Temple Of Saints - Saints battle for point

Bells League Division One 22/09/2007

Morton 2 Saints 2 League Table Here

Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, Pamela, McManus, Rutkiewicz, Quinn, McInnes, Deuchar, Jackson, Sheerin
Subs: Cuthbert, Weatherston, Moon, Stewart, Oor Wullie

After the shambles off the park in midweek, it was time to get back to the reality of preventing one on the park today as we headed through for the salubrious surroundings of Cappielow to take on high-flying Morton (well at least until they played Livvy last week). Of course Saints were also on a high after we actually managed to win a league game against Jobbie McCall's Moaning Luvvies. Despite this being the first league encounter between the sides in yonks, there was also the hurt of the extra-time defeat to Morton in last season's Challenge Cup which was still fresh in the mind of the Saints fans who made their way West, with the added bonus that this afternoon's encounter would hopefully give us an idea what to expect should the lights stay on long enough for us to beat Brechin next week. As it turned out, it's going to be a tough game to predict next week after an even game today with plenty of chances and entertainment for both sets of supporters although yet again a bit more dig in the centre of midfield and if we'd taken our chances then we'd have left with all three points. Having said that, our recent visits to Cappielow haven't been that rewarding and given both sides form going into this one, a point will more than do.

With no midweek action, it had been a chance for some of the injury problems to clear up but the question was whether or not Owen would tinker with his winning side from last weekend. Derek McInnes, despite being the unjust target of the boo-boys last weekend (I didn't want him starting but he didn't deserve the treatment he got) was set to start against his old side, while Rustybitz got out to play as well given it was a weekend. Other than that we still had more than a few worries from midweek with Peaso and Hardie missing out and Rocco rocked by injury, while Main and Dyron "Please boss not Cowdenbeath" Daal had also been no well. But as usual, almost everyone recovered and we fielded an unchanged side from the one that beat Partick with the changes on the bench seeing Mooner and Oor Wullie called into the squad. For the home side one familiar face was missing with Keyring out with a calf injury but Morton's early season form showed they had plenty of strength in depth in their squad with Gardyne in their lineup, who we all remembered from County last year while Chris Templeman and Iain Russell made up their front pairing.

Saints started with their 3-5-2 formation on a playing surface which was in almost perfect condition in good conditions for a game of football - well if you're on the park that is. For those of us in the stand (why wasn't the seating behind the goal open?) it was more a case of avoiding DVTs in conditions that battery hens wouldn't tolerate - mind you with the amount of bird crap in evidence perhaps there are some feathered friends that will put up with it. As for the game itself, it started fairly quietly for both sides with Saints up to their usual tricks of punting the ball forward at every opportunity with it spending little or no time on the deck. Morton got the first chance though after McManus conceded a freekick out wide. The ball came over but the shot was well over and wide of Main's goal. McManus was guilty a couple of minutes later of a slack passback in the box to Main but the goalie was alert enough to clear the danger.

It wasn't until the tenth minute that Saints showed any sign of the sort of form we showed last season with a great passing move linking the midfield out to Goran who got forward and sent in a good cross - unfortunately the keeper came out to gather in front of the Doc. A minute later and the action was back at the other end with Morton given too much room as they pressed to break into the box before a low shot was half- palmed clear by Main with McManus clearing the danger before any follow-up arrived. The game was being played at a cracking pace with some heavy but fair challenges going in although that was little comfort for either dugout as the bodies were left all over the park.

There wasn't much for Saints to cheer about with our best chance in the 14th minute coming from a freekick that the Doc headed down into a penalty box with no Saints follow-up. Then a minute later, Saints failed to clear their lines properly and another ball came in from the right and somehow seemed to go through about half a dozen Saints players where it was missed, sclaffed and ignored before coming to the back post where Russell was there to sneak in like a wee neddy burglar and poke the ball home.

Saints hit back straight away with a good ball in for Deuchar who headed the ball down in the six yard box for Jacko. The ball bounced awkwardly for him but he still managed a decent shot that was deflected out for a corner. From that Sheerinho sent a good cross over but Pamela's header went over the bar. We managed to draw level though in the 21st minute with a good move. Some solid Saints pressure found the Morton defence to half-clear the ball only as far as Derek McInnes. He slipped a great pass through the defence where Irvine ran onto it from the right and cut the ball back beautifully for Jacko in front of goal and he had an easy finish for his first league goal of the campaign to draw us level - needless to say he enjoyed the congratulations of the rest of the team after the goal.

The game began to open up a bit more and Saints were starting to enjoy some good spells of pressure. Unfortunately we couldn't turn that into anything like a clearcut chance. Morton had a good few chances of their own but the Three Amigos in the Saints defence were doing a fine job of mopping up the loose balls. A decent Morton cross was headed behind for a corner in the 26th minute. That was easily cleared and Rocco won the ball on the edge of the box before tearing up the park. Only Jacko was in front of him but Quinn elected to keep running rather than play an early ball and in the end he went for glory with an attempt similar to last week's goal against Partick but with only about ten per cent of the power behind it.

