Temple Of Saints - Saints Axe Accies

Bells League Division One 29/09/2007

Saints 4 Accies 1 League Table Here

Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, McInnes, McManus, Anderson, Quinn, Sheerin, Deuchar, Jackson, McLaren
Subs: Cuthbert, Peaso, Stewart, Moon, Lawrie

Going into the league campaign this season, I doubt there are many Saints fans who would have expected this game to take on such an importance. Accies have been a decent side in recent years, but their outstanding start to the season combined with our, erm, shite one, meant that today's game suddenly took on the sort of significance approaching the last encounter between the sides. With an eleven point gap separating the sides, there was no question that Saints had to find their form rapidly today with nothing less than a win going to keep the wolves from the door (and baying for the manager / players' blood). Quite simply, the excuses were wearing thin and the need to turn draws into wins and start racking up some confidence-boosting points on the table were paramount. Both sides had come through cup-ties this week relatively unscathed with Accies getting the better of Killie in some Diddy cup and Saints playing their all-important quarter-final against Brechin. Unfortunately despite the convincing first forty-five for Saints it was easy to argue that Accies win gave them a better feeling going into today's match - still pride comes before a fall as they say and Saints were looking for a win to ensure the Aggie farewell party went off with a bang - something they achieved in style although it has to be said that we weren't exactly quick off the blocks. But today was the sort of convincing psychological victory that can mark the turning point for a season. Make no mistake, the second-half performance from Saints was as good as anything we saw last season.

Owen had rested some of the injured players from last weekend while Rusty was still deemed to delicate to be risked twice in a week. And he was kept out today with Ando and McManus making up the central defence in a 4-4-2 formation, while of the other absentees both McInnes and Rocco also returned to the starting eleven. Meanwhile the jinx had hit one of the better performers from midweek with David Weatherston missing out thanks to the Curse of Friday Training which saw Saints suffer their 452nd ankle injury of the current campaign. Elsewhere in the side and Mooner dropped to the bench alongside Peaso but Oor Wullie got a start on the right wing as Sheerin went to the left. Up front Jack n the Doc continued their partnership.

Backed by a decent crowd, Saints got off to the worst possible start as Accies poured forward in numbers. McCarthy tried his luck in the first minute with a low drive that went out for a corner. That also ended up in a low shot coming in with Main nowhere and Ando clearing off the line. Two minutes later and the referee (who was about to put on the sort of pish performance to rival Shuggy Dallas) made his first mistake awarding Hamilton a freekick on the left after Gilhaney took a tumble. That was sent into the box and took a deflection off the Doc's head into space where Taylor came in for an angled shot into the net. Not the sort of start we wanted and to be honest nothing less than we deserved as we struggled to get moving or to find men with a pass.

It got worse in the sixth minute when McManus conceded a soft needless foul which ended in another freekick into the box with a free header going over Main's bar. Our first chance didn't come till the eighth minute when Sheerin was fouled. A quickly-taken freekick found him running into the box and his low angled shot went just wide of the goal. We kept up the pressure and two minutes later a Sheerin header to Rocco then released Goran into space on the left and he sent a great cross back in which Deuchar headed brilliantly towards goal only for Halliwell to pull off as good a save - about the only speedy reaction he showed all afternoon as the old timewasting tactics Reid's sides are famous for came to the fore. Defensively we were still looking shaky though and three minutes later Ando chased along ball down the wing only for Main to come out to clear it. Unfortunately the ball went as far as McCarthy who tried a lob from just inside our half - luckily for the absentee Main the ball went wide.

McManus picked up a booking in the 14th minute for a high challenge on Offiong. Then Anderson picked up a warning for a soft challenge in the Accies box as the game began to get more and more scrappy. The referee wasn't helping matters with a tendency to enjoy the sound of his own whistle a bit too much. There was little in the way of real goalmouth action with Saints spending too much time punting the ball forward for Jacko to be outjumped by the likes of McLaughlin. The striker didn't help his chances though with a tumble in the Accies box in the 22nd minute which the referee waived away any claims for a penalty - even if there is contact, the tantrum-throwing that we haven't seen since the days of Keigan needs to stop, especially when he ended up being warned after handbags with McLaughlin in the aftermath. As it was though we weren't creating anything like enough with the final ball far too poor.

Sheerin tried a freekick in the 25th minute but the referee blew for a foul against Deuchar in the box with Wullie picking up a booking for dissent at the same time as the referee began to lose control. Taylor got the first booking for Accies for "simulation" after a challenge with Anderson. It didn't stop the scrappy play and two minutes later they won another freekick when Quinn was adjudged to have fouled Winters. Another ball into the box and another free header from Taylor brought out a good save from Main.

Saints tried to hit back and on the half hour mark, Goran tried his luck from 25 yards out - given he's only scored one long- range effort in his time at Perth it wasn't really a surprise when the ball went over the bar. Offiong got the next warning for some climbing but in general we were pretty poor and didn't deserve anything from our play. Too many balls were wasted and the strikers were being marked out of the game. Our best chance came six minutes before the break with a good flowing move which saw McLaren release Sheerin on the left and he played a one-two with Deuchar before getting to the byeline and sending a cross in for the Doc but his header was inches wide of the goal with the keeper nowhere. Accies finished the half stronger though with a good break from Offiong. McManus slipped up with the challenge but luckily Ando was there to make a great last-ditch tackle Offiong had the final shot of the game with another low drive in injury time which Main held easily enough.

