Temple Of Saints - Back to Winning Ways

Bells League Division One 12/04/2008

Saints 3 Morton 2 League Table Here

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

Like an apologetic husband with the wilting bunch of flowers after forgetting the wife's birthday, Saints were set to take to the park today full of remorse, guilt and the need to make amends to the faithful fans who, in the last four games have seen us totally and utterly blow our title chances and shatter the hopes and dreams of doing anything in the semi-final next week - and that's if we're "lucky" enough to be drawn against Partick. None of the home fans expected much more as the season dragged to an end. After the shocking display last weekend, which exposed all the cracks and weaknesses in our side, physically, tactically and mentally, it was always going to be a massive job for the management to drag the players out of the doldrums and back up to the standards we'd set ourselves over the last few months. But Del has been emphasising the need to get a decent fully-cocked performance under our belts ahead of the big game and it was a good chance to get the players' confidence boosted ahead of our big game.

This was the penultimate home game of the season and while we had bugger all other than third place to play for, the Cappielow men were still fighting to avoid the play-off slot as Davie "Voodoo Doll" Irons continued his brave attempt to set all sorts of Scottish football records with an audacious effort to get two teams relegated in one season. Still it would pale into comparison with his real desire of managing to shake hands with Alan Main - an event with a similar level of probability to the Olympic torch bearers not needing to carry the spare box of Swan Vestas in Tibet.

The entertainment in the end turned out to be a million times better than last weekend but despite showing in periods what we're capable of, there were long spells where we seemed to be suffering from pre-match hype for next week with the midfield spending a lot of the second-half daydreaming about the cup. There's no doubt in my mind that if we don't up our game further for next weekend, the cup dreams will turn into a nightmare. After a good start and a comfortable half-time lead we managed to tire visibly in the second-half and only the skippers raising of the eyebrows towards the end clinched the win. It was worthwhile to see Irons throwing more tantrums but all the more annoying when we know what Saints, under strength as we were, are capable of.

With the usual injury worries, Del had been forced to shake things up last week after Jody was injured in the warm-up. Rocco had also limped off towards the end of the game so we expected some changes - especially with the manager already going on record as not wanting to risk players ahead of the trip to face Partick next weekend. However the squad had been boosted earlier in the week with the sudden return to action for Daniel "who?" McBreen along with Kevin James and Mad Mental Martin keeping up their match fitness. At least it gave Del some options amongst the outfield players. Kevin Cuthbert's rare appearance in goal proved to be a one-off with Main returning as one of five changes from last weekend. James came in for Rustybitz while Hardie and Weatherston replaced Moon and Rocco and Savo started ahead of Peaso. Danny McBreen came onto the bench. For Morton, soon-to-be Saintee Chris Millar started in midfield to at least give him a chance to familiarise himself with the McDiarmid surface for next season.

The match got under way with a fairly subdued home atmosphere possibly not helped by Saints failing to win any of their last four games. Weatherston had a decent run and cutback in the fourth minute that was cleared. A minute later we managed to win the first of umpteen corners of the afternoon but Craig's ball was cleared. Morton had a freekick go out for a corner at the other end just after that and it was cleared but in the 8th minute they caused more trouble in the box with the ball bouncing about and Ando struggling to clear the lines from within his own area. The game in general was a pretty poor affair and despite how much Morton had to fight for and what was at stake for them, there was a real sense of end-of-season about the whole affair.

Entertainment was at a premium and the Saints players, despite what the manager had said before the game, seemed to be hesitating at some of the challenges with Hardie backing out of a decent 50-50 chance when a great Savo run ended in the striker trying to square the ball to them. Another Saints corner in the 14th minutes was headed well wide by James and a freekick following the referee finally spotting a foul on Jackson was also wasted. Morton should probably have had a penalty in the 18th minute and Saints had a lucky escape after a cross into the box saw Wetherston and Ando clash with the Saints defender apparently indulging in a bit of shirt-tugging. That seemed to fire us up a bit and after twenty minutes we managed to show what we were capable of with a good move on the right ending in a pass to Sheerin but his final ball into the box was held by Robertson.