Morton were forced into their first change on the half-hour mark when their no 6 went off on a stretcher after coming off worst in a challenge. A minute later and a good Sheerin freekick was headed on for Jacko but his shot saw Robinson get down well to save. Two minutes after that the home side were forced to make their second change as Gardyne was carried off (wonderfully speedy response from the first aiders) with what looked like an ankle injury. The game began to get scrappy and while it wasn't dirty there were some niggly challenges developing and it was to the ref's credit that he tried to keep his cards in his pocket as long as possible. In terms of action there wasn't too much to be optimistic about despite all the possession we had. McInnes tried his luck with a long- range shot that was well over the bar.

Russell had a collapse in the middle of the park but recovered before McManus picked up the first booking of the game in the 45th minute for persistent fouling. Stevenson sent the freekick in but just wide of goal. Saints had the final chances of the half with Deuchar losing out to the keeper for a Sheerin cross and then Stanic sending in a neat chip that the Doc headed wide of goal.

The second period was only a minute old when Russell picked up the second booking of the game for a foul on Goran. Saints pressed and two minutes later a good throw-in was only half-cleared by the defence before Goran had a decent shot deflected out for a corner. From that Rusty had a header blocked and then McInnes' follow-up was over the bar. We were doing fine but only seemed to threaten from a set-piece with little creativity coming from the midfield as Sheerin was having a torrid time of it. Eight minutes into the half, Morton broke up the park with their move ending in a blatant dive by Russell but for some reason the referee refused to dish out a card. It didn't stop him doing it a couple of minutes later when Rusty went in and won the ball from the same player with the Saints player going into the book.

Jay Shiels had a decent long-range attempt go over the bar but in the 58th minute, more Saints pressure paid off at last. Jacko saw a decent cross cleared. The ball was played back into the box and in went Jacko to pounce on the loose ball only for two defenders to impede his progress. That was enough for the referee to point to the spot and Sheerinho to redeem himself with a good low finish which sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-1.

Rocco went off a couple of minutes later after a good shift, but suffering from his midweek injury. He was replaced by the Mooner who moved to the centre of midfield. And in the 63rd minute he saw us lose the lead once more as Templeman went down very easily 25 yards out after Anderson won the ball. Saints seemed to take ages to organise the defence in the box with little shouting from Main. Stevenson stepped up to take the freekick and sent a cracking drive straight into the top corner leaving Main with little change, although there looked to be a hint of a deflection off Sheerin as the ball flew in. Saints were trying to slow the game down as Morton came forward searching for a third goal. And in the 67th minute they almost got it after the Saints defence failed to clear their lines properly and a shot came in from the edge of the box which Main got down to get his fingertips to. The ball seemed to take an age to stop before Rusty got back to cover. Even then we conceded the corner and again Main was posted missing when the ball came over.

With 21 minutes remaining McInnes went off injured with Weatherston coming on to replace him - and at least the cheers this week sounded more genuine. Saints kept the pressure up and Moon was linking well with the front men and a minute after the change both he and Irvine (who had come onto an excellent game as we pressed forward) saw decent shots blocked. A minute after that it was Morton's turn with a corner that Ando only half-cleared with Main nowhere and Sheerin eventually hoofing the ball off the line at the far post. Morton's next chance almost led to a goal with Sheerin's half-clearance falling to the feet of the impressive Stevenson. His shot was a great one that Main got in to punch the drive clear. Even then Templeman was able to follow up with a low drive but the Saints keeper got down to save well. Weatherston had the first of several good runs in the 77th minute as Saints used his pace to good effect. He linked well with Irvine who sent a good ball through for Deuchar in the box but the Doc ran the ball out.

Five minutes later and the Doc was involved again with a clash of heads with Morton left-back Alex Walker which left both players down needing treatment. The hard-headed Doc was soon up but Walker seemed to be unconscious and again the stretcher bearers were called on the park though thankfully the player seemed to have regained consciousness before he went off. Saints took the opportunity to make their final change as well with Goran making way for Oor Wullie to take over duties on the left flank.

Within a minute of the change he sent a ball forward towards the home box which the keeper came out to try and header clear. Out of his area, the ball fell for Jacko and he rounded the goalie but rather than just shoot and try and beat the defender on the line, he elected to go for a walk towards goal and in the end lost possession - he had a great game but just missed out on having a legendary one.

The closing stages saw both teams go for broke. Davey Weatherston had another good run who beat three men before his good cutback was cleared. Ando picked up a booking for a late needless foul. The freekick was played into the box for Russell but despite having plenty of room his shot went over the bar. Another late Russell dive out left ended in a final chance for the home side but their freekick was headed wide although more worrying, the Saints goalie again failed to collect the cross.

We can be happy enough with a point against one of the league's better sides and it was good to see the Saints players all showing a bit more movement and entertainment to their play. Jacko is easily MoM for a striking performance which never saw him stop running for the whole ninety minutes but the whole defence did well also. Despite the improvement in midfield, we again missed out on any real creativity with Rocco under par and Sheerin again looking slow on the ball. Again it was the introduction of Weatherston which again sparked the attacks but plenty of credit too for Mooner who played some great balls when he started in the middle of the park.

And while a point was a fair result if you look at it objectively, it's games like this where title winners take the three points and runners-up look back at the points dropped.

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