Temple Of Saints - Saints Take It To The Wire

Bells League Division One 21/04/2007

Saints 3 QoS 0 League Table Here

Team : Cuthbert, Anderson, Goran, McInnes, Lawrie, Mensing, Sheerinho, Hardie, Peaso, Jason, McLaren
Subs : Halliwell, Morais, Lilley, Jackson, Monaghan

Reduced prices, flags allowed all over the ground and a Saints side and support well hyped up for the final game of the season. So what if we were relying on Cumbernauld's "finest" to do us a favour at Raydale and who cares that despite their crappy league position, we were up against a Queens side that had surrendered points and goals in recent weeks with all the generosity of Pearse Flynn when asked to donate to the Save East Stirling fund. Who cares if the odds were still against us and for the third Saturday in a row we were facing another "cup final" of a game where nothing less than three points would do - and even then that might still not be enough. But on the other hand we had absolutely nothing to lose against McCall's side who also were going to have to attack in order to try and secure their own safety for next season. As it was we had about as nervy a game as possible but in the end ran out more than comfortable winners despite some strange refereeing decisions and missing a bucketload of chances as the game drew to a close - and that doesn't include the strikers who were both off form for the ninety minutes. Saints showed plenty of confidence near the end and the telling sign was seeing the players look over at the scoreboard for the Raydale result and believe that we can do the impossible.

The trench warfare from Tuesday night's win had of course claimed some victims. Kevin James' pre-match was rated less than doubtful - as in not a chance in hell of making the side. Elsewhere and McManus had the naughty step to himself but Simon "The Enforcer" Mensing and Filipe "Kick it away" Morais were back in the squad while Wullie McLaren had hopefully learnt his lesson from Tuesday and was ready to contribute to the team rather than indulge in petty squabbles with his team- mates. The starting lineup saw only one change with Simon Mensing in at centre-half alongside Ando while Lawrie moved to right back and Wullie kept his place on the right midfield ahead of Filipe who had to settle for a place on the bench (a decision not universally appreciated by some of the Saints fans in the 4000-plus crowd - nothing like giving him a chance eh?).

The opening stages of the game saw a very nervous looking Saints side try to dominate the play but too many passes went astray. McInnes tried to set up Peaso in the first minute but the Saints striker couldn't control the ball. A minute later Ando beat Dobbie to a pass but the referee decided the Saints defender had got a touch and awarded the Doonhamers a corner. That was cleared but McInnes conceded a daft freekick which was played into the box and tipped behind for another corner by the Cat. This time there was a free header that went wide of target, but it didn't do much to calm the nerves of the Saints support. It almost got worse five minutes into the game when a slack ball from Jason allowed Queens to break through the middle and the ball eventually found Dobbie on the left. He cut in and tried his luck from the edge of the box but the ball came back of the head of Mensing although the Saints defender didn't seem to be too aware of it. Saints went up the park but our first chance came from a long ball finding Peaso and his chip was held.

We forced a couple of corners and from the second Lawrie headed the ball down for Mensing but his effort was cleared off the line. Queens went back up the park and cross was headed wide by O'Connor although again the referee managed to annoy the Saints support by awarding Queens a corner. Goran was there to clear the danger with his usual cool manner. Chances for Saints were at a premium though. Jason tried a run and was crowded out in the box and then when he won a freekick when the referee finally decided to punish Thomson, the set piece was again wasted. We generally looked very edgy and while we were winning enough of the ball, we couldn't get the game flowing while both Peaso and Jason looked tired and off the pace. Lawrie fired in a good cross in the 16th minute which the defence cut out from Jason. The ball broke to Hardie but his effort took a deflection and went wide.

One worry for Saints at this time was the Cat as Ando and Mensing took over kicking duties. There was no obvious injury and he didn't need treatment but Halliwell spent a long period in the tunnel during the first half warming up. Elsewhere and given the referee's form there was no real surprise that it was a blue shirt that went in the book first with Peaso's name taken after a late foul on Paton which the Queens defender made the most of. Two minutes later Thomson went in with a flying elbow on Jason which left the Saints striker needing treatment and the Queens player in the book alongside Peaso - that was just a small sign of how busy the referee's pen was going to be as the game wore on.

As the half wore on, we began to settle a bit more although we couldn't carve out any clearcut chances. Jason tried to set up Mad Mental Martin with a good through ball but it was just too far in front of the midfielder. Then in the 31st minute Jason won a long ball bounce but his snap shot went over the bar. A minute after that a Sheerinho freekick from the left wing found Anderson and his header out fell for McInnes who went for a volley that went miles wide of the goal. It wasn't exactly inspiring stuff but there was a growing sense of belief amongst the players and the fans as the half wore on. It wasn't all one-way though and a Queens freekick in the 35th minute was headed on but the Cat was there to come out and smother the ball. A Lauchlan foul on Jason in the 37th minute earned Saints a freekick. This time the ball into the box was headed wide by Peaso.

