Temple Of Saints - One Goal Two Reds

Bells League Division One 24/09/2005

Clyde 0 Saints 1 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Mensing, Stanic, Paterson, Rustybitz, James, McCann, Sheridan, Milne, Scotland, Sheerin
Subs : Paston, Dobbie, Peaso, Anderson, Hannah

Cumbernauld is a dreary characterless place. It's also home to a side that, while being just as dull on the park as their surroundings, have managed to finish above God's Chosen Saints for the last few years. Okay, so they've been forced to get in a new manager and rebuild their side yet again but as we all know that counts for nothing in fitba' these days. In the end we should have won by more but thanks to a combination of absolutely woeful refereeing from Alan Freeland (doing his best Charlie Richmond impersonation) and daft behaviour from Mensing resulting in a straight red we spent the last ten minutes holding on for dear life to take a deserved three points.

Scrabble was still absent from the Sacred Shirts but Sin Bin Campbell was available. Oweny had already ruled out Keyring and Henry while Peaso had another late fitness test drama to endure. He passed that though and was surprisingly joined in the starting lineup by Le Freak with Pamela dropping to the bench to make way and Ryan Stevenson decreed the sacrificial lamb from the side.

The start saw Saint press from the off with Savo and Jason linking well. The Saints midfield was pressing and spreading the ball about well with Dazza as usual at the heart of things. It wasn't until the fifth minute though that we created a real chance with Papa Goran playing a neat one-two with Savo before hitting an angled shot wide of Jarvie's goal. A minute later and Casper Sheerin played a sublime chip through for Savo but the keeper just best him to the ball.

We would have had the ball in the net after 12 minutes after Scotland won us a freekick but McCann's ball to Savo was ruled out for offside. Ryan himself had a go a minute later with a good run up the right wing but his cross went just over the bar. Clyde 's only attempt of the opening stages came in the 17th minute after McCann allegedly bundled a home player off the ball (you'd think with a manager like Graeme Roberts the ex-Wegies would at least be able to stand up for themselves). The Cat comfortably dealt with the freekick. He had a similar easy save a minute later but the Saints defence looked a lot more solid and comfortable on the ball with the main problem being the hurried long ball play from the back, rather than building up through the midfield. Freeland gave a hint as to where his pools predictions lay after 20 minutes with an unjustified warning for Rustybitz after he won the ball in a tackle. We kept up the pressure and a minute later we should have taken the lead when James released Scotland and his chip from just inside the area beat the keeper but went just over the bar.

The game was getting scrappier with too many high balls and stray passes. The Saints defence was solid enough with Rustybitz and James comfortable enough. Scott Paterson was having a good game as well but with Freeland being as controversial as ever, the Saints defender picked up the game's first booking after winning a 50-50 challenge - needless to say, the persistent fouling by some of the Clyde midfield went unpunished for the whole afternoon.

We had a good break from Savo in the 27th minute end in his shirt almost ripped off his back - we got the freekick but Freeland kept the cards in his pocket. Dazza floated the freekick into the box where it fell for Kevin James. His shot was blocked and the rebound came to Savo but his overhead kick was well blocked by the keeper. But we didn't have long to wait for the goal though. 32 minutes gone and the ball was played forward from defence for Scotland who slipped a great ball behind the Clyde defence for McCann. His low drive across the goal fell for Savo and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net. 1-0 and we were pretty much in control.

A few minutes later we almost doubled our lead with Dazza playing a one-two with Papa Goran before chipping the ball forward for Sheerin in the box who somehow sent a looping header over the bar. But it wasn't long before Freeland was there to ruin the game. McCann was on a great run through before he was challenged by a Clyde defender who went down with a bloody *shouted* injury - Freeland blew his whistle to allow the player to get treatment then played a drop ball. Clueless doesn't even begin to describe it. Scotland saw a good low drive well saved before the break while at the other end Malone made room to hit a shot just over the bar.

But there was still more controversy before the break with Freeland again ensuring a warm welcome next time he visits Perth (the bonfire on the North Inch is already being prepared), by simply waiting until Scotland had broken free on goal, before blowing for half-time. But it was just a sign of things to come.

The second-half was only a couple of minutes old when we almost doubled our lead. Savo did well to ride some heavy challenges before breaking into the box and cutting the ball back to Dazza but his 20-yarder went just wide. We were definitely looking the stronger side and Sheerin came close in the 51st minute with a freekick over the bar after Scotland had again been hauled back. That seemed to give Casper some confidence and a minute later he combined with Savo with some Brazilian type flicks on the left wing to cross for Mensing but his close-range header was well blocked by the keeper.

The match quietened down for a spell but Savo livened things up again in the 62nd minute with a well-timed run onto the end of a Cat clearance only for his volley from just inside the box to go narrowly over the bar when a bit more patience might have seen him score. Clyde bounced back and tried the same at the other end but their effort sailed harmlessly over. Hannah replaced McCann just after that and after another Clyde effort was missed by everyone in the Saints area, the Davester set up Savo on the right wing. He broke free of his marker and cut into the box, rode a couple of tackles but somehow put his low angled shot inches wide of Jarvie's right-hand post. All the more galling when you think he could have had a hat-trick and the goals would have killed Clyde off perhaps avoiding the manner in which the closing stages were played out.

As the half wore on, Saints began to look more tired with the midfield sitting further and further back from the front men. Jason Scotland who'd been on the receiving end of some hefty challenges all afternoon went off with 15 minutes to go and was replaced by Peaso. But a minute later there was more controversy as a soft tackle from Paterson on the edge of the area was adjudged to be a bookable offence by Freeland. Second yellow and Scott headed for the tunnel with Oweny looking set to explode in the away dugout. Clyde started to press against the ten men and James and Rustybitz were called into action with the latter looking sharp to block another Malone shot, with Peaso also picking up a warning for his first challenge of the game.

But more was to come 9 minutes from the end of normal time. A Clyde break ended with Savo going in late. He got a deserved booking but as that was being sorted out Simon Mensing and a Clyde player had an altercation further up the park (possibly related to the niggles going on all afternoon). Freeland ruled that Mensing had shown violent conduct and he saw a straight red. At best it was daft from the Saints player to even get involved and at worst he almost cost us two or three points. Almost immediately Savo was withdrawn and Pamela came on to take over duties on the right wing as the 9 men looked to keep a clean sheet. But Clyde were running out of ideas and energy as well and James, Rustybitz and that man Dazza were on top form keeping the danger clear. Unfortunately with only Peaso up and Freeland ruling against the Saints striker at every opportunity we were never going to venture much into the home half.

Four minutes from time the home side almost got an undeserved equaliser with some pressure paying off with a run and chip which came back off the Cat's bar. But Saints held firm although the doubts over Freeland's objectivity had to be raised two minutes from time when Peaso finally won a freekick. Cue the Clyde player throwing a tantrum and throwing the ball at the referee only to escape any punishment. The final chance came into the start of the*six* minutes of injury-time with a snap volley that brought out a brilliant save from the Cat to tip the ball wide. A couple of corners followed but Le Freak was there to clear the danger.

We thoroughly deserved the win on the day but the fingernails definitely suffered in the closing stages. MoM for me had to be that man Dazza who was at the heart of most of our moves. But Savo, Rusty, Papa Goran and Le Freak all played excellently and Cat had one of his most confident games I've seen him play.

We're back on track though.....

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