Temple Of Saints - Well It's Traditional

Bells League Division One 16/04/2005

Partick 0 Saints 4 League Table Here

Team : Samson, Cowan, Dyer, McCann , Anderson, Maxwell, Stevenson, Sheerin, Peaso, Dobbie, Sloan
Subs : Cuthbert, Hay, Webb, Baxter, Bagan

So another landmark is passed with the end of Jim Weir's spell as caretaker and the big question today (other than what bloody song can we come up with for Oweny) was how the players would respond - one point was going to see us safe but most of us heading to Firhill (ah the lovely banter) were looking for all three and the sort of performance that would restore the hope for the new era. And by Rod we got it with the sort of well-organised attacking display that we've been looking for all season - and just to add the icing to the cake (other than ripping the pish out of a despondent home support) was Peaso getting a well-deserved hat-trick. In fact, the only disappointment on the day was that we only scored four. Still why break with what is now a Saints tradition.

Ravey Davey was the only injury doubt pre-match after a dodgy hand injury and a nasty infection meant a stay in hospital and missing out on the trip west. So Jim the Janny brought in Ryan Stevenson to the midfield with McCann moving to a more central role. Sloan started on the left in place of Keyring while Beaky was drafted onto the bench along with Bagan.

The first-half saw some of the best football we've played this season although a large part of that was down to the sheer pissiness of the opposition - the media reports don't lie. Add to that, a Saints support who were out to enjoy the day and it made for a fun-filled first forty-five. Aye and the goals helped a bit as well. Partick arguably started the better (well for the first five minutes or so). A fourth minute freekick from the edge of the box sailed over and you got the feeling kit might be our day. They had a couple of crosses into the box with Dyer clearing one and the other ending in a header going just wide.

But with ten minutes gone, we took the lead. Stevenson ran up the wing and cut inside. He was fouled but in a rare moment of common sense Charlie Richmond played the advantage and the ball broke to Dobbie. He sent a lovely ball through the Partick defence for Peaso to run onto and chip past the keeper. 1-0 and the singing got under way. We almost doubled our lead straight after the restart. Dobbie and Peaso linked well to set up Stevenson coming in from the right. He hit a decent shot that Arthur held on the second attempt.

But we soon made it 2-0. McCann set up Peaso for a run but he was brought down on the edge of the box on the left. The resulting freekick broke out to Sloan who passed the ball to Dobbie. The Saints striker seemed to lose possession but somehow got past his man and sent a cracking chip shot into the top-right corner. 2-0 up, cruising and the away end started the "Easy, Easy" chants. The game settled down a bit after that with Partick looking shell-shocked and Saints happy to sit back and soak up the pressure while the referee resorted to charity for the home side to give them a chance with Peaso the victim of some rank offside decisions. McCann, Dobbie and Peaso were linking well but rarely got a good enough shot on target.

The half-hour mark saw another great move. Samson's goal-kick found Dobbie who had a run and set up Peaso whose shot was just tipped wide. The corner came over and ended up being cleared off the line then a header on the rebound was saved. Peaso was next to have a shot cleared as the home fans turned on their team with Grant "The Jinx" Murray their main target. Mind you, it wasn't hard to blame them give his habit of passing to a blue shirt all afternoon.

Partick rarely threatened up front, even given the number of soft freekicks they were being awarded. One corner ended in a header which McCann cleared off the line and two minutes from the interval saw a shot go just wide of target. But Saints went straight back up the park and scored a third. Dobbie went on a run up the right. He passed to Sloan who laid the ball out to McCann. He ran behind the defence and cut the ball back across the goal where Peaso was there to stick the ball into the roof of the net.

The second-half started with Partick back fighting. Sheerin cleared a 49th minute header and then a minute later another Partick corner was crossed back in and headed off the bottom of Samson's post (not that it stopped our singing or the home fans booing). Tempers were getting frayed and ex-Saintee Steff "Caveman Mullet" McConalogue picked up a booking for kicking out at Ando (who himself was being "committed" like a young James Weir).

Saints weren't making much in the way of chances despite the supporters' plea for a fourth (and wasn't Kenny Arthur taking the "banter" well?). Sheerin tried to find McCann with a neat chip but that was missed. At the other end Samson was dealing comfortably with any of the crosses or shots. McCann and Peaso were still causing plenty of problems but the final ball was lacking a bit. However to be fair there wasn't a weak area of the Saints side while Partick were struggling to get any balls forward in earnest. Peaso picked up an unjust booking after Richmond ruled he'd dived too often which for once was an unfair accusation. Then with 18 minutes to go the game boiled over again. Cowan had cleared the ball near the touchline before being scythed down - cue a free-for-all which saw some handbags being waived. In the end the Partick offender was booked along with Anderson who to be honest was lucky he didn't see red for wading in - we all like a committed player and there's no doubt he's been excellent recently but he does have a nasty habit of picking up yellow cards. Just to round off the referee's collection of Saints players, Stevenson joined him in the book three minutes later.

Saints began to get back into the game as Partick ran out of ideas and steam. McCann set up Peaso who chipped the ball over the bar. Then Peaso had a great run and cutback but that was missed by everyone. Dobbie was replaced by Haaaaaaaaayy for the last 10 minutes as we began to ever so slightly take the pish out of the home side. Sheerin had a shot held and Peaso headed a Sloan cross wide. But with 5 minutes to go Hay broke down the right wing. He got to the byeline and stopped before playing a simple cutback to Peaso who sent a low 10 yard drive past the hapless Arthur and into the bottom corner. 4-0 Saints and the tradition was kept going - with a hat-trick to boot. Suffice to say the home fans (and goalie) weren't too happy at that. Even then we could have added to the tally with Sheerin and McCann both putting good chances wide.

It's been a long time since we've been able to sit back on a Saturday night and enjoy the Saints performance to that extent. We thoroughly deserved the win and the margin was more than deserved. There wasn't a weak link in the side today with the midfield as solid as ever (McCann looking a lot better through the middle) and the defence like a rock. Dobbie and Peaso were linking better if still needing to work on their play. As for MoM well Peaso deserves it for three great goals but mentions to Anderson, Dyer, McCann and Sheerin.

A nice start to the new era!

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