Saints 0 Ayr 0
Team : Cuthbert, Lawrie, Dyer, Mensing, McManus,
Anderson, McInnes, Sheerinho, Savo, Jason, Stanic
Subs : Halliwell, Peaso, Jackson, Doris, McLaren
Unlike certain other cup tournaments, Saints haven't had much fun in recent years in the Scottish Cup. Last year was the prime example with a team that had had mixed fortunes in the league and shown all the consistency of a Rangers fan's favourite nationality for their manager, coming up against that mob that are still apparently Living the Dream (and not paying their debts if the papers are to be believed this week) and bowing out of the tournament with the sort of insipid pathetic subdued showing that would shame a kids team. This year at least on paper, the hot and cold balls had at least been slightly kinder to us with a home draw against an Ayr United side who have had a similar mixed fortune this season. But expectations had been raised a bit more following the CIS exploits against M Le Guen's former employers and our neighbours from Tannadump and performances in recent weeks had at least shown the occasional flash of a hint at verging on the entertaining. So it was an optimistic Saints support before kick-off but by full-time that had vanished with one of the poorest performances in recent months with the only token consolation for the disconsolate home support being that as opposed to last year, we at least managed to get a couple of shots on target this year - not that the Ayr goal even looked like being troubled over the afternoon. There's no doubt that Owen needs to start getting some motivation into the Saints side and by God but we need some fresh faces that unlike today's debutant might bring something to the side - otherwise, the manager might be in danger of going into the closing stages of the season with a side of journeymen who lack any sort of star quality or ability to provide entertainment for what is becoming a very disgruntled home support.
The transfer window hadn't been that busy at McDiarmid with Derek McInnes sorting out the last bits of red tape before making his Saints debut today. Elsewhere we had Kevin James missing due to a knee injury while Martin Hardie missed out after being the brave wee soldier and playing through the pain barrier. Any signs of Owen resting the so-called big names in the Saints squad for the cup-tie though were limited by the squad which these days shows all the depth of a Celebrity Big Brother non-entity. In came Goran to midfield with Dyer getting a starting jersey behind him as Wullie McLaren dropped to the bench while Martin Hardie was replaced by debut boy and Friend-Of-Owen McInnes (looking very pale these days).
Conditions made for a typical 3rd round tie with the cold and wind not helping much. Mind you it was hard to tell especially given the lack of interest shown by the Saints players in the opening stages. Ayr got the first chance with McInnes caught for pace and conceding a daft freekick. The ball came into the box but Goran cleared the danger and tried to set up Jason with a long ball only for the Saints striker to again be caught offside. We won our first corner after some good work in the 5th minute by Savo following a long clearance. The ball eventually broke to Lawrie who set up Jason but his weak shot was easily held. Seven minutes later and we tried to create another opening with Jason setting up Lawrie. His cross was headed about the box before breaking to Goran but he shot over.
Owen was obviously not happy in the dugout and it has to be said that there weren't many in the home stands that disagreed with him. The Saints midfield was practically non-existent and there was a real lack of movement from Jason up front although he may have been carrying a knock. Sheerin was rarely involved in the action and I'm still trying to think of a contribution from McInnes to the cause in the first half. Defensively we looked solid enough if we weren't being troubled much although there were still plenty of nerves on the ball as the visitors seemed to be sharper and quicker to react as the game wore on.
Sheerin had a weak shot from the edge of the box in the 17th minute for our first real shot on goal. Three minutes later and a freekick into the box saw Goran's cross end with a McManus shot being blocked and then Lawrie setting up Jason for a similar effort which again failed to find a way past the packed defence. Sheerinho had another effort in the 24th minute with the break of the ball ending in a long-range shot going just over the bar. Mensing saw a shot blocked and then followed up a Scotland pass with another effort going just wide of the post.
For all the shots though there was little real threat or power in most of the attempts and the goalkeeper wasn't really troubled. If we thought we were in danger of taking the game too casually, that was hammered home in the 27th minute. Another spell of watching the Saints defence trying for the careful build up involving another interminable spell of square balls across the Saints defence was rudely brought to an abrupt halt as McManus was caught on the ball by Ayr's Wardlaw. He nicked in and broke through into the box but luckily pulled his shot wide as the Saints defence tried to recover. But within a minute or so the casual attitude had crept back into our play with Lawrie too close to get back and beaten for pace - at least Cuthbert was sharp to hold the cross and set up a long ball for Jason who set up Sheerin only for the midfielder to sclaff his shot wide.
