Temple Of Saints - A bit better

Bells League Division One 17/02/2007

Saints 4 Accies 2 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Lawrie, Goran, McInnes, McManus, James, McLaren, Mensing, Peaso, Jason, Sheerin
Subs : O'Brien, Jackson, Lilley, Anderson, Morais

It's been a pretty rotten week since the debacle of Dens but it was back to McDiarmid today for a chance for the players to try and redeem themselves a bit in front of a home support. Time's running out to narrow the gap on the Gretna Dream Machine and with Accies form having dipped a little bit of late there was a glimmer of hope going into this match that Owen's post-Scumdee roasting of the players might pay dividends and see a return to the fight and passion of the recent cup performances. As it was, the final scoreline at least showed that the strikers were back on form but the defence still showed signs of turning McDiarmid into a charity centre as again we gifted two goals so soft Andrex will want to use them in their next ad campaign. To balance that though we had some cracking candidates for goal of the season at the other end with more signs that yer average SFL keeper this season can be beaten by a ball over his head - although whether or not Saints supporters will be criticising the Accies keeper or praising the goals from Mensing and Filipe remains to be seen. For Owen, the win at least sees us back to some of the form we've shown in recent weeks but again the midfield lacked conviction and movement at times and the lack of pace supporting the front pair are still a concern, especially going into another cup tie against SPL opposition.

One man who was going to miss out was of course Mad Mental Martin whose idiotic behaviour at the end of the game meant a red card and with it the three match league game ban. He's still available for the cup-tie of course but at the same time it also gave a chance for Wullie and Filipe to stake a claim for a starting jersey. As it was Owen went for Wullie on the right wing with Mensing coming inside to partner McInnes in place of the suspended Triple-M. Elsewhere the side was unchanged from the players that started at Dens with the only change on the bench being the introduction of Andy Jackson to make up the sixteen. Accies had had some goalkeeping problems with McEwan out injured and Jellema started between the sticks while the dangerous Offiong was up front with Gilhaney on the left wing - the sort of pairing that gave us some nerves given the poor performance of Lawrie against a pacy winger last week.

We started well enough in almost perfect conditions with plenty of early pressure. The first real chance fell to us in the third minute with a James header flicked on by Jason for Peaso but the latter's volley went straight into the keeper's arms. Still it was a sign that the Saints strike pairing are starting to develop some understanding. A minute later Peaso set up Mensing through the middle but his shot went out for a corner. Sheerin sent that over and the ball came to McLaren but his effort went wide of the goal. Next up was Sheerin showing some nice touches on the wing before releasing Peaso but he was flagged just offside.

Saints were forced into an early change when McManus chased an Accies counterattack. The danger was cleared but the Saints defender had pulled up with what looked to be a groin strain. He had a couple of minutes limping about before going to the touchline. Even then it seemed to take ages before Owen had Pamela stripped but the substitution was made in the 10th minute. Saints kept up the pressure though and a minute later and Sheerin and Jason's pressure on the opposition defence almost paid off as a loose clearance fell at our feet but Scotland's final pass to Sheerin was ruled offside - one of the few decisions that the referee today got wrong although he wasn't helped by some poor assistants.

It didn't matter in the twelfth minute though. Lawrie had been unfairly penalised when Gilhaney went down near the touchline. The freekick was floated into the Saints box but James sent a long powerful header clear that was headed on by Peaso for Jason just inside the Accies half. He sprinted clear of his marker and with the keeper coming out to try and narrow the angle, he fired a low shot past him into the net to make it 1-0. We should have capitalised on that but despite winning a couple of freekicks Mr Cockup had come back to visit. A prime opportunity in the 15th minute came after McInnes was fouled 25 yards out showed that beautifully as Sheerin played a short ball to Jason who was then tackled far too easily allowing another Accies counter. Still we kept the pressure up with a brilliant McLaren pass a couple of minutes later finding Peaso on the left - he didn't have the pace but still got into the box only for Jellema to block the shot when it seemed easier to score. The resulting corner created opportunities for headers from James and Mensing but both headers went wide of target.

Lawrie was the first player to go into the book for a soft tackle from behind which Gilhaney made the most of in the 19th minute. The freekick was easily dealt with by the defence with Anderson looking excellent at the back. Accies had a couple of corners which we cleared, although the midfield was again sitting back too deep and failing to create anything when we cleared the danger. The knock-on effect of that was hammered home in the 24th minute after Lawrie conceded a corner. With everyone in a blue shirt sleeping, Accies again took the kick quickly and the ball was sent into the 6 yard box past some static (and I mean statue jobs) blue shirts for Offiong to get in for the easiest finish of his career to draw level.

But we hit back with the sort of spectacular finish two minutes later that if it had been in the Premiership would have been talked about for weeks - especially given the unlikely source of the goal. Saints were trying to get back their shape and pressed into the Accies half. A loose ball came in from the left for Mensing who found himself in some room and before the ball had even dropped he smashed a rocket of a dipping volley goalwards. Jellema was off his line, the ball went over his head and in off the underside of the bar with enough power still in it to bounce up and hit the roof of the net - simply magnificent.

