Temple Of Saints - Savo's Back!!

Bells League Division One 23/02/2008

Morton 1 Saints 2 League Table Here

Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, McManus, Rutkiewicz, Craig, Rocco, Peaso, Jacko, Savo, Sheerin
Subs: Cuthbert, Weatherston, Moon, James, McBreen

After the highs of last week saw a new mood of confidence in the Saints camp, it was time to hit the road today for the journey through to Cappielow to take on a Morton team that had parted company with manager Jim McInally and seemed to be the latest club in crisis. The home board decided to add some spice to the encounter during the week by appointing Davie "Beaten up by Wullie McLaren" Irons to the hotseat, which was always going to give the Saints fans a few more options for the choral exercises - and also acted as an added incentive to Alan Main after their less than harmonious relationship at Gretna. The pressure was on us though, to capitalise on our victory over the timewasters last week to try and keep some pressure on the leaders. And while our record this season against the Greenock side has been pretty good (including the victory in the Challenge Cup), with a tough match at Dens next weekend, we really needed to keep the winning run going.

The game itself was a tough encounter and as last week we went behind but at least this time the two-goal comeback wasn't long in coming with all the goals before the break. Even then we still had our backs to the wall a bit in the second-half but in the end we won through in a fairly entertaining match overall to ensure that Irons was kept staring relegation at his new club and Messrs McPherson and Millen in the stand had plenty of notes from their spying mission. With that well-known double act Lawrie and Hardie still ruled out and McBreen and the Caff short of match fitness, the problems for Saints were added to as Steven Anderson began his two-match suspension. At least that could be planned for but Gregg Cameron's hamstring injury in training wasn't. Luckily we hadn't picked up two many knocks last weekend from the random acts of thuggery from the Accies defence and the strangulation marks on Jacko's neck had finally faded. That meant Del went with a starting eleven of McManus partnering Rusty with James on the bench. Rocco was preferred in midfield alongside Sheerin and Liam while the subs bench saw a welcome return for Danny McBreen. Saints fans were also spared the opportunity of seeing next season's signing Chris Millar after he was red-carded against Dundee last weekend (beginning his hatred of all things Scumdonian well ahead of his move to Perth) but the home side still had plenty of threat with their players out to impress Voodoo-Doll Irons.

The opening stages were dominated by Saints as we got off to a good start although the referee looked like he was going to have his work cut out with Liam's second-minute run ending in him being up-ended. Rocco's freekick was wasted though as it caught the wind and went straight out. But the home keeper managed to then muck up his clearance and the ball broke for Savo. He got through but the keeper came out to clear again, the ball rebounded off Savo and luckily for the home side went wide of goal. Irvine threatened with a cross next that the defence did well to head clear. Then Sheerin played a lovely through ball for Liam which he crossed into the box for Savo but the striker's first touch let him down and the defence cleared. The best chance of the game so far fell to us in the seventh minute after Irvine was fouled on the right. Sheerin took a deep freekick and found Jacko who in a well-rehearsed move had turned his marker and got to the back post but his shot was held by the goalie.

Morton hit back and after McManus off the pitch receiving treatment for a head knock, the defender managed to mistime a header and the ball broke to the edge of the box for a long-range attempt that was held by Main. The game had been played at a pretty hectic pace but there had been some heavy challenges going in as well and the referee seemed unwilling to take any action even after McGuffie went in heavily on Sheerin with an elbow to the head which left him needing treatment with a drop ball the result. After seemingly controlling much of the play, the traditional Saintees sucker punch jumped up to kick us in the face in the sixteenth minute. Irvine, who had a pretty decent game otherwise, was skinned on the wing and a deep cross into the box found Peter Weatherston unmarked and he sent a looping header over Main and into the net to give them the lead. Voodoo-boy seemed to enjoy it.

More worrying for Saints as well was the way that we lost our shape after the goal - although that wasn't helped by the referee deciding to penalise any challenge going. Rustybitz was the first name in the book for a tackle from behind (Main held the freekick then proceeded to throw the ball out the park) and he was followed in the 20th minute by Rocco for what had to be his first foul of the game. That freekick ended up being half-cleared from the box for a free shot that Main punched clear. That was followed in the 25th minute by another home freekick that Main came out to punch only to miss the ball. A minute later Craig tackled Weatherston who didn't take kindly to it and despite squaring up to the Saints player, it was Liam that got the lecture from the referee.

That seemed to spur him into action and a minute later he set up Jacko to win our first corner. Rocco sent it too deep and when Jacko played it back over Rusty was in the box to go for a spectacular shot that went wide of target. But two minutes later we drew level. Peaso had a good run before being brought down. The ball was played to Irvine who set up Craig for a run in the box. His cutback found Jacko whose shot came back off the post but Savo was there to poke home the rebound to stick the first pin into Voodoo-boy.

Saints kept up the pressure with Craig trying his luck from long-range but his attempt went wide. The midfield in general was pretty poor and there was a real lack of flowing play in the Saints side with the Morton midfield given far too much room and time on the ball. The game seemed to go end-to-end as both sides were guilty of making mistakes. The referee wasn't helping matters though and angered the Saints fans when he failed to penalise Morton when Peaso was kicked from behind in the 38th minute. But we were smiling two minutes later. Goran played the ball forward and found Jacko in the box and he laid the ball back beautifully for Savo and from outside the box, Milne fired in an absolute rocket that the keeper hadn't a hope in hell of stopping as it practically ripped through the net to make it 2-1. We enjoyed that!!!

