Falkirk 0 Saints 3
Team : Cuthbert, Lawrie, Goran, McInnes, Anderson,
James, Hardie, Mensing, Peaso, Jason, Sheerin
Subs : Halliwell, McLaren, Jackson, Dyer, Morais
Well after what has been the most emotional week of the season with the rollercoaster of highs and lows from the win over Gretna last Saturday through to the drama at Tynecastle in midweek it was time today for one last drag the arse off the floor job for the players as we headed for the Battle of the Losing Semi-finalists and the delights of Falkirk in the cup. With Gow still stuck being a Bairn instead of getting splinters up his backside courtesy of the Ibrox bench, Falkirk were still a powerful force to deal with this season and none of the Saints fans in the crowd needed reminding of our, shall we say, shite record at Westfield (or whatever it's called). But since those days the Weans have managed to piss off their secret weapon and the "Big Streak of Pish" as Kevin James used to be known is plying his trade with the Holy Ones now. And today he got his revenge over Yogis Diddies as Saints powered to a thoroughly deserved win over Falkirk. Make no mistake, we rode our luck a bit, but today Saints hard work, guts and sheer bloody-mindedness as well as some hidden reserves of stamina got us through, despite a lot of very tired looking legs at the end of the game. And for the massive travelling support in the 3000-plus crowd, it was a good reward for backing the team continually for the ninety minutes.
Wullie McLaren was available again after missing out in midweek but there were still some enforced changes in the side. Derek Lilley's appearance for Morton earlier in the tournament ruled him out while Alan McManus' booking at Ayr saw him suspended. Added to that the tired legs from the semi-final meant there were always going to be changes, although the current squad seems to have as much depth as Benji the Hibs sheepdog has honesty on the park. Other matters meant no new arrivals prior to the midnight transfer deadline but Owen did change things about with, Anderson replacing McManus while McLaren settled for the bench. Apart from that the manager stuck by the same starting players that had done us so proud on Wednesday night. For Yogi's mob, Gow had, unlike Thomson, postponed his journey to the Death Star in order to get a final lesson in quality football from Saints, while Russell Latapy was still there at the heart of midfield and Kasper Schmeichel was in goal.
The Saints support had the decent seats for a change (no more temporary marquees for us) and saw the boys get off to an iffy start as we struggled with the SPL side's pace. Jason had a couple of early runs terminated because of a lack of pace and in the fourth minute, Andy Lawrie played a good cross in for Peaso but his header was held by Schmeichel. After that though, Falkirk pressed back into the game with Latapy at the centre of most of their moves and several times he managed to cut open the Saints defence. The man himself fired a dangerous shot across goal which was deflected for a corner in the fifth minute - that was easily dealt with by the Saints defence though and a sign of things to come with the Cat in excellent form. Two minutes later, a quick freekick saw Latapy split the main defence open before setting up Gow who fired an angled shot across goal that went just wide of the target. A minute later the Cat was called into action once more to handle another deep cross.
Saints defended a couple of corners before breaking up the park with Goran holding off some hefty challenges to set up Peaso before the latter's cross turned into a weak effort. Two minutes after that and Peaso sent in a better cross from the other flank that seemed to be handled in the box but there was no decision our way. Sheerin saw a good ball headed clear but we were struggling a bit to create any clearcut chances with the midfield seemingly unwilling to press forward too far and Jason being heavily marked. Gradually though we fought our way back into the game with Mensing seeing a shot blocked after quarter of an hour while a minute later Peaso seemed to be held in the box as Saints pressed back. The Cat even got in on the act with a long ball in the 17th minute that was headed on by Peaso only for Jason to be just too slow to reach it which would have left him through on goal. The next move was more flowing with Peaso and Hardie playing a neat one- two before the former set up Jason. He played a neat chip behind the defender and Peaso ran onto it to fire in a cracking volley but the ball went straight to the keeper.
Peaso turned provider a minute later with a header down for Derek McInnes who sent a dipping volley just over the bar. Mensing had a header down for Hardie but his shot was saved. By now the Saints fans were in full voice backing the team to the hilt, while the home support were surprisingly subdued. Falkirk had a couple of chances with Barr given far too much room to wander down the inside right channel before trying his luck from outside the box with a decent shot that took a bounce before the Cat got down to tip it wide. Saints hit straight back though with Lawrie setting up Jason in the box only for Barr to foul him. Jason shook it off though but his final shot was blocked.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute after Peaso forced a corner. A simple ball in found James unmarked. His header came off a defender but spun up and Hardie was there to head it into the net. One-nil us and the skipper expressed his enjoyment to the Saints fans behind the goal. Absolutely brilliant goal and thoroughly deserved. The Bairns were trying to press back and forced a series of corners but the Cat was in superb form with a series of clean catches.
We stuck to the Route One tactics and it was working well against a Falkirk side that looked shocked at going behind. And slowly but surely the midfield was starting to stamp their authority on the game and we were excellent at closing down the opposition. And for the Saints support, there was more joy to come seven minutes from time.
