Temple Of Saints - Not a Pretty Win

Bells League Division One 05/11/2005

Saints 1 Airdrie 0 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Mensing, Goran, Stevenson, Rustybitz, James, Henry, Sheridan, Milne, Scotland, Sheerinho
Subs : Paston, Paterson, Dobbie, McCann, McManus

This build-up to this one saw the pressure increase on the players and Oweny with Saints going into the game desperate to put last weekend's shambolic first half in Dingwall behind us. Added to that though was the fact that while our defence was floundering about the Highlands, our opponents today were endearing themselves to the Saints support by giving the Scum the sort of roasting rarely seen outside a Premiership footballer's hotel room. All that was Buckfast under the gutter today as we looked to get back to our winning ways. In the end it was mixed fortune as we got the three points but looked far from convincing at times.

Darren Sheridan had been the most high-profile injury from the County game limping off late on with a foot knock, although he'd been joined midweek by Oweny after the manager's mild criticism of Kevin James passback abilities saw the Saints skipper enact a Mafia-style revenge by breaking Oweny's toes - worthy of a Scumdee chairman so it was. And to that pair was added Jason Scotland who failed to train for most of the week before setting off after today's game for Bahrain and World Cup glory.

Before that there was the matter of Clydebank to deal with and the good news was that of the injury worries, all bar Oweny made it into the side giving us an unchanged starting lineup again. There were some changes on the bench however. Pamela and Oweny dropped out with Scott Paterson recalled along with Steven McManus. This afternoon also marked a milestone for the Cat as he started his 100th game in the sacred robes, while at the other end ex-Saints keeper Stephen Robertson was making an appearance for the Buckfast Boyz.

Saints were on the attack from the start with Stanic seeing a shot blocked in the 2nd minute followed by a Long John Rustybitz header from a corner meeting the same fate two minutes later. We were in control for the most part but again the defence seemed to be slow to get off the mark - mind you both Henry and Jason didn't look totally awake either.

Ex-Saintee Paul Thug Lovering was in the thick of it as usual picking up an early head knock that saw him off the park for treatment before coming back on dressed as Rab C Nesbitt - a bit late for Halloween and besides the Boston Strangler might have been more appropriate give his continual assaults on Stevenson and Scotland. He was also involved in preventing our best chance of the game when a James header found Henry who played the ball through to Savo. Lovering managed a wee tug on Savo's shirt as he ran to goal and the final shot was a weak one easily held. Sheerinho saw a long-range effort go well over and a James header was cleared. Then in the 21st minute Dazza sent a beautiful ball through for Stevenson in the middle. He turned in the area and tried to set up Henry but his shot was saved. Henry should have done better four minutes later. Sheerin did well to win the ball at the far corner flag before hitting a low cross into the box that Henry was just too slow to reach.

We took the lead in the 28th minute with a cracking goal. Mensing won the ball on the right touchline and played it short to Scotland. Our favourite World Cup player turned his marker to head towards the box. A neat one-two with Stevenson saw him into the area and from eight yards out blasted the ball into the roof of the net past a stranded Robertson.

Saints were controlling a lot of the play with Airdrie seemingly content to sit back, defend in numbers and just hit us on the break. We were still lacking the final ball and struggled to create any real chances. There were some nasty niggly challenges going in as well with both Lovering and McManus leaving their mark on our strikers while Kevin James added to our worries by apparently jarring his knee which led to him limping through the rest of the game. Airdrie made the odd chance and in the 38th minute, a Stevenson slip let Prunty in but, luckily his attempt went wide.

It was Saints that finished the half more strongly. Three minutes from the break some great play saw Dazza and Sheerin link up to set up Scotland. He passed to Sheerin who made the room for a shot that Savo deflected over the bar. Airdrie's counter was a Lovering run which saw him get to the byeline but run the ball out - who said he wouldn't entertain the East Stand. Saints finished the half with another good Scotland run but it was terminated with a good tackle on the edge of the box.

Unfortunately the second half mirrored the first half from Dingwall as Airdrie came out fighting. Saints had the first chance with a long ball finding Scotland. His knock-down found Henry but his volley was wide. That was about the last time in the game the midfield actually bothered to go over the halfway line until the closing stages, as Airdrie pressed and we failed to retain control of the play. Dazza picked up the only booking of the game for persistent fouling. While there were no complaints over that how Lovering and McManus avoided the referee's book beats me. Back on the park, McPhee headed wide in the 56th minute after Dazza conceded a freekick.

A minute later Ryan McCann came on for the ineffective Henry but it did little to get Saints moving again. While we weren't in any real danger, the one-goal lead always looked a slender one and the defence were simply happy to clear their lines rather than try to build up an attack - with the ball showing a complete inability to stay on the ground. Airdrie had a freekick from the edge of the box which sailed over the bar. Then in the 62nd minute the ball was played into the box for McPhee. He beat Stanic off but the Cat marked his century with a brilliant block in the 6 yard box. That still didn't serve as a wake-up call and the Saints defence continued to sit too deep despite the cries from Owen on the touchline. For all that we could have doubled our lead in the 71st minute when Scotland and Stanic linked on the left. Scotland was released and cut inside before unleashing a fantastic curling shot that Robertson did well to tip clear.

Dobbie replaced Savo for the last 15 minutes, as we began to create some chances. A minute later James floated a good ball over from the left that Ryan McCann sent back in but Sheerinho's header was blocked. Then Sheerin played a cracking flick through for Scotland and he shrugged off a tackle before firing in a shot which the keeper held. We still looked nervous but the defence was looking solid and Airdrie were running out of ideas with Hardie pushed up front as they chased an equaliser. It left them open to the break but time and again the Saints midfield wouldn't come out of their shell or else the strikers were unwilling to drop back and get the ball - Dobbie especially looked pretty unfit. As it was he had the last chance of the game after James set up Sheerin for a run. He sent the ball up to Scotland who crossed to the unmarked Dobs but his volley was saved.

In the end I think most of us would have settled for the three points before the game especially after last weekend's show. Defensively we were under the cosh for a while but the whole back four looked solid with Long John Rustybitz my MoM. Mensing deserves some praise as well for coming onto a better game. Hopefully the confidence will be back in the team ahead of the trip to Dens next weekend, but there's a fair bit of work to do on the training ground before then.

Still can't grumble at beating the Bankies eh?

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