Temple Of Saints - Saints Clown About

Bells League Division One 08/12/2007

Saints 2 Morton 2 League Table Here

Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, Rusty, McManus, Anderson, McInnes, Quinn, Milne, Peaso, Sheerin
Subs: Cuthbert, Lawrie, Stewart, Weatherston, Jackson

The first home match of the new McInnes era and another chance to see if we could regain some form - or at least carry on against Morton the way we finished the game at Firhill seven days ago. This was always going to be a tough encounter although in the two Cappielow meetings so far this season we'd managed to snatch a win and a draw. But nothing less than three points was going to do today, especially with Saints heading for Hamilton next week and desperate to close the gap on the leaders before the festive spirit took over.

As it was the fans that braved the cold and wet were served up some of the worst individual performances and tactics since the days of Connolly. We got a point but should have taken all three but for a goalkeeping error and an own goal which came too late for entry into last week's comedy awards. Those of a nervous disposition may want to stop reading now. Suffice to say that for all the pre-match talk about playing the ball to feet and starting well, Saints managed to spend half the time wit the ball in orbit obviously forgetting that Deuchar has returned south. Added to that a goalkeeper that seemed to be playing in slow motion and three randomly positioned central defenders (a wee word for Rutkiewicz as well - try practicing kicking the ball instead of doing the x-factor stuff and you might not make such an arse of yourself) and you have a Saints side that again contained too many passengers. Although one of those managed an early bath in mysterious circumstances after referee Brown put on the sort of dismal public performance usually associated with his political namesake. Morton rarely threatened (in football terms - the thuggery was another matter), but yet again we failed abysmally to capitalise on things. We don't deserve to challenge for bottom never mind a title.

With Martin Hardie missing after his groin had been sorted and Kenny Deuchar returning to while away December sticking pins into his Davie Irons doll, we at least had the good news that Alan McManus was once more fit for action, while Goran was over his flu bug and Gary Irvine had recovered from the assault he endured towards the end of the Battle of Firhill. The manager had again been talking up the fringe players this week - McCluskey was out due to a broken toe, but Davie Weatherston and even Dyron Daal had been getting the positive psychological treatment. So there were plenty of candidates to pick from to try and get a morale- boosting win ahead of the big trip to Hamilton next Saturday. After lining up with three strikers last weekend, Del opted to go for a 3-5-2 formation with Peaso and Savo (note to rest of the team, neither of these players are seven feet tall). At the back was Pamela on the left, McManus through the middle and Rusty on the right - about to live up to his nickname with style - as skipper as well. The gaffer started in midfield while Stewart was called up to the bench.

Straight from the kick-off in dismal wet conditions, Saints went for the early fuck-up. A Main kickout to Goran in the third minute found him being closed down (such was the way our experienced keeper reads the game). Goran squared to Ando who decided to pass it back to Main. All fine and dandy, if a tad negative. And it might even have worked if he hadn't over hit the ball, had looked to see where Main was (clue - it wasn't in his goal) and/or Main had more pace than a lethargic crippled snail. It seemed to take an eternity before the ball skidded over the line. The voting for most embarrassing moment of the season can stop now. Still there was a slight hope that we'd get back on track with silky play. And for a few minutes that looked like the case.

A 5th Minute Irvine cross was headed down by Peaso. McInnes volleyed in the shot but it came off a defender for a corner duly wasted by Sheerin. A minute later Anderson managed to kick the ball in the right direction with a cross headed down again by Peaso for Savo but his drive went over the bar. But it was soon time for more comedy from the clowns in defence. McManus tried the dodgy passback routine as we demonstrated a complete lack of any form of distribution skill, well unless you count giving the ball to a yellow shirt. "When in doubt hoof it" might have been the motto and by Christ there were plenty of doubts on display.

It made us appreciate all the more the contribution of Rocco in midfield. He linked well first with Savo to get a cross in (no takers) and then in the tenth minute with Peaso who in turn provided a nice lay-off for Savo only for his shot to be held - gave us a glimpse of what's possible when the ball stays on the deck though. Despite the obvious nerves in defence, the next decent chance also fell to Saints with Peaso winning a freekick at the corner flag. Sheerin's ball was headed out as far as Del whose powerful low shot seemed to cannon off several limbs in the crowded penalty area before rebounding to Rocco. His angled effort was just as strong but failed to benefit from a kind deflection and went wide. For the most part though the main worry (hah!) was at the other end of the pitch.

Defensively we were a total mess. The wingbacks couldn't get back to cover enough and the back three looked like they were wearing the wrong boots. Peaso at least gave us some entertainment. A decent freekick from the edge of the box after 20 minutes brought out a good save from McGurn and a minute later he went all Cruyff at the corner flag brilliantly skinning two defenders before putting over an excellent cross for Savo but the latter's glancing header was well held. Morton had a couple of freekicks as they got back into the game and the second after 26 minutes was pathetically half-cleared by Saints to Greacen at the edge of the area but the Greenock defender's shot thankfully went to Main. Not that it relieved the pressure much as the usual routine was Main rolling the ball out to McManus who took a decade to ponder his next move before realising there's a mob of yellow shirts approaching and panicking into a punt up the park - Sexy Samba football it was not.