Saints had the bit between their teeth now and a minute later Wullie McLaren sent a good cross in that the keeper managed to hold although both Peaso and Jason should have caused him more problems. Then Jason had a shot which went out for a corner. From it Cap'n Kev rose up for his trademark header that was blocked on the line. Sheerin sent the ball back in but this time James headed wide of the target. Five minutes later and Peaso got on the end of a McLaren cross but his header went out for a corner. Again James rose up to head Sheerinho's cross goalwards but this time it was blocked on the line by Jason this time - he should have just moved out of the way but instead managed to head the ball over the bar. For all the pressure and chances we were creating, we still couldn't relax much with the midfield lacking movement on the ball and still showing sign of nerves as too many first touches went astray.

The game was still too close for comfort but three minutes from the interval life became just that little bit more relaxing. The game had stopped for a head knock to Alex Neil and when it restarted, Accies attack was easily broken up and a long ball found Peaso who headed the ball on for Jason in the box. He got between his two markers before tapping the ball past the oncoming Jellema. Three-one up and we should have relaxed but again we began to cock things up. A long ball for Offiong a minute before the break was well offside but the delay in the linesman's flag being raised meant that both Cuthbert and Anderson didn't stop play with the pair colliding and the Saints defender needing some treatment before being able to continue. And that delay meant a bit of injury time that allowed Accies to pull one back with a freekick that the Saints defence failed to completely clear and before we knew it the ball had fallen for an unmarked Winters at the edge of the box. He didn't hesitate and fired in a low drive through a packed defence and into the net. Kind of took the dampers off the half-time Bovril especially when the last act of the half had seen Peaso breaking in the box without being able to make the room for the shot.

The second-half saw Accies press back a bit more and within a minute more slack play in the Saints defence saw the ball eventually played to McArthur who despite having loads of room failed to find the target and sent his shot well wide of goal. Alex Neil picked up Accies first booking five minutes into the half after clattering Jason after Scotland had shown some brilliant close control to make an idiot of the Accies team. There was still plenty of nerves in the Saints side with the normally cool Pamela making a couple of bad mistakes although even when it seemed that we were wide open, there was Andy Lawrie covering the width of the pitch to clear the danger. At the same time Accies were piling up the freekicks and a couple of crosses tested the Cat but he passed with flying colours. One catch in the 53rd minute saw him play the ball quickly out of defence for McLaren to link well with Jason before the final cross found Sheerin who couldn't make room for a shot. A few minutes after that and Scotland set up McLaren for a run down the right who crossed for Peaso but his header was held.

The game was still pretty close. Accies put on Wake for Offiong who had picked up a knock in the first half. Defensively we were looking fairly solid but the midfield was looking more and more off the pace with McInnes and Sheerin both fading badly. Still we were holding onto the lead with James a rock at the back although again we were still being caught with quickly-taken set-pieces. But we should have increased our lead with a series of corners in the 65th minute. Peaso latched onto a long ball from Lawrie to win the first one and from that James saw a header cleared off the line with a follow-up header going behind for another corner. This time the ball went to the far post where Jason picked it up and sent a dangerous shot across goal that was again put out for a third corner, which James headed wide.

The chances kept coming though and next up was a good run by Jason in the box but he went for glory rather than pass and was eventually tackled. Then McLaren played a one-two with Jason on the right before breaking into the box and firing in a low shot that the keeper held. The Cat had to deal with a long-range effort twenty minutes from the end which he held comfortably despite the ball taking an awkward bounce. Three minutes later Peaso went down in the box too easily looking for a penalty - the referee waiving away his pleas. Accies pressed back and with a run through the midfield Lawrie was blatantly elbowed to leave him flat out holding his a bleeding nose. The referee waived play on though and when the ball broke into the box it took a great tackle from Anderson to break up the danger. It wasn't fully cleared though and when the corner came in the ball was again only half-cleared and fell for an Accies player 8 yards out who fired in a powerful shot that was brilliantly blocked by Cuthbert, before the danger was finally cleared - only then was Lawrie allowed back on the park after getting treatment.

Lilley came on for the tiring Peaso in the 78th minute and three minutes later Filipe replaced Wullie. Accies had began to tire and run out of ideas a bit as the game drew to a close with the only threat coming from crosses which the Cat was comfortably dealing with. But Saints went out and killed the game off five minutes from time with another brilliant goal as a break through the middle saw Jason (before he was taken out) set up Morais in space and he went to the edge of the box, before stopping and then sending a brilliant cool as feck chip over Jellama's head into the net to make it four-two - although with Lilley in space, if he hadn't made the shot there might have been hell to pay. Still it was an excellent finish and added another bit of class to the win. After that it was just a matter of running down the clock for the closing stages as Accies were finished.

Overall there are still problems with pace and movement but it was a good win over the ninety minutes with some cracking goals - both Mensing and Morais had the sort of finish that will see them mentioned amongst the goals of the season for Saints while Jason got another brace to add to his tally. There were plenty of good performances as well despite the soft goals we lost - Lawrie and Anderson were outstanding and Peaso looked a lot sharper although there still has to be some questions over McInnes' fitness for a full game. MoM for me though has to be Jason for two good goals and another heap of running.

Question is can we keep it going?

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