Two minutes later and Jason set up Sheerinho on the left and his effort was blocked before going out for a corner. Time for the magic then and from Sheerinho's kick the keeper seemed to fumble the ball, it fell for Lawrie and he headed home from about three yards out to make it 1-0 with a Tosh picking up a booking in the process, presumably for dissent. That seemed to at least settle us a bit and the fans began to get right behind the team as we began to press more. The half ended with another Queens freekick from the quiet Dobbie (you almost thought he wasn't there as he faded from the game) blocked by the wall and when it was played back into the box Lawrie was flattened by Thomson.

The second-half started nervously for both sides although Queens seemed to be willing to press forward a lot more. A long ball found Tosh on a break but he managed to hook his shot and the Cat had an easy gather. Five minutes into the game though it threatened to boil over after Jason was clobbered by Scally. A real row erupted with practically every outfield player involved in some major handbag throwing. Eventually the referee managed to get a semblance of control (although clamping down on the foul on Jason might have helped initially) but cards were dished out for Adams, Scally, Scotland and Goran who stupidly got involved himself (what is it about players from Dumfries that seems to wind him up). Even then the fun and games wasn't over as with play about to resume the referee was called over by the East Stand linesman and after another brief chat, McInnes joined them in the book although I can't for the life of me work out why as he seemed to avoid any confrontation.

If anything that seemed to fire up Saints more and we began to knock the ball about with a bit more confidence with Sheerin, Hardie and McLaren all starting to run at the opposition. Scotland had a decent run in the 55th minute end with a good tackle in the box. Hardie tried to set up Peaso but the ball was again cut out by the Queens defence. Then in the 59th minute Peaso had a brilliant run to the byeline on the right before a defender got over to cut the ball out for a corner. From that Peaso had a decent shot from the edge of the box deflected and held by the keeper. But four minutes later Ando latched onto a poor clearance from McDonald the Queens keeper and found McLaren on the right wing who forced a corner. Sheerinho fired the ball over Gunther Mensing rose up like a towering giant at the back post to power a header beyond the keeper to make it 2-0, with the Saints player's attitude summed up as he stood in the goal with his fist held high.

Suddenly the nerves were gone and Queens began to look like a side nearer the bottom of the table as Saints began to play with a lot more confidence and skill. Scotland put some good pressure on Lauchlan in the 65th minute to win another corner. This time the keeper again looked vulnerable and he again fumbled the ball in the box but with the ball bouncing around the area there were no takers and the danger was cleared. But five minutes later the skill was turned on again as Wullie McLaren (much maligned but much improved today) showed what a bit of confidence can do to his game. Some good Saints pressure ended with McLaren picking up the ball on the right. He broke down and played a lovely one-two at the edge of the box with Jason before breaking through the middle and firing the coolest finish imaginable past the keeper to make it three. Nice to see the East Stand chant his name in a more complimentary fashion after that and just as nice to see the congratulations he received from his teammates.

A minute later we should have made it four as Jason cut in from the right, nutmegging a defender en route only to be held back. He worked his way in though when it might have been easier to go down for the penalty and fired a low drive in that the keeper did well to get down to and turn round the post. The corner as usual was cleared. Sheerinho was next to try his luck as Saints pressed to narrow the goal difference on the Village People and he was unlucky to see his long-range attempt go just over the bar.

Lilley replace Peaso in the 74th minute then a minute later a quick throw-in from McLaren found Jason through beating the offside trap but he had to settle for a corner. This time Ando got up for an excellent header but the keeper did well to hold onto the ball. At the other end Murray managed a shot that went out for a corner, but the Cat easily held the cross - about all he had to do in the second period really. McLaren went off with ten minutes remaining to great applause to be replaced by Morais. Two minutes later and we should have had another as McInnes went on a great break before releasing Jason on the right and his cutback back to McInnes unfortunately found Del with the wrong boots on and the ball was blasted over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

With six minutes remaining Owen made a third enforced change with Jacko coming on to replace Sheerinho who had to limp off with a nosebleed. Queens saw a freekick into the box comfortably punched clear by the Cat and then with two minutes remaining, Jason cut inside and set up Jacko who went on a run and shot over the bar. Mensing headed the ball wide from a Filipe freekick after McQuilken cynically brought him down and the game ended with Hardie picking up a booking for high feet and Saints camped in the Queens penalty area.

Saints again ran themselves into the ground today but unlike Tuesday there was a much tighter sense of a team at work rather than relying on individual skill. Hardie, Ando, Lawrie were all excellent but MoM for me was Simon Mensing who didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon and scored a fine goal. McLaren deserves praise and while the strikers were off form (as was McInnes) you couldn't fault any of the effort throughout the side. Whether or not we'll take the title next Saturday is in the laps of the Gods (well ok we're relying on the men from Dingwall to do us a favour) but there's no denying we're getting an exciting finish to the season.

Fat Lady is going to sing for someone next week....

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