Saints 1 Ross County 1 League Table Here
Team : Cuthbert, Anderson, Stanic, Rustybitz, Mensing,
Hannah, McCann, Sheridan, Milne, Peaso, Sheerin
Subs : Paston, Paterson, Stevenson, Coyle, Dobbie
After the emotions and thrills of the Partick Fissel match which now seems an age ago, it was back to league business this afternoon and yet another opportunity for Owen's Crusaders to get the campaign back on track (stop me if you've heard this one before). Today was Going to be our toughest test of the season so far as John Robertson's surprising league leaders came to town, trying to maintain a 100% record. But after the game, it was a case of being more disappointed at dropping two points than anything else. And that was despite the shocker of an opening spell.
Despite the enforced break for the international weekend, as usual, Saints had more than their fair share of injury worries going into the game. Added to Mark "Stupid Erse" Campbell's spell in the stand, Scrabble was also definitely ruled out. Meanwhile Savo, Peaso and Captain Kevin were all doubtful pre-match whilst Jason Scotland's late return from across the Atlantic (no doubt following the strict quarantine regulations on Scumdee keeper Kelvin Jack trying to get through airport check-in) looked like ruling him out. As it turned out, Savo and Peaso made the side with Scott Paterson settling for a place on the bench, which meant Dazza was skipper for the day. Oweny joined him there but on the park, both Rustybitz and Hannah started with Peaso replacing Jason as Savo's striking partner. It was a 4-3-1-2 formation with McCann in the hole and Pamela at right-back.
Straight from the ref's whistle, Saints pressed and Peaso won the first of many freekicks wide right. Hannah hit the ball over only for Garden to fumble the ball and a County defender to head the ball goalwards with the ball eventually trundling just the wrong side of the post. The corner was cleared and with an early sucker punch, County broke up the park. One quick cross and the defence was caught napping allowing "Magic" to turn and slip the ball through the unfortunate Cuthbert's legs. One-nil down and the memories of the Midden cup- tie came flooding back.
To the lads' credit, we hit right back and a good linking move saw Sheerin and Savo set up Ryan but his cross to Peaso in the box was hit just wide. County broke back up the park and again cut the defence open wider than a Dundonian Chavette's legs after two Bacardi Breezers - at least this time the ball went wide of the goal. Our next chance came in the 7th minute when Savo and Hannah combined to intercept a pass in the County defence. The ball finally came to Savo but his shot went wide. Dazza had a freekick cleared and then a 14th minute Saints freekick was headered just over the bar By Savo.
Two minutes later, Savo turned provider with a header on for McCann but Ryan's shot went over the bar. Savo then just failed to intercept a loose passback before we missed a golden chance to draw level in the 19th minute. McCann forced a corner which Dazza hit over. Savo appeared at the back post and managed to head the ball back across the 6yd box where Peaso somehow totally missed the ball from about one yard out. The game livened up now with Saints pressing forward more.
Mind you we had a let-off in the 25th minute when a mix-up between Stanic and Mensing let Magic through with his run only ended thanks to a shirt-pull from Mensing with the Saints defender picking up a yellow card for his trouble - luckily for him it wasn't red. The resulting freekick went over the bar. Saints had their first penalty claim denied a couple of minutes later when Savo was bundled over in the box. Five minutes after that we had an even better claim rejected by the referee (who had a decent game otherwise).
This time it was a Pamela cross from the right that saw first Hannah and then Peaso were fouled. Nevertheless we kept up the pressure and should have equalised in the 35th minute when another corner was headed off the bar by Peaso who then somehow contrived to stick the rebound over the bar. But all was right with the world three minutes later as Peaso made up for his misses. Peaso was running through the middle before he was caught from behind about 20 yards out. Dazza took the freekick and played a short pass to Peaso who fired in a low rocket past Garden to make it 1-1. No more than we deserved.
Of course Ross County proceeded to go back up the park and almost took the lead again after Mensing was again caught in no-man's land - Goran the Iceman cleared the danger. Saints had the better of the closing stages of the first forty- five. McCann linked well to set up Peaso, but both his and Sheerin saw their shots blocked. Then Anderson set up Peaso in the box. He laid the ball back to Dazza but he slipped the ball to Sheerin in the box who tried a neat chip that went just over the bar. County still managed the last chance of the half with ex- Saintee David Cowan's powerful cross missed by everyone in the Saints box.
Saints started the second-half well enough with a cracking Savo snap volley two minutes in going just over the bar. Then McCann pounced on a loose Webb clearance to run through but his 20-yarder went just wide of target. A Pamela cross in the 57th minute found Savo but his header was tipped just over the bar.
Two minutes later it was normal service in defence with Goran left needing treatment after an accidental headclash with Pamela. Oweny decided to freshen things up at this point and Peaso who didn't look tired made way for Dobbie. Mind you Dobbie's play today was pretty poor given he was supposedly the only striker who trained the last fortnight. On the park, a Goran run on the hour mark was put out for a corner. From it the ball fell to Hannah but his volley went just wide of target.
As the half wore on though Saints began to lose their edge with the midfield visibly tiring. Sheerin picked up a booking for his first foul but had already attracted the referee's attention with a nice we bout of dissent just beforehand. Out main problem was the lack of width on the park with the reliance being on Ando and the Iceman to get the crosses in. Hannah and Sheerin weren't getting forward enough and Savo was running around like a headless chicken with little support. And it meant that County were becoming more and more dangerous on the break. One freekick was only half-cleared by the Iceman and when the ball fell to McGarry he wasted his shot over the bar.
With 14 minutes remaining McCann had a header cleared from a Sheerin cross and then as County broke up the park, Mensing was caught out again and had to rely on the Iceman to clear the danger. Then another County break saw a dangerous cross into the box which Pamela did well to header out at the back post although he picked up an injury in the process. The Cat, who had little to do most of the afternoon easily dealt with the corner. Saints were looking for a winner though and Sheerin set up Savo but his shot was blocked. Hannah, who had badly faded from the game was replaced by Stevenson and Pamela limped off for Scott Paterson to make his debut. Stevenson was involved in the closing stages as well getting onto the end of an Iceman cross. His header fell to Dobbie but the Saints striker was too slow and was dispossessed. The final chance came from Stevenson setting up Sheerin for a cross but his effort was easily held.
In the end, I'm more disappointed than anything else - certainly we deserved the three points but again the midfield looked disorganised and we lost a soft goal. There has to be a question about the fitness of some of the players as well with the midfield looking slow in the latter stages. MoM for me was that man Dazza again although Peaso's workrate and performance in the first half was outstanding and Anderson, Savo and Stanic all played well. As for County, they weren't as impressive as St Midden against us but they're going to be a hard team to break down this season.
Still at least it's a point on the board - roll on next week.
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| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Points |
| Ross County | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
| St Midden | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Scumdee | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Hamilton | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Clyde | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| Saints | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| Airdrie | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 7 |
| Stranraer | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Brechin City | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Queen of the South | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
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