Saints 3 Ross County 1 League Table Here
Team : Halliwell, Lawrie, Stanic, Mensing, Pamela,
James, Hardie, Sheridan, Savo, Jason, Sheerinho
Subs : Cuthbert, Peaso, Ryan, Young, Jackson
Home game number six today and Saints were looking to get our first home win of the season although to do that we were going to have to master this goalscoring pish. Only one Saints goal in the regulation 90 in the preceding 5 games made for a pretty poor home record and after another marathon 2-hour session to beat Elgin midweek the lads had to pick themselves up again today for the visit of the men from Dingwall (who had at least suffered a slightly worse fate in their CIS encounter with Alloa). Last weekend's goalless encounter with Accies had seen a home support filled with frustration and anger at full-time so Saints really needed to get a good win chalked up today against a County side who had shown mixed form under Scott Leitch. As it was, despite a couple of nervy moments and a poor goal conceded, Saints ran out comfortable winners although again a lack of clinical finishing meant the winning margin didn't really reflect the chances we had.
Jason was back in the side after his red card but walking a tightrope for a further suspension. Allan McManus was still ruled out with his groin injury and he didn't have to look far for company today with Rustybitz ruled doubtful before the game and Mensing and Mad Mental Martin picking up knocks on Tuesday adding them to the doubtful list. In the end, the latter two recovered but that still meant a 4-4-2 lineup with Jason returning to partner Savo, while in midfield Dazza was back as Delboy dropped to the bench.
From kick-off, Saints looked a sharper side than midweek but even so County won a corner in the first minute. Savo got out to cut out the short ball and set up Jason but his solo run was terminated by a crude Tiernan tackle (a sign of things to come). Dazza played the freekick 9n for James but he suffered from the close attentions of the Dingwall defence. Another break in the 4th minute from a goal kick saw Hardie flick the ball on for Jason who set up Savo but the defence got back to clear. County didn't have many chances early on. Halliwell dealt comfortably with a couple of crosses but a bad throw out to Sheerinho saw us lose the ball and concede another corner though the defence cleared it easily.
Ten minutes into the game, Saints began to put some pressure on the opposition defence. A long ball found Savo who beat the offside trap and defence to cross for Sheerinho in the box who shot over the bar. Next up Dazza set up Goran who passed to Jason on the wing who beat his man in the box and set up Hardie but his shot was deflected into Samson's arms. Sheerinho had an effort go wide and then in the 18th minute, Saints had a good claim for a penalty turned down after a freekick into the box saw James shoved off the ball which left the Saints skipper a tad pissed off - though if he'd spend more time paying attention to the game than protesting to the referee he might get a bit more sympathy.
The chances kept coming for Saints. Savo set up Jason for a chance but Samson beat him to the ball. Sheerinho and Savo combined in the 21st minute to set up Jason on the edge of the box and he turned and fired in a decent shot just wide of goal. A minute later another Saints freekick found Hardie who headed the ball for Savo but his header went over. The physical side of Ross County's approach to the game saw the referee kept busy though he seemed determined to keep the cards in the pocket despite the continual fouling from the likes of Tiernan and McKinlay. There was a bit of a niggle developing in midfield as well between Dazza and Derek Adams with both players being warned by the referee midway through the half.
Saints continued to create the majority of goalscoring chances with Hardie and James both heading wide though it has to be said that Sheerinho's corner kicks were a lot more effective than in recent weeks. For County, a 28th minute freekick was as close as they came with Bryn having an easy catch. The 33rd minute saw our best chance of the game when a good Saints break saw Savo set up Jason for a run down the left. He made a great run into the box before squaring back to the unmarked Savo who somehow with the goal gaping in front of him managed to shoot too close to Samson who blocked the shot. I mean the miss was bad enough, but it made Samson look bloody good.
Two minutes later all was forgiven though. Jason was again clattered by Tiernan who finally picked up a yellow card for his trouble. Lawrie (who was much improved today) sent a low freekick into the box that Jason turned on. His shot went out for a corner that was cleared only as far as Sheridan (see we were clever and actually had someone on the edge of the box today). Dazza's header back in was headed on by James down into the box where it found Savo and ignoring claims for offside, the Saints striker duly did the business and slotted the ball home. 1-0 Saints and a second booking for County as Samson's dissent and disappointment at the goal saw him booked. Hardie had another chance almost immediately after the restart but he was tackled in the box but within 60 seconds a complete cock-up of McLellandesque defending in the County back line let us in for a second. A nightmarish passback from the wing caught Samson unawares. Savo was paying attention and pounced on the loose ball before shooting past the hapless keeper.
Saints were on form now and should have had a third when some good work on the left wing again with Stanic, Jason and Sheerin ended in a good low cross across the area but there were no takers. County showed they weren't out of it before the break though with a couple of efforts. Gunn hit a freekick low and wide and then a good cross from the left saw a decent shot bring out a good reaction save from Bryn Halliwell.
Saints started the second-half well with a 20-yarder from Jason within a minute of the restart going just wide. Jason had another cross go wide while for County things got worse with a booking for Adams for what looked to be dissent.
Eight minutes into the half though and they pulled one back. A Sheerin corner was cleared and County broke up the park. The Saints midfield and defence got back in numbers but were unable to put in a decent tackle. The ball ended up going wide right where a good cross in was headed in by an unmarked McKinlay. County began to threaten more and Saints were looking a bit nervy with some tiredness creeping into the side. Jason had a good run through in the 56th minute before being fouled from behind by Tiernan who was lucky to escape a second booking. Scotland's freekick came off the wall for a corner. From that Hardie headed the ball down to an unmarked Sheerinho but his angled shot went wide.
Just after that there were more signs of nervousness in the defence with a poor kickout from Halliwell going straight to a County player - luckily the shot back was easily held. Savo had another shot blocked on the hour mark and then from the resulting corner got onto the downward James header but managed only a fresh air effort. McKinlay picked up another warning for a late foul in the 64th minute - from the freekick Scotland had another shot held by the keeper. Then with 20 minutes to go Scotland was released down the right and set up Savo who crossed back to Jason in the box. He couldn't make enough room for the shot and played a short square ball to Hardie but his shot was blocked. Two minutes later Dazza played a neat one-two with Scotland but pulled his shot wide.
Saints were tiring though and Hardie was replaced by Stevenson in the 77th minute. A minute later we had another great chance when Stanic set up Scotland who laid on a great ball for Savo who had beaten the defence. Through with just the keeper to beat he hit a low shot that the keeper blocked. County almost drew level with an Adams header that Halliwell held, but with 9 minutes to go we wrapped up the points. Another freekick into the box found Jason but his shot was blocked only as far as Sheerinho who blasted home to make it 3-1. Peaso replaced Savo for the last 8 minutes (despite being on a hat trick, the Saints striker was plainly knackered) and he combined with Jason for a couple of good moves but the defence managed to clear one and the woodwork prevented the other going in To round off the game, and sum it up for County, Dowie picked up a booking for another foul on Jason.
A much improved performance on last week - there wasn't really a weak link in the side although there were some tired legs towards the end with Savo, Sheridan and Jason looking off the pace. Lawrie had a much better game and James and Anderson were rock solid in defence. Savo gets my MoM though for a power of running, two good goals and if he'd been a touch more clinical he'd have had four or five.
This is more like the form we wanted to see.
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| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Points |
| Livingston | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Gretna | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 9 |
| Partick Thistle | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
| Saints | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Hamilton | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Ross County | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| Scumdee | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Clyde | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Queen of the South | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Airdrie | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
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