Brechin 1 Saints 3
Team: Main, Lawrie, Goran, McInnes, McManus, James,
Weatherston, Hardie, Daal, Peaso, Sheerinho
Subs: Cuthbert, Jacko, Stewart, Ando, Moon, Rustybitz,
McLaren
Who needs the horse-face of Ronaldinho when the real master in Sheerinho is in action? Who needs the massed crowds at Murrayfield pretending they're getting to see the real Barca in action when you can watch the mighty Saints next to a hedge? An interesting dilemma but with Glebe Park a nicer environment to watch a game than that stadium in the capital there was no choice really. Besides this was going to be the last chance to see the real line-up for Saints ahead of the league opener at Palmerston next weekend. No trialists, no token appearances for the 16yr olds to show up their elders. All that and the added bonus of seeing exactly how Scrabble is facing up to the reality of lower league football. How can you resist it? And while it might not have been the sexiest soccer in the world on show (more polyestery than silky) it was another good performance from the majority of the Saints players with a well- deserved win and a scoreline which could easily have been higher.
Of course being Saints we still had a few minor injuries keeping some of the first team regulars out. Even so, the starting lineup saw a strong Saints side with only McCluskey missing out on a squad place from the recognised first teamers. Dyron and Peaso made up the starting strike partnership while David "Mullet" Weatherston was given the right wing duties. Apart from that it was the usual 4-4-2 formation with the shouters in Main and James making their presence felt from the start in front of a decent crowd with plenty of Saints fans in their midst.
Within a couple of minutes of the kick-off we'd almost taken the lead as we pressed for an early goal. Daal had a decent turn and cross which was missed by Peaso in the middle and while it fell for the Mullet, he couldn't make room for the shot. A minute later and we came even closer when a lovely chip from Peaso on the right found Daal with loads of room in the box and he managed a great header which just clipped Nelson's crossbar. Dyron turned provider next with a good cross over for Weatherston but he couldn't quite reach the ball. A decent start continued in the 7th minute when a long clearance from Main found Hardie who set up Daal on the left. He had a good run before crossing from the left for Peaso but Nelson did well to come out and save from the striker's feet.
Saints were comfortable on the ball and we were controlling the game although Brechin were playing well enough in defence. McInnes saw a shot blocked from our first corner and then another good break from defence in the 14th minute saw Sheerinho down the left play in a good cross for Hardie but somehow he managed to put the ball over the bar. Peaso set up Daal for a header that was held while Brechin's first real chance came in the 17th minute when Byers had a good run through the middle go almost unchallenged before he tried his luck from the edge of the box with Main forced into a good save. A minute later we took the lead when a Sheerinho corner was headed into the box and found Peaso whose simple header seemed to be palmed out by Nelson but was ruled to have crossed the line by referee Freeland. Cue more entertainment with the stadium announcer crediting Dyron with the goal.
Saints seemed to relax a bit after that and created several chances although most of the balls seemed to be going through the middle. Hardie saw a header go just wide of the goal and then Daal and Peaso played a neat one two with Daal's first-time effort on the return going just wide of the goal. James saw a header from a Del freekick go over the bar. But we doubled our lead just after the half-hour when Daal on the left had a good run in before playing a low cross into the goalmouth. It spun round the box before being deflected into the path of the Mad Mental One and his drive went into the net to make it 2-0. We relaxed more now although there were more than a few opportunities to extend the lead before the interval. Daal had a header held and McInnes came close ten minutes from the break when he pounced on a slack ball in the home defence and tried his luck from 20 yards out with a long-range shot that went just wide of the post. Nelson saved from Hardie's feet and some great build up play just before the break saw Saints patiently hold onto the ball before the play ended with a disappointing Peaso shot deflected over the bar.
James had a header go over and then the Mullet and Hardie combined to set up Dyron but he missed. Daal managed to round off the half with another miss as a long-range volley went wide. Brechin made a couple of changes at half-time with veteran stopper Scott Walker coming on to close down Daal.
The second period started in a fairly subdued manner with a full five minutes going by before we had our first chance on goal. That came from a freekick fired into the area but despite a couple of attempts, Nelson managed to hold the ball. A couple of minutes later the friendly nature began to be called into question with the Mullet denied a blatant freekick on the wing while Hardie was penalised in the middle as referee Freeland seemed to be warming up for his challenge to become Biggest Arse of a Referee for the coming league campaign.
Still it sparked the Mullet into life and he enjoyed some decent play on the ball with a good run and cutback cleared from the 6yd box by Brechin. Kevin James picked up a head knock and had to go off for treatment ten minutes into the half and that almost allowed Brechin back into the game with Byers forcing Main into another good save. The Saints keeper couldn't hold onto the ball and Brechin forced a clearance off the line and then another great shot brought out a brilliant block at the post by Main. A minute later and Main made a similar low save from Russell. Saints forays up the park met with little success with Dyron trying to get his name into the record books for Worst Miss of the Season on the hour mark as a Sheerinho low drive was blocked by Nelson only for the rebound to fall to Dyron on the edge of the 6yd box and faced with an open goal, he invoked the spirit of Paddy Connolly and proceeded to somehow conjure up the sclaffiest slice on the ball to sky it over the bar and into orbit.
Dyron fared a bit better five minutes later when he got onto the end of a deep Goran cross at the back post and fired in an angled volley that went just over the bar. Three minutes later though all was well as Hardie set up Goran on the overlap for another cross in from the left. The deep ball was headed back across goal by McLaren (on for the Mullet) before a half-clearance from a defender fell nicely for Peaso and he made no mistake with a volley to make it 3-0, although again our favourite announcer showed Keevinsesque abilities in crediting the goal to Daal.
Peaso had a chance for his hat-trick in the 70th minute after Dyron won a corner with a brilliant nutmeg on a defender. The ball came over and was knocked onto Peaso at the back post but his effort cannoned back off the post before being cleared. That ended his part in the game as Stewart came on to replace him. Two minutes later James also limped up to the touchline and off the park with his head knock obviously causing problems to be replaced by Rustybitz. Saints seemed to be in cruise control now and Hardie set up Wullie eleven minutes from time but his effort was blocked and when the rebound fell to Dyron his attempt went over the bar. That ended his participation in the game as Jacko was given a run out. Of course it also meant we went to sleep and Johnston found himself in room fully 35yds out and decided to try his luck. With Main off his line, he was caught in no-mans land as the ball sailed over his head and into the net to make it 3-1.
Saints tried to restore their lead as the game drew to a close with Stewart coming close with a shot over the bar and a header over. Mooner came on for a knackered Mad Mental Martin and he had the final touch getting on the end of a Sheerinho cross only to send the ball just over the bar.
Overall it was a decent performance with a good workout for most of the squad. We still looked slow at times in midfield with Weatherston only rarely being given the ball in enough space to get room to sprint forward. The defence was as reliable as ever and Rustybitz looked as fit as ever. Dyron Daal was unlucky not to score (despite the help from the announcer) but looked a lot sharper than at Arbroath while Peaso had a good shift. John Stewart had a decent run from the bench and once he got going, Wullie also looked a lot more confident going forward. Even Main made several good saves today. All in all a nice afternoon out really.
Right, sham is over time for the real stuff to begin!!!!
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