And the midfield can't escape criticism either - ten times out of ten if they got the ball it was squared back. The chapter on "Running at a defender" had obviously been on loan to Cappielow this week as it seemed that Russell had mastered the technique when faced with Rustybitz. Now I like the current Saints skipper but today was arguably his worst display in the sacred colours - and it was going to get worse. The game hadn't been overly physical despite the treacherous conditions but Greacen decided to change that in the 38th minute with a despicable lunge from behind on Savo. Unfortunately he was only given a warning and that possibly contributed to the increase in confrontations throughout the second period. As it was, the freekick was again wasted and the half got worse for Saints with more shambolic defending in the 42nd minute. McManus tried to pass the ball to Rusty who proceeded to get caught napping allowing Russell to break up the left wing. He cut in and hit a low shot that beat Main easily but went inches wide.

McInnes wasn't slow in changing things round after the team were booed off. Surprisingly though he sacrificed himself in favour of Andy Jackson. He also reshuffled the defence with Anderson through the middle and McManus on the left. Morton meanwhile had decided to up the ante and within a minute of the restart Finlayson (an extremely loathsome cheat) went in heavily on Savo. We pressed heavily and a long ball finally found Savo five minutes into the half but his shot went out for a corner. That was headed clear only as far as Rocco but his shot went wide. Another long ball four minutes later had more luck however, with the Saints striker felled needlessly in the box. In a rare burst of common sense the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Sheerin the penalty king to do the honours and although the keeper guessed right, the Wizard's shot was too strong and the ball rocketed into the roof of the net to maintain his amazing spot-kick record this season - not so much cheers as a bloody great sigh of relief all round.

Morton immediately pressed back and within a minute were claiming for a penalty of their own but having to settle for a corner instead. Mind you, Saints weren't exactly concentrating when it was taken and a header was only held by Main on the second attempt. Shields picked up Morton's first booking in the 56th minute for throwing the ball away and it cost his side dear. The freekick was sent into the box where it was headed clear to Sheerin who headed it back in where it fell for Savo who squeezed a low curler round the keeper and in off the post to give us a 2-1 lead. The cheers were genuine this time marking Savo's return as much as the goal - we even felt a twinge of optimism that we might have 3 points.

Stupid idea really - I mean for a few minutes we looked ok. Jacko was fouled and the freekick was stuck away via a head only for the referee to rule against Ando for climbing. Then on the hour mark Rusty and McAlistair of Morton clashed - nothing in it really but there was an over-reaction from both players and a bit of handbags so it was yellow card time. The freekick was panicky enough with Main missing the ball totally and McManus clearing at the post. But two minutes later and the referee pulls up Rusty again. Showing his musical appreciation, and despite Irvine complaining vociferously, he pointed to several areas of the park then showed the Saints skipper a 2nd yellow and a red. So we're down to 10 men and the referee has turned incompetent. Still at least we were winning.

With Saints down in defence Morton removed Shields from play and put on Fridge-sized Chris Templeman up front. Saints to their credit kept the play at the other end with a corner in the 63rd minute which should have led to a 3rd goal. It was played out and back and Savo found himself in the box. He was unable to control the ball and instead of shooting squared it to Jacko on the right but the young striker's shot was a weak one and held when it seemed simpler to score. Saints made their second change with Andy Lawrie coming on to go to right back as Peaso made way. It meant Irvine could move to a more central role. Unfortunately after a good run by Jacko was broken up, Irvine became the next name in the book after Finlayson blatantly dived when the Saints right-back went near him. Worthy of Rivaldo at his worst.

Saints kept trying to slow the game down with Rocco, Jacko and Savo doing a heap of good work up front winning a few corners most of which ended in a Pamela header being held by the keeper. For their part Morton put on ex-Saint McAnespie in the 72nd minute as they chased an equaliser. But it was Saints that created the chances - Ando had a header go over the bar and Rocco had a couple of good shots from distance - one held easily and the second going just over the bar. So despite being down to ten men, we weren't too bad (though still nervy at the back every time Templeman did his pseudo-Kevin James impression).

But our defence wasn't finished yet. Nine minutes remaining and a simple deep ball floated in from the left saw Weatherston (the ugly one as opposed to ours) rise up pretty much unchallenged to send a looping header goalbound. Our keeper - well he was in that well-known area as No mans land, off his line and left flailing (again) as the ball floated over him into the net. Not one for the scrapbook that.

The closing minutes were frantic as the game was wide open. Stewart was brought on for Savo (probably to save Savo from another kicking) and there was more controversy two minutes from time when Finlayson reacted to losing the ball to Sheerin with a fist thrown. More handbags and more inept refereeing with both players booked when the Morton man should probably have seen red. Sheerin got his own back blocking the resulting freekick though. And he got the final shot in as well getting on the end of a Stanic through ball to curve a shot wide of goal. So where do we go from here?

Despite the 2nd half fightback and surrender, too many players are not pulling their weight in the team. I'm not sure about the reasons for Rusty's red card but he should have known better than to react for the initial booking. Defensively we were a shambles - Stanic doesn't have the pace now to cover a wing back role and in the middle Sheerin again looked lost. McManus and Anderson were both poor and as much as I know I'll be slagged off for thinking this, I really feel Main should be dropped - he's costing us goals, his distribution is woeful and there seems to be no communication between him and his defence. For plus points, Rocco again looked classy and Jacko had a good shift as did Peaso. But MoM for me goes to Savo. One good goal and could have had another couple but ran his arse off despite it being kicked all over the park.

Any more of the crap we saw on the park today though and McInnes' honeymoon will soon be over.

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