Temple Of Saints - Saints in Control

Bells League Division One 13/08/2005

Hamilton Accies 0 Saints 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Stevenson, Stanic, Pamela, Mensing, James, McCann, Sheridan, Milne, Dobbie, Janczyk
Subs : Hutton, Coyle, Sheerin, Peaso, Henry

Saints made their first trip away from the Sacred Turf of McDiarmid today to take on a side that most pundits were tipping to be amongst the title contenders next summer (well apart from the Clyde-loving Scotland on Sunday of course). Like Saints Accies are a changed side from last season in terms of personnel and just like us there's more than a few ex-Bully Wee in their lineup - mind you, they've also got their quota of ex-Saintees with John Robertson, Graeme Jones and Lee Hardy on the books. But in the end we were deserved winners with Accies beaten by a cracking Dobbie goal.

Saints went into this one with a reasonable degree of confidence despite the midweek reminder that we're not perfect. We've not been too bad at performing on the plastic pitch and after missing out in midweek, both Dazza of the Sheridan clan had recovered from his knee knock while Henry was also passed fit. Missing though was Mark Campbell after his red card at Cowdenbeath which meant a reshaped defence with Pamela back in alongside Mensing and TPFKATFM. Goran the Cool had been the major doubt after his hamstring problems but he was passed fit. For Accies, there was no Jones or Harty with Keogh their main front man - well he would have been but managed to injure himself in the warm-up.

With the usual crowd of freeloaders watching from behind one goal (and the back of Morrisons), and a decent-sized Saints support behind the other, Saints started on the back foot and took ages to get going (or even string together more than two passes). Whether it was down to the pitch or Accies early pressure wasn't too clear but while we weren't in real trouble it was miles away from the standards of entertainment set last weekend. The first real chance fell to Tunbridge with a well-struck volley through a crowded area held by the Cat. The game was pretty scrappy with Saints too keen the play the ball up in the air - daft given the quality of the playing surface. It meant we had a crowded midfield and play was stifled with a major lack of goalscoring opportunities.

There was an early injury scare in the 12th minute when Ryan Stevenson came off worse in a 50-50 challenge and needed treatment for a shoulder injury. Our best chance of the opening stages came from a good move in the 15th minute. McCann cut across the middle of the park and set up Scrabble who fired in a long-range drive which went just wide of the keeper's right-hand post. Accies tried to hit back with a freekick a couple of minutes later. Captain Kevin headed the ball clear the first time round with the ball breaking free, but the Cat was there to hold the follow up shot. It was Stevenson who came to the rescue to block a Hamilton freekick in the 25th minute. Saints seemed unable to build up any attacks and while Accies weren't much better despite all their possession I was expecting better from Coyle's Crusaders.

But gradually Saints began to take the play back to the Accies half with Dazza starting to get some tackles in and Scrabble moving well to support the strikers. Dobbie had a weak shot easily saved. Then on the half-hour mark, Dazza won a freekick. Scrabble's ball went into the box but missed everyone including Savo who came in at the back post. A minute later a Sheridan cross found Savo's head but he, in turn, failed to find Dobbie.

Milne missed a couple of efforts but four minutes from the end of the half, Saints made a goal out of nothing. Stevenson went on a good run down the right and cut in before setting up Scrabble. He took the ball forward before selling his marker a brilliant dummy, leaving the ball and continuing his run. Dobbie was right behind him and hit a sweet curling shot into the bottom corner to make it 1-0. we nearly doubled our lead three minutes later after Milne won a corner. The ball came over to the back post, but Janczyk's tap-in attempt was blocked.

The second-half started with Saints looking the livelier with an early Stevenson cross held. Accies pressed back but some good shielding of the ball by Mensing allowed the Cat to collect. The three-man defence were mopping up most of the Accies balls although there was still a problem trying to build from the back. From the goal kick though the ball was played up to Stevenson who set up Savo. He got into the box on the right and tried to cutback to set up Dobbie but the ball was intercepted. Savo was playing out of his skin by now and tried to release Scrabble next but the attack broke down. We were well in control.

Savo was in the thick of it on the hour mark when he had a run and cross which almost reached Dobbie on the edge of the 6-yard box but an Accies body got back to header the ball back to his keeper, only just missing out on one of the best own goals. Five minutes later and Savo set up Stevenson whose cross was put out for a corner. The ball was floated over and James, McCann had headers blocked before Savo had a shot held by the keeper.

Peaso came on for Dobbie a minute later but the game was getting scrappy again with some heavy challenges going in from the Accies defenders (even Hardy tried the nasty stuff on Stevenson). Savo saw a chip held 16 minutes from time after he did well to latch onto a Stevo pass.

Sheridan had a freekick go over the bar a minute later and then 10 minutes from the time we had some real controversy as Saints were denied what was a stonewaller of a penalty. Stevenson had cut across to the left and got to the byeline where he played a short ball to Savo in the 6yd box but he was blatantly tripped only for the ref to waive play on in about his only bad decision of the day.

Sheerin replaced Scrabble who was applauded off by the Saints support for the last five minutes. We did have a nervous moment a minute later with a short passback from the sub forcing the Cat into a quick clearance. But that was about as dangerous as it got and indeed in injury time Henry (on for Savo) could have made it 2-0 after getting onto the end of a Peaso ball only to be tackled in the box.

I don't think there are any complaints about the scoreline today but we did take a bit to get going and didn't make half as many chances as last week. But it's another clean sheet and three points notched up against one of our rivals. MoM for me wasn't easy - Savo and Dobbie both played well and James and Mensing were excellent at the back with Stevenson and Scrabble good in midfield. But my vote goes to Sheridan who not only avoided a booking for a change but also ran the centre of midfield for the last hour of the game setting up some nice moves.

We're still looking good though!

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