Temple Of Saints - Jason's Back!!

Bells League Division One 01/04/2006

Saints 3 Stranraer 2 League Table Here

Team : Glennon, Mensing, Goran, Pamela, Rustybitz, James, Henry, Sheridan, Hardie, Scotland, Sheerinho
Subs : Cat, Savo, Oweny, Winter, Ryan

The penultimate home game at least saw Saints still involved in a title race, even if our chances of a trophy looked about as likely as Gretna's chairman turning into Scrooge over the summer. Still there was plenty to play for with today's opposition still involved in a fight for their Division One future while we hoped to keep the pressure on the men from Paisley. At the end of it all though, we had to endure a few too many nervous moments but fully deserved the win and if it hadn't been for some great goalkeeping the winning margin could have been a lot greater. As it is, the fight goes on for another week.

Fozzy was this week's absentee following his hamstring injury against Clyde last weekend. Stephen Dobbie was also ruled out (along with McCann and Peaso) but Kevin James returned to the side after a fortnight out to replace Fozzy with the rest of the side remaining unchanged.

We got off to a dream start. A second minute break saw Pamela set up Mensing on the right wing. He got to the byeline before cutting the ball across the goal with Jason inches away from prodding the ball home. But it was all smiles a minute later with another excellent through ball finding Jason in the box. Despite being held all over the place and settling for the penalty, he kept his feet, shrugged off the challenge and beat another defender before finishing from 7 yards to give us the lead.

That seemed to settle us and we began to control the play a bit more. Another good Scotland run found Sheerinho but his cross was cleared. And then with 14 minutes gone, Stanic fired in a great cross. Sheerinho knocked it back across goal for the Mad Mental One to rise up a la Roddy at the back post with a cracking header that Corr did brilliantly to block. For all the control we were enjoying, Saints were still guilty of being too casual at times with the midfield unable to string passes together and the first touch deserting a lot of the players. Stranraer posed a threat at set pieces but an 18th minute freekick wasn't cleared properly with Glennon having to look sharp to save a James header. A few dodgy offsides followed a Saints tried to break and a deadleg for Pamela didn't help matters.

It got worse in the 22nd minute with a soft freekick awarded to Stranraer. Again the ball wasn't properly cleared and Martin forced his way in to finish from close range. Anderson was obviously struggling and he was joined by Goran who seemed to have picked up a groin strain. Five minutes after the equaliser, they were replaced by Savo and Ryan with Simon dropping back to defence and Hardie in midfield. The change seemed to give us more room with Jason given more of a free role up front. The added pressure almost paid off in the 30th minute when Savo set up Jason who slipped the ball to Henry for a one-two before firing in a low shot that was deflected wide. Three minutes later, James saw a header held from a freekick. Stranraer forced a corner after that with the ball only half-cleared again and only a Glennon save at the feet of Harty prevented a goal.

Eight minutes before the break though, we regained the lead. Savo beat his man on the left and set up Jason. He hesitated and the final shot was blocked for a corner. The ball was fired over to the back post where Henry chipped it back across goal. It looked like it was going out but Savo was there to somehow head the ball across over the keeper for Jason to pop up and head it home for his second.. Not the prettiest goal you'll ever see, but they all count.

The half finished with Saints the stronger side. Henry almost increased our lead after getting onto the end of a Sheerinho run but Corr came out to clear. And two minutes later it was the Wizard himself that came close. A long ball from Rustybitz found Savo who slipped the ball through to Sheerinho who tried a chip which beat Corr but went just the wrong side of the post.

Mad Mental Martin found room for an early shot at the start of the second- half but his shot was well over the bar. But Stranraer started the half well and after some pressure drew level in the 55th minute. Another very soft freekick was awarded and the ball was played into the box where Hamilton headed it on and over Glennon's head into the net. Definitely not the start we wanted. And it triggered a period of very nervous play from the Saints players typified a couple of minutes later with Henry losing the ball in midfield and James making a total hash of a clearance allowing Stranraer to break - only a Sheridan block stopped the eventual shot.

Saints kept the pressure up though (aided by the cheers from the stands as the score from Love St filtered through) with James coming close with a header from a Sheerinho ball and then Scotland and Ryan linking before the latter played a one-two with Mad Mental Martin and fired in a rocket of a shot that Corr tipped wide. That was the signal for the OC himself to come off the bench and replace Henry as Saints went with three up front.

We came even closer in the 63rd minute when some good work from Sheerinho set up Scotland for a run into the box. He turned well and sent in a low drive that Corr palmed and then watched as the ball trickled along the goalline and went out for a corner. That ended with a Rustybitz header going wide and gave Stranraer a chance to indulge in even more timewasting (something that strangely vanished from their game whenever the scoreline favoured Saints). Rustybitz picked up the first booking of the game for a late challenge on Harty. But was back in defence in order to stop the freekick. Then in the 66th minute Scotland sent in a great cross for Savo in the box but his overhead was a miskick and James saw his follow-up header cleared.

Owen became the second player booked after he showed more than a little dissent following a clash with Keddie. Saints were in control again though and should have had a penalty in the 72nd minute after a freekick was flicked on into the box for Scotland and he was held back as he went for his shot. But a minute later justice was done as Saints broke down the right through our new winger (a Mr O Coyle). Just for once Owen got up and fired in an accurate pass across to Jason coming into the box and he slotted the ball home to make it 3-2, snatch his hat-trick and improve his World Cup chances. Relief all round although one goal never seemed to be a safe enough margin.

Strangely enough Stranraer decided to come back out and play a bit but the game had opened right up. Ryan saw a decent shot held and then just missed out on another after some good build-up play involving Scotland and Coyle but again the keeper came out to make a good save.

With ten minutes to go Savo had a brilliant run and set up Stevenson but again Corr prevented the goal. Sheerinho saw an effort go well wide and we almost paid for it in the closing stages. First of all poor defending (and some tired legs) saw Stranraer given too much room to try a shot which was deflected just wide of the post for a corner which Savo and Sheerinho cleared. Then a minute from time Stranraer were awarded another very soft freekick. This time the ball was fired in and Glennon made a brilliant save to tip the ball wide before the final whistle (and the news elsewhere) brought the cheers of relief.

We thoroughly deserved the win today and if it hadn't been for Corr the margin would have been greater. Strangely we seemed a better, more open side once Stanic and Pamela were off with Savo looking excellent up front and Jason (my MoM) enjoying more room. In midfield Hardie was excellent and Rustybitz in defence was solid once more although James didn't seem to be 100% fit. In the end this might not count for much but its this sort of fighting performance that make championships.

Another week then?

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