Temple Of Saints - Unacceptable

Bells League Division One 31/12/2005

Airdrie 2 Saints 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Pamela, Goran, Stevenson, Rustybitz, James, Henry, Mensing, Milne, Scotland, Sheerinho
Subs : Paston, Dobbie, Scrabble, Fozzy, Doris

So to the last game of what at times has seemed a bloody long 2005. The fixture gods has deemed it appropriate on such an alcohol-dominated occasion such as Hogmanay to send us to Buckieland to take on the Neddiest team in the league as yet again we went into a game hoping to close the gap on the other neds from Paisley. But yet again the Saints support had to witness 90 minutes of no organisation, no tactics apart from the long ball Route One and a Saints side that weren't even quick enough to be second to each ball. Add to that losing Scotland through injury at half-time and Mensing through his own bloody stupidity being sent off at the death and it just sums up a rotten afternoon. Kevin James was complaining about the boos on Boxing Day - this time the performance deserves all the flak it's going to get.

This week the changes were forced on Owen as Darren Sheridan sat out this one as he began his three match suspension. Ryan Stevenson and Simon Mensing were the other major doubts but both came through with Mensing taking over from Dazza in midfield. The only other change saw Kevin Fotheringham return to the first team on the bench in place of Dyer.

After passing a morning inspection, the pitch was heavy from continual rain, but Saints started well enough with Pamela forcing a first minute corner - Sheerinho's inswinger was cleared. But we should have taken the lead two minutes later. A Pamela throw-in found Scotland on the byeline and he turned his man brilliantly before cutting the ball back across the 6yd box for Ryan. He tried to place the ball though and Robertson saved the shot. Airdrie managed to get the ball in the net in the eighth minute but it was correctly ruled out for offside in one of Dougie McDonald's less contentious decisions of the afternoon. the action was fairly end-to-end although the wet pitch meant good passing play was at a premium. Saints midfield were linking reasonably well with Mensing and Ryan on form but there was still a lack of mobility through the middle - Henry was fine getting the ball but continually ran into white shirts. But we did look shakey in defence with Pamela looking as jittery as an Airdrie fan waiting on his fix, although he was there to clear the danger after Stanic miskicked the ball.

Stevenson saw a shot saved in the 14th minute after he latched onto a James header, but we weren't creating anything like enough chances despite a fair bit of pressure. Rustybitz saw a header go over the bar but in the 19th minute we took the lead. A Jason cross found Mensing just inside the area and he took a couple of touches but before he tried a shot only for an Airdrie hand to try and dispossess him. A stonewall penalty and Sheerinho made no mistake from the spot. Unfortunately the momentary feeling that we might have our act together lasted less than three minutes. Airdrie pressed and a simple chip into the box was aimed for Prunty but he went down in a clash with Rustybitz. Second penalty and although the Cat went the right way he couldn't stop another well-taken kick to level the scores.

And having decided on how to control the game the referee booked Anderson for being near a Lovering dive and Mensing for a late tackle, neither of which really took account of the conditions - especially when you consider the amount of shirt-pulling that the home side were guilty of. Jason picked up what looked to be a calf knock just after the half-hour and had to receive treatment - even then he was obviously struggling.

It got worse for us ten minutes from the break with the sort of defending that wouldn't be out of place among the clowns at the circus. An easy ball in the box was left by the defence with James the main culprit. In stepped an Airdrie player for a simple square ball to McLaren who had as easy a finish as you could want to make it 2-1. The travelling support was not exactly impressed by the goings on on the park.

Saints lost their shape totally after that with a series of continuous long balls being played for the strikers to chase - something Jason was unable to do. There were practically no passes along the ground and God forbid if someone dared to actually run with the ball. As it was the only other entertainment in the first half was seeing McPhee pick up a booking for kicking the ball away and a handbags incident between Jason and Lovering at the end of the half.

Owen still hasn't mastered shoving the red-hot poker up the collective arses of the Saints players during the interval since the second-half showed little improvement with Henry again caught in possession almost straight after the restart letting Airdrie in for another spell of pressure. Dobbie had replaced Scotland at the break but he was up to his usual standards being slower than the average Lanarkshire ned's brain cells. We were winning plenty of freekicks (partly due to real fouls and partly thanks to John Henry being unable to stay upright at any challenge) but the sum total of imagination and creativity amounted to a high ball for Kevin James to miss. Even when we tried something different as in the 54th minute we saw Henry set Dobbie up with a good ball only for him to cut inside and allow himself to be surrounded by defenders. Our best chance came a minute later when Dobbie's persistence won the ball on the left. His cross was header on by Sheerinho to Ryan who totally missed the ball.

The hour mark saw Kevin Fotheringham make his return to the first team with John Henry being sacrificed. Fozzy went to centre-half and Kevin James was pushed up front with Dobbie in the hole behind him. Unfortunately it also meant that Airdrie were able to nullify our attacks just as easily and a minute later McPhee sent a diving header just wide after the Saints defence was caught square again. They should have scored three minutes after that when the Saints defence was turned inside out again and a simple ball found Prunty but he missed a sitter sticking the ball just wide. Even Cuthbert was starting to look shakey with a couple of crosses being missed completely by the keeper.

Owen made his last switch with Doris replacing Savo for the last 20 minutes or so. And within a couple of minutes he'd nearly brought us level. A long Sheering ball was headed down by James to Doris in the box and his turn and shot were just wide of the post. The teenager's persistence paid off a few minutes later winning a corner but again James' header failed to find the target. Saints were running out of ideas fast and too many players had vanished with Stevenson and Dobbie especially contributing little in the way of attacking play. Airdrie's attacks were causing problems without any clearcut chances, although they seemed more than content to waste time than play the game.

But Ryan should have scored with five minutes remaining on the clock after a freekick was hit into the area. James headed the ball down to the unmarked Stevenson but his goalbound shot was deflected clear by Lovering's leg. Doris had another effort go just wide in injury time but too often we were giving the ball away and the afternoon was rounded off with Mensing making a rash challenge. It hardly deserved a booking but when you're already on a yellow any hefty challenge is plain stupid and Mensing walked on a red card, followed a minute or so later by the rest of the blue shirts.

There were some semi-decent performances today. Mensing and Stevenson were possibly both in line for MoM awards but the former blotted his copybook with a red card and the latter missed too many good chances. As for the rest there were hardly any performances I'd describe as adequate never mind worthy of an award. Too many players are not pulling their weight and look unfit, slow and unable to link up with their teammates (surely by now Savo and Jason should have some sort of understanding).

More of this on Monday and James will have a lot more than boos to worry about.

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