The rest of the half saw Morton trying to get back into the game but looking lost. Rocco took a knock but was able to carry on enough to contribute to a break from a Morton corner which saw Craig feed Rocco who crossed in for Jacko but his header went wide of goal. Peaso went on a run next but was too selfish and was tackled instead of passing the ball to the unmarked Jacko. Morton had the last chance of the half though with a freekick sent into the box. Main came out to punch it clear, but the ball was played in with Main stranded and it fell to Goran to clear the danger.

After watching the Billy Elliotesque synchronised dancing from the Morton players as they did some strange aerobics at half-time, the second period got off to a decent start for them with Finlayson trying a shot that Main held. But the hectic pace from the first half had died down and the game settled to some niggly fouls such as McGuffie going in on Craig. The freekick saw McManus play a neat chip into the box that was headed clear to Rocco. He spread the ball wide right for Savo but his attempt at the hat trick was held by the keeper at the second attempt. We seemed to have plenty of the ball with several crosses played into the box but little threat up front as both Peaso and Jacko seemed to be off the pace and losing too many challenges.

The best chance of the half came ten minutes in with another good Craig cross in from the left that went to the back post where Peaso headed the ball over only for a defender to put it behind for a corner. That came over and was again headed out to the edge of the box but this time Rocco was waiting and he let rip with a fantastic dipping volley that seemed goalbound all the way but the keeper managed to get over and make an excellent save to tip the ball over the bar. The corner came back in and again was headed out to Rocco but this time his effort went over the bar. Morton had a corner cleared while at the other end Savo released Craig on a break into the box on the left but his angled shot was blocked by the keeper's legs. Another freekick a minute later saw the ball sent wide for the unmarked Irvine who sent it over for Jacko and he played it wide again for the incoming Craig and again the keeper managed to block the shot.

Morton had another break after that (despite Saints missing out on a foul after Peaso was left down clutching his ankle) but Goran was there to mop up the danger once more. The next Morton break allowed them to get through to the edge of the box but Main was out to punch the final ball clear.

Del made the first Saints change with James replacing Rusty (presumably due to Rutkiewicz already residing in the referee's book) and he was almost caught out within a minute of coming on as a cross into the Saints box found him almost climbing over a Ton player - Rocco and Peaso cleared the danger. One thing to notice as well is that when James came on, it seemed that McManus' game went downhill with several bad errors in his play as the game wore on. Peaso went off with twenty minutes remaining as Danny McBreen took his place. Almost immediately his introduction looked to act like a Mensing curse as a Morton freekick into the box found Harding just behind the Saints defence where he headed the ball into the net only for the effort to correctly be ruled out for offside. A minute later another ball forward met the head of Kevin James and he sent a long header forward which Danny ran on to only for the keeper to come out and block. Danny got the break of the ball though and seemed set to score but a lack of sharpness meant he took too long to shoot into the empty net and a defender got over to put in the tackle. Three minutes later and McBreen won a corner that almost led to a third for us as the James effect saw him get an easy header that was cleared off the line.

Saints seemed to be settling as Morton began to run out of ideas. More good play in the 76th minute saw the ball played in the box to McBreen but he couldn't find the room to turn for the shot. A bad McManus back-header ended up costing us a corner and that was missed by James when it came over but a wee bit of panicky play saw Sheerin and Rocco clear the danger, although there was a bit of a concern at the lack of yellow shirts that were left up the park. With nine minutes remaining, Morton almost drew level when a deep ball forward found Russell onside but his first touch failed to control the ball when he only had Main to beat and McManus was there to clear the danger. Main held another couple of efforts (and began to do a Halliwell taking his time over the goal kicks), before our best chance of the half came in the 83rd minute when a long clearance found Danny McBreen in and he tried to lob the onrushing keeper but his effort went just wide of the goal. Del made his last change just after that replacing Rocco with Mooner.

That was time for the last-ditch attacking spell from Morton and they came close in the 85th minute when some pressure wasn't cleared by the defence and broke to the left where an angled drive took a deflection but despite being unsighted Main managed to tip the ball clear. Moon had hardly been on the park and yet he received a soft booking for his first challenge (a bit depressing when you consider what the home defence had been able to get away with all afternoon). The long-range freekick went wide of goal though. Our final chance of the game came a minute from time when Jacko cleverly released Savo down the right but his shot ended up going into the side netting. Cue the last chance from Morton and a final opportunity for the referee to piss off the Saints fans (and stop the "Yellow Army" chants into the bargain). Main held one freekick and then a final Morton corner (which never was) was cleared by the Mooner.

That was it and the players went off the park (with Main making a point of not shaking Voodoo-Boy's hands either - probably thought he was being tapped to help Gr£tna). There's no doubt that this was a tough game for Saints and despite some hairy moments and more than a few mistakes we deserved the win. Savo's goals were excellent and made up for the rest of the strikeforce misfiring. Defensively we looked reasonably with Goran doing his Mr Cool bit and Irvine coming onto a good game despite one mistake. In midfield Rocco looked sharper and could have had a goal while Sheerin played well but my MoM goes to Liam Craig who managed to keep his temper despite the attempts of the home players to wind him up.

Another three points in the bag but next week it really counts.

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 John McKendrick - 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