Stanic saw a header punched clear from a Sheerin freekick before Dyer became the first player to go into the book for a late challenge in the 37th minute but goalmouth action was at a premium and despite getting a large break of the ball for set pieces there was no imagination or creativity at any of the corners or freekicks with the ball staying vaguely in the box treated as a miraculous event. Ayr's Robertson became the first opposition name in the referee's book (although given how petty he was it's a surprise the card count stayed as low as it did over the afternoon) for a foul on Goran. Sheerin took the freekick and found McManus but he headed the ball well over.
As it was we waited until the final minute of the half before we created our best chance of the game. A McInnes freekick found Jason and Lawrie who had shots blocked from close range before the ball broke to Savo on the edge of the box and he blasted in a cracking drive from 25 yards out that McGeown turned brilliantly round the post for the corner - which as you'd expect we inevitably wasted.
Half-time was notable for the substitution of the ineffective Scotland with Peaso replacing him (and no doubt the watching Aberdeen and Hibs personnel leaving early). It didn't make much difference to the offering on the park though as the game continued in much the same manner. Peaso won an early freekick which McInnes wasted and although the game livened up with both sides looking a bit more attack-minded the entertainment was still lacking and as a cup-tie it was very poor. Ayr did liven things up ten minutes into the half when Dunn was given too much room and in an echo of Savo's first-half shot, he let rip from the edge of the box and the Cat showed some good reactions to tip the ball over the bar.
Saints first real chance of the half came a couple of minutes later when a long freekick found Goran who played a one-two with Savo before firing in a low shot that was blocked. Then on the hour mark, Sheerin set up Stanic who put in a good cross but Mensing saw his header held. At the other end an Ayr freekick saw Veraille unable to make room for a shot and McManus cleared. But they kept the pressure up and Saints were caught out with a quickly-taken corner that ended in the ball finding Veraille in plenty of room in the box before he turned and shot over the bar.
Saints tried to hit back with a good break down the right flank with a nice through ball from Mensing finding Peaso but his final shot ended up hitting the side netting. The referee managed to annoy the home fans twice within a minute as first of all Peaso was held down when he broke through the middle but no freekick was awarded. Then the referee did blow only after Savo had broken clear of his marker and the defender dropped - pity the freekick went against the Saints striker.
Savo was taken off in the 69th minute to be replaced by Andy Jackson.Within a couple of minutes he was involved in getting on the end of a Peaso pass and setting up Sheerinho for a shot but the ball again flew wide of the target - you just began to get the feeling that the train timetables and maps to Somerset Park were already being dusted down by the Saints fans. Ayr were still chasing a winner but beginning to tire although Lawrie being caught out of position again allowed them in to get shot that went over the bar, Sheerin had a shot go wide from a corner before the last throw of the dice from Owen saw Wullie Dyer replaced by McLaren with Goran dropping back to left-back in the 80th minute, by which time Ayr had begun to resort to some blatant timewasting to kill the game off.
Saints were pressing in the closing stages and created several chances. Peaso saw a low cross well held and then McInnes had a shot blocked from a corner. Then a minute from the end (before some lengthy stoppage time), a good ball in from Sheerin was headed down for McLaren in the box but his first time volley went over the bar. Two minutes later and a Sheerin corner was missed by everyone before the ball broke to McLaren at the back post but his shot was held. McManus picked up a booking for what looked like dissent before the final act fell to McLaren. A good run and control by Jackson on the right saw him cut inside and square to McLaren who hit a cracking volley that the keeper did well to hold. Hell at least it was on target.
Overall the boos at full-time told their own story with the home support less than happy at the performance and effort shown from the Saints players. We may still just be in the cup but what was on display today was for the most part an embarrassment to the club's name against an Ayr side who to be honest rarely threatened us. MoM for me was Goran Stanic who at least tried to be slightly creative but far too many of the rest of the midfield and side were unable to show the sort of creativity and imagination we need. The lack of depth to the squad is almost as worrying and Owen's tactics have to be called into question - the midfield needs completely rebuilt and we badly lack pace and stamina to get through the 90 minutes.
Oh well just another Scottish Cup performance really....
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