Ross County 0 Saints 1 League Table Here
Team : McGregor, Pamela Anderson, Fotheringham, Hannah,
Rutkiewicz, Maxwell, McCann, Sheerin, McConalogue, Moore, Hardy
Subs : Cuthbert, Mahood, Baxter, Hay, McManus
What does the colour yellow mean to you? Bright sunny days, lemons, bananas, Rock Steady stewards? Well for all that, you can add another one to the list as Saints took the pitch at Dingwall in their day-glo yellow away strip - this is henceforth a lucky strip (as per the ancient traditional Superstitions of Luggy). And while the beauty of the performance didn't quite match up to the snazzy new togs, the old requirements of workrate and attitude were on show in abundance as Saints ran out deserved winners in a game that last season would have seen us heading down the road with only 1 or possibly no points.
As usual the injury list was impressive and it meant that Saints were making do with the majority of the squad that picked up the point at Accies last weekend. So still no Bernard, Flash, Foxy, Peaso or Webb. The only change to the starting line- up was Lee Hardy on the left wing with Sheerin through the middle and Ryan McCann moved to wide right. Alan Mahood joined Beaky on the bench leaving Airbags Tait keeping Stevenson company in the stand. For County, ex-Saintees Stuart Malcolm and J-Ro was in the starting line-up. And as usual the locals were welcoming - stewards and pie stand staff at other grounds please take note!
The Sunshine Boyz took the pitch looking like an SFA referees parade so at least the excuse of not being able to spot a team-mate wasn't going to work today. Unfortunately the random factor of the Dingwall weather system had to be taken into account as well especially the wind which made a mockery of any attempt to play the long ball or indeed any ball above knee height - so that was the usual game plan scuppered. Saints did get off to an enthusiastic start though, chasing plenty of balls and pressing the home defence. Hardy got involved early on and in the 5th minute set up Sheerin who fired in a low shot from the edge of the box which was fairly easily saved. County tried to hit back but didn't really threaten. Saints on the other hand kept the early pressure up and McCann and Hardy won couple of corners. The first saw the ball played to the back post for McConalogue whose effort was saved. Then, the next one saw McCann play the ball out for Hannah but his shot was blocked.
Saints were pressing but the actual football on show wasn't the prettiest by any stretch of the imagination. Of course the strong wind behind Saints was a big factor but neither side seemed able to keep the ball on the deck for more than 5 seconds. It meant that scoring chances were about as frequent as a smile from Alex Smith and it wasn't until the 25th minute that we managed another chance when Moore fired a volley well over the bar. A minute later, Hardy had a couple of crosses carried over the bar by the wind, while in defence, the biggest threat came from a corner conceded by Fozzy - RobRoy dealt with it comfortably enough though and indeed looked full of confidence all afternoon.
In
the 32nd minute the deadlock was finally broken. A long ball forward found
Moore in the box suffering from the attentions of a couple of County
defenders and before he could line up the shot, he ended up on the deck.
The referee didn't hesitate to point to the spot. Up stepped David Hannah
to send the ball to the keeper's right into the bottom corner to give us
the lead.
The goal lifted us and a minute later Pamela hit a cross over that Stef knocked down for Moore who shot over the bar. Then in the 39th minute it was McConalogue that got onto the end of a through ball and hit a cracking volley that forced the County keeper into a fantastic save to tip the ball wide. At the other end, Ross County came close to equalising in the 41st minute when McSwegan turned and hit a low shot which McGregor did well to get down to and tip wide. Saints rounded off the half with a good break which saw Hardy break down the left before trying a good angled shot that went across the goal beating the home keeper but McConalogue was too slow to get into the back post to slot the ball home.
The second half started just a lively with no sign of the post-interval lethargy we've seen from Saints. In fact we almost made the first chance of the half when McCann released Stef down the right. He played the ball into Moore who tried a backheel for Sheerin but it was cut out. County had a couple of freekicks as some of the niggling challenges began to be punished by the referee but RobRoy dealt with them comfortably. Fozzy found himself in plenty of space down the left in 58 minutes but his shot went just wide. Then a minute after that, another Ross County freekick saw Burke header the ball over the bar. Saints broke back up the park with McConalogue having another good run down the right before squaring the ball to Sheerin who sent the ball just wide.
The game was fairly lively but some heavy challenges were starting to go in. For Saints Hannah and Hardy were involved but at least they were trying to get the ball. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said about Ross County striker Gary McSwegan who lost the ball to Fozzy in the 64th minute and proceeded to stamp on the Saints defender. Both sets of players reacted to the incident with Sheerin making sure that McSwegan was fully aware of his view of the challenge. Luckily both the referee and his assistant spotted it and the players were calmed down and separated before McSwegan was shown a straight red card. Even then he protested the decision and took ages to leave the park.
It's a pretty well-known fact in the world of football that when a team is a man down, they don't always show it. So it was this afternoon as Ross County began to press the Saints area. We weren't helping things by defending so deeply and not settling on the ball or trying to slow the game down. That's not to say that we were playing poorly - in fact there wasn't a weak performance in the Saints side with the back four in particular in excellent form. As County piled in the corners and freekicks, the defence held for the most part. We were beaten in the 71st minute when Cowie was given space on the edge of the box by the Saints midfield and tried his luck with a great shot that beat the defence and RobRoy but luckily cannoned back off the left-hand post of McGregor. Cowie came close a minute later with a flick which the Saints keeper held. Saints broke up the park but the move ended in a chip shot from Hannah that went over the bar.
Moore then set up McConalogue on a run and he played a neat square ball to Sheerin who tried a volley which was held. Hardy had a good run up the left in the 80th minute when he finally beat Robertson and cut in at the byeline. A great low ball across the County goal followed but McConalogue missed out at the near post and there wasn't another Day-Glo shirt in support. McConalogue had an angled shot go wide a minute later and two minutes after that Pamela had a good run up the right wing. His cross found Stef at the far post but his shot was saved and Moore saw his follow-up blocked. County then threw everything at us. Substitute McGarry saw a decent shot held while Saints sub Mahood (on for Lee Hardy who took an age to walk off the park - tut tut!), was forced to head over his own bar well into injury time for yet another sodding bloody corner - still Maxie and the boys in defence did their job well enough to clear the danger before the referee finally acknowledged what Mickey Mouse on his wrist had been trying to tell him and blew for the end of the game.
As one of those who has been critical of the dedication of the Saints players over recent weeks despite the results, it was heartening to see their reactions at the final whistle with McGregor, Maxie, Stef and Hannah all fairly animated in their delight. As for a MoM my vote goes to McConalogue who, in my opinion probably had his best game for Saints today. But for a change it's nicer to report that there wasn't a poor performance in the side today. Sure there were plenty of moves that didn't come off and some nervy (i.e. way too deep) defending at times but this was the sort of result that can act as inspiration and a springboard for the season.
At least that journey down the A9 tonight was just a tad more enjoyable!
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| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Points |
| St Mirren | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 14 |
| Falkirk | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 13 |
| Clyde | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 13 |
| Partick Thistle | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| Queen of the South | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Ross County | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Saints | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Airdrie | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 7 |
| Hamilton | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Raith | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 1 |
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