Forfar 1 Saints 5
Team : Cuthbert, Lawrie, Goran, McManus, James,
Rustybitz, Mensing, Sheridan, Savo, Peaso, Sheerinho
Subs : Scotland, Ryan, Exposito, Jackson, Hardie, Owen,
Weir
Saints finally got the first pre-season friendly out of the way today in a weekend which saw Owen Coyle celebrate his 40th birthday (now I'm starting to feel really old). For the fans making their way to Station Park for the traditional encounter with the Loons (although we did break with tradition this year by having the game on a Saturday afternoon), it was going to be a chance to see the plethora, well pair, of new signings in Andy Lawrie and Allan "Chalky" McManus. As for trialists Chris Howarth and Exposito their appearance was dependent on international clearance - in the end Howarth missed out. Still the sunshine helped the optimism that courses through the veins at this time of year as a decent crowd of Saintees turned up to get a glimpse of what would hopefully be a championship-winning side - and despite the emphatic scoreline, there's a bit to go yet. But there was certainly more positives than negatives to take from the game.
We started the game with a 3-5-2 formation with Lawrie and Stanic on the flanks and Mensing in the middle alongside Dazza and Sheerinho with Savo and Peaso up front. In temperatures more befitting a World Cup, Saints piled the pressure on from the start against a Forfar side full of reserves. A freekick in the first minute targeted Le Freak (spot the new tactics there) and his header was met by a Peaso shot ruled offside. Two minutes later, we should have taken the lead when a good move saw Savo and Peaso link well to set up Lawrie on the right wing. His cross into the area found Savo but he somehow managed to send a shot over the bar from close range.
We had plenty of pressure with only some poor passing in the final third letting us down. Stanic saw a shot go well wide and when a Sheerinho pass went astray after quarter of an hour, Owen wasn't slow or subdued in his vocal criticisms of what was going on on the park. Not that it did much good with a Saints corner a minute later was headed over by the skipper after a decent Savo shot was deflected wide. Forfar tried to get back into it and won a freekick after a robust Dazza tackle. The effort was well-struck with plenty of power behind it but the Cat got down well to save.
After a Forfar corner was cleared, Saints finally broke the deadlock in style after 23 minutes. Sheerinho picked the ball up in the middle of the park and went on a good run aided by a break of the ball before setting up Peaso just inside the box for a cheeky chip over the keeper into the net. We came close to doubling our lead on the half hour when a Lawrie cross was headed down by Peaso for Mensing, but his shot came back off the bar. Five minutes before the half-time pep talk though, we managed a second. Savo had a good run through the middle and set up Sheerinho for a low shot that the keeper spilled but Savo was there to poke the ball over the line from about six inches out.
Half-time saw Peaso and Sheerinho replaced by Jason and Mad Mental Martin. They had an immediate impact up front with Jason instrumental in setting up our third five minutes into the half. After a Scotland run ended in a loose ball being cleared, Goran picked it up and played Jason back in who set up Savo for a run into the box which ended in a neat nutmeg on the keeper. With Saints cruising Owen rubbed salt into the home side's wounds by throwing on Jim Weir in place of McManus.
Saints seemed to be well in control with a 52nd minute shot by Jason held and then two minutes after that a Savo shot beat the keeper but rebounded off both posts. That was a hint that Forfar might have a wee bit of luck in them and they pulled one back just before the hour mark as an innocuous cross from the right was met by James' head. Unfortunately it was facing the wrong direction and in a few seconds all the bad memories from Palmerston last season came back to haunt us as the ball looped over Cuthbert's head into the net. Saints were soon back dictating the play and Dazza was unlucky not to score in the 62nd minute after a neat one-two with Jason ended in Sheridan's shot being deflected round the post.
Within 5 minutes though we had restored the three goal advantage. Andy Jackson was on for Savo and after a good ball was sprayed to Jason on the left, he cut in and fired in a low shot. The keeper got his hand to it but failed to hold onto the ball and Jackson was first to react and stab the ball home to make it 4-1. Saints made another couple of changes with Manuel and Ryan replacing Sheridan and Lawrie. It was Forfar that almost scored next after a good break left their no 7 running through on an open goal but he somehow managed to hit the post when it seemed easier to score.
Saints hit back with a good cross from a corner ending with Jackson in the area setting up James for a 6yd shot that the keeper did well to tip over. Owen replaced Mensing for the last fifteen minutes and just after he came on we hit the fifth. A Scotland cutback to Jackson saw him tap the ball on for Hardie coming in but his cracking shot was well saved. The corner came in though from Exposito, was headed down and this time the Mad Mental One got the better of the keeper to make it 5-1. Saints chased a 6th but despite forcing plenty of corners we couldn't manage another although Hardie had a header held, Rustybitz headed a Coyle freekick off the post and Jason saw a shot blocked after linking well with Ryan and Manuel.
In terms of MoM awards I'm going for Hardie who despite only being on for the second-half looked very effective in the middle of the park. Elsewhere Mensing, Savo, Peaso and Jackson all stood put. In fact there wasn't really a bad performance on the park although neither of the new signings were that impressive with Lawrie caught out of position a few times. As for the trialist, he showed some neat touches and certainly looks a lot faster than most of the midfield with a turn of pace and close control which would cause other defences a problem - possibly worth a gamble.
It's still early stages but the signs are there!
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