Three minutes after that and we managed to take the lead. Morton pressed and again we struggled to clear our lines. A bit of arsing about in defence saw us eventually clear and Ando eventually played the ball out and went for a run down the middle of the park with the Morton midfield absent. Ando sprayed the ball out wide right for Weatherston who beat his marker and broke into the box before playing a great cross back across the goal where Jacko rose up at the back post out jumping his markers to head the ball home for a one-nil lead.

That seemed to settle us a bit and suddenly the lads were passing the ball about with some skill. Main had to look sharp to save a Wetherston shot but in the 27th minute a lovely move saw Sheerinho play a series of one- twos on the right channel before cutting in and sending a shot wide. We were smiling a minute after that though after the ball was sent out to the left wing. Craig picked it up and went on a good run before sending a deep cross into the six yard box where he found an unmarked Jacko. One free header later and the ball was back across goal and into the net to double the lead. We almost looked confident and almost got a third goal in the 31st minute when Sheerin played a great ball forward for Weatherston who took the ball to the byeline and cut it back beautifully only for Savo to just fail to make contact.

Ten minutes before the interval and we won another good freekick. A long Main kick out found Jacko but Greacen clobbered him. Sheerin dummied the freekick and Craig took it sending a left-footed curling effort round the wall but just wide of the goal. Morton tried to hit back but James (leading the line well) and Hardie cleared the danger and set up a break for Savo. He played the ball forward for Irvine who played it back to Savo and he set up Craig for a good shot that was blocked in the area. Morton should have pulled one back four minutes from the break after a good cross was headed on for Wetherston. His header beat Main all too easily from about six yards out but somehow Gary had gotten back to head the ball off the line. The final chance fell to us though with Craig winning another freekick. The ball was sent over and although Hardie missed it, Weatherston was in but the keeper got out to hold the ball.

Irons wasn't slow in making changes in a desperate attempt to save his skin with two subs on at the break - that was to prove to have a big impact as the second-half went on. We started the second period well enough with another good deep cross from Craig into the box spilled by the keeper but he managed to recover before Saints could capitalise. Hardie sent a good cross in from the right in the 48th minute that was blocked by a defender but fell for Weatherston and his angled shot went into the side netting. Two minutes after that and the lack of a killer touch from Saints was punished. A Morton corner wasn't cleared properly with a James miskick in the box. The ball bounced about before falling for Wake about 15 yards out and his low shot went past Main and into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

Suddenly we were all over the place. Morton had a freekick next which Main managed to just reach to punch clear and when it came back in it was deflected out for a corner - at least this time the keeper held it. Our best effort came after a good run and pass in for Savo but his long- range curling effort was just over the bar. Savo was on the end of a foul just after that with Saints winning a freekick on the corner of the box. Sheerin took it and in a well-rehearsed training ground move, James ghosted in at the back post completely unmarked but his free header went over the bar when it seemed to be easier to head the ball down into the net. Next up a good move saw Hardie, Weatherston and Savo link up to release the latter in the box but his shot was deflected out for a corner - that was held too easily.

With Davie Irons throwing tantrums worthy of Dick Campbell in the dugout (some folk just can't handle the pressure), Morton hit back with a long- range shot that Irvine blocked in the box. Saints took the play up the park with a freekick finding Goran who had a good run and cross for Craig at the edge of the box but his powerful shot went just wide. Craig won a corner in the 65th minute but it was easily cleared and Morton broke up the park winning a freekick when Irvine put in a tackle in the edge of the box. The freekick came off the wall and Hardie cleared the danger. Saints were still pressing but seemed to be tiring a bit. Craig set up Jacko who played a pass too short when Weatherston broke down the right wing. Craig picked up a booking in the 70th minute after a clash with ned- boy Finlayson which saw both players raise their hands - somehow the referee decided against booking the Morton player.

It got worse a few minutes later as Morton had another good break with Hardie and Weatherston looking lethargic as the ball went past them. It came out for Saintee-wannabee Chris Millar who played a speculative cross into the Saints box. It went deep and with nobody within ten yards of him for some reason Ando raised his hands - earning a booking for him and a penalty for the opposition. Russell stepped up to the spot and didn't make a mistake sending the ball low