (certainly better than most of the other Saints midfielders). But a few minutes later in the 72nd minute, a simple Accies attack down the left skinned our defence and a good cross in found Accies sub Cramb unchallenged by either Flash, Maxie or Samson and a free header easily found the roof of the net. 2-0 down and even the die-hards started heading for the exits.

Connolly's last throw of the dice saw Keyring sacrificed and Jackson on - how the fuck Sheerin stayed on the park is a complete mystery (maybe something the PA might want to investigate as they back the Saints?). He tried and had a couple of runs but didn't create any clearcut chances. Hannah had a shot go over in the 80th minute and Maxie had a header go wide four minutes later. Samson had to look sharp to prevent a third goal three minutes from time before Moore saw an angled shot saved (although a square ball to the unmarked Sheerin went begging). The resulting corner was missed.

Full-time saw the boos from those of us left and to be honest the side out there today fully deserved it. Little skill, bugger all entertainment and no passion - the players were a disgrace to the club. As it is Maxwell was probably the best of a bad bunch and Keyring, Moore and Jackson all tried. But the centre of midfield was missing, Hay was simply a waste of space and the defence simply doesn't look comfortable in front of Samson.

Plenty to sort out for next week and whilst it might be presumptuous to say it, if Connolly doesn't sort it out he simply won't last. We're in real danger now and it's simply not acceptable.

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