Peaso had a good run into the Falkirk box but had to settle for a corner. Despite being initially marked by Milne, Kevin James went for a stroll round the box on his own as Sheerinho prepared the corner kick. By the time the ball came over the Saints skipper was at the edge of the six yard box with so much room round him you'd have thought he was a Dundonian. In came the ball, up went James and one cracking header later, Schmeichel was flat out and the ball was in the net. Two-nil up, the Saints fans went daft and James had a rather happy expression on his face.
The confidence was flowing now and we looked in excellent form with little sign of the tiredness from midweek. Jason had a run through the middle in the 40th minute and set up Hardie who in turn set up Peaso in the box but the keeper came out and made a good save. Two minutes later and James made an excellent tackle on Latapy before setting up Jason on another run. He spread the ball out to Peaso on the right but his angled shot went across the goal and wide. The half finished with a token appearance from Gow with a shot a mile wide and the hilarity of Schmeichel almost putting a passback through his own net and only just recovering.
Half-time saw Falkirk replace Ross with Holden while Owen stuck by the same side. We had an early freekick that ended with Sheerin firing in a shot that was blocked and the ball rebounded for James to head over. Falkirk hit back with a freekick that caused some nervy moments in the Saints area before Goran cleared the danger. The game was a good solid cup-tie now and O'Donnell was the first player in the book for a late foul on Hardie. The long freekick for Saints fell in the box and took a bounce for Peaso but his shot was well saved. We were keeping up the pressure and Milne had to look sharp to cut out a McInnes pass for Peaso before Lawrie forced a corner in the 54th minute. The ball came over and James headed it down before Peaso somehow shot over the bar.
Falkirk's main attack after that was easily dealt with by a solid tackle from Pamela. Mensing broke up the park and set up Peaso who forced a corner. The ball came in again and James' header was deflected over. Falkirk hit us on the counter and Latapy set up Holden only for Goran to go out and block the shot deflecting it over the goal where Mensing and Twaddle clashed and as Lawrie went to clear the danger he picked up an elbow in the face - Goran was there to clear the danger though. Lawrie was on the receiving end a minute later as he was walloped in the back as the referee awarded Falkirk a corner. No danger though with Pamela heading the ball clear. The niggles kept coming though and O'Donnell was lucky to escape a second booking in the 62nd minute following a clumsy foul on Goran. The Falkirk player was in the thick of it and sent a decent header over the bar a couple of minutes later before he was hooked as Yogi put Mutantio on.
Latapy had a decent turn and shot in the 65th minute but the Cat did well to get down and save it. McInnes became the first Saints player to go into the book just after that before Owen made his first change in the 68th minute with Dyer replacing Goran who looked done in. That was the spark of inspiration and within a minute we had a third as a long pass from Hardie found Peaso in the box and he hit a cracking low angled left-foot drive past the Son of the Ballroom Dancer to make it 3-0. We went daft, the songs got louder and strangely the home fans began to leave in their dozens.
Two minutes later Falkirk almost pulled one back after a Latapy cutback found Gregg who sent in a good shot that the Cat did brilliantly to tip the ball over the bar. The corner came in and was half-cleared by Dyer but only as far as Latapy who fired in a low shot that the Cat got down to hold. Cue a chant of "Bring on the Hibees" as the confidence flowed through the side. Latapy had another shot a couple of minutes later (not that Falkirk are a one-trick show of course) but Lawrie put it out for a corner. The ball came over and Gregg went tumbling in the box in a blatant dive - full credit to referee Dougie McDonald who showed the Falkirk player the yellow card for his efforts.
Peaso chased a long ball down to get a corner and from it James almost got a second but his header went wide. At the other end Barr was given too much room and had a free header wide of target from a Latapy cross. Saints were starting to tire a bit now and Falkirk were pressing back. It didn't stop Jason showing off in the middle of the park and when he lost the ball Anderson picked up a booking as he ended the Falkirk attack early. Guys like Hardie and McInnes looked done in though and the legs were starting to go. Falkirk were having a last throw of the dice and came close in the 81st minute with a ball over which James failed to head clear. It fell behind him to Holden but his low drive was well blocked by Cuthbert coming off his line.
With the game drawing to a close, Owen freshened things up with McLaren and Jackson coming on to replace Scotland and Peaso. And Wullie almost got us a fourth as a Lawrie break found Hardie on the right. He cut in and hit a low drive across the goal where McLaren met it at the back post only to stick it just over the bar. Then in injury time McInnes almost gave us a perfect finish with McLaren putting in a good run on the left, getting to the byeline, riding a tackle and cutting the ball back for McInnes who hit a good volley just over the bar. Then the whistle went and the celebrations began.
An absolutely outstanding performance anyway but on top of the week we've had it was simply the best we've been all season in terms of fight and passion. I've been critical of the tactics at times but Owen got it spot-on today and every single one of the players on the park worked their arse off to get us the win and give us a chance to smile after the game. For all that MoM for me is a close one with Hardie, James and the Cat all in excellent form. But I think Kevin James purely on what it meant for him has to get it. Realistically there were no losers though (well other than Yogis Diddies) and every one of the players can hold their heads up tonight. Oh aye and we're also unofficial third place finishers in the CIS cup as well!
Not that bad a week then really.....
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