With Aggie's final magic brew inside them it took a couple of minutes for us to warm up with Gilhaney having an early shot over the bar. But two minutes after the restart, a good McLaren run down the right saw him send the ball into the box for Jacko and as he tried to beat his marker he was caught from behind. The referee didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot and the Accies players didn't complain much about the decision. Sheerin stepped up for the spot-kick and blasted the ball past Halliwell to draw level.

Suddenly we began to play the ball on the deck with the midfield actually pressing forward with Rocco outstanding. He had a cracking shot blocked a couple of minutes later. The ball broke to the Doc who headed it down for Wullie but he had his back to goal and couldn't turn to make room for the shot. Hamilton went straight back up the park with Gilhaney going on an excellent run and actually staying on his feet. With no real challenge in his way, he got to the goalline before cutting back but instead of slipping the ball to an unmarked Offiong, Gilhaney went for glory and shot a mile over. Accies kept pressing and forced a 50th minute corner which was more of a worry for us with Anderson picking up an injury although he was able to continue.

We were beginning to dominate play in the middle of the park and a good break in the 56th minute saw Rocco find Jacko but his shot was blocked. Even then Rocco followed up into the six yard box only for an Accies defender to clear the loose ball off the line. A minute later and we won a freekick after Jacko was fouled. Up stepped Rocco and from 25 yards out curled the ball round the wall but just wide of the goal. Next up Wullie forced a corner. From that the ball went deep for McManus who crossed the ball back over where Sheerin came in unmarked for a shot that was cleared. McInnes and Wullie saw decent crosses cleared while Rocco had another long-range effort blocked. With the pressure mounting Accies removed Offiong and Taylor, arguably their most effective front men as Saints kept pressing. Sixty-two minutes gone and a good ball into the box was headed on by Deuchar for Rocco and fired in a cracking volley that was blocked. The ball broke out for the Doc who headed it down and Sheerin forced a corner - this time Ando had a go but his header went over the bar.

It was only a matter of time before we breached their defence though and with 64 minutes on the clock we scored a second with style. An Accies attack was broken up and Saints went on the counterattack with a great run down the wing from Wullie. He tore down the right before laying the ball in for Rocco who immediately passed it inside for a completely unmarked Jacko who was onside. He took his time cutting into the box before a simple cool finish round the keeper ended up with the ball nestling in the bottom corner of the net.

It was now a completely different game as Saints began to press more and more. We were starting to look a bit tired though and Rocco and Deuchar seemed to be carrying knocks. It didn't stop the adrenaline though and McLaren provided Rocco with another good cross in the 66th minute but his header was held. Jacko won a freekick a minute later and from it Rocco sent a low shot wide of goal. Hamilton broke back up the park and substitute Wake managed to beat McManus and get into the box but pulled his shot wide. Jacko almost beat Halliwell to a loose ball while McCarthy went for a run through the middle and sent in a shot from the edge of the box that Main made the most of saving. Hamilton pressed again but again Irvine made another excellent tackle (easily one of our best performers on the afternoon).

The Saints midfield was looking knackered by now but seventeen minutes from time all the aches and pains vanished as we extended our lead. Stanic sent a long crossfield ball over for Wullie on the right wing and he cut inside before trying a shot from 18 yards out. The effort was blocked but with the keeper stranded, the ball broke kindly for Deuchar who recovered quickly to prod the ball home. McLaren had another shot wide in the 75th minute while Accies only reply was a Parrat shot twelve minutes from time that Main easily blocked.

Two minutes later though we sealed the points with a cracking fourth goal. A simple long ball forward was headed on by the Doc for Jacko to chase down and he sent a brilliant lob over Halliwell and into the net to make it 4-1. The closing stages saw Owen bring on the subs with Wullie, Jacko and Rocco replaced by Peaso, Stewart and Mooner. We didn't really create that much in the way of chances with the best effort a great Sheerin run down the left and a cross in which Peaso headed on for the Doc whose header was well saved. Stewart had the final shot of the game and again it was blocked - not that there were many Accies supporters left to see it.

This was easily our best performance of the season in the second-half although the first half was still worrying especially the way in which we seemed shell-shocked as Accies assaulted us in the early stages. But we came good and Saints had plenty of outstanding performers on the day with Jacko scoring a couple of goals of the sort he missed last season. McInnes and Sheerin came into a good game while Wullie, playing in an unfamiliar position was excellent and Rocco brilliant through the middle. But MoM for me was Gary Irvine who didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon and created the sort of play from defence we've been crying out for. Saints will no doubt have picked up a few knocks on the day and certainly there were more than a few limping off the park at full time. But the smiles said it all - the boost to the morale and confidence will be well-deserved.

Now we have to start doing this every week.....

This Match Report is copyright Temple Of Saints - not to be reused without permission. Contact webmaster@grange.demon.co.uk.

Remember to vote on todays ref Eddie Smith - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk or just select a rating and press the button below ::

Saints Index Fixtures Index Grange Index

Any problems / comments mail webmaster@grange.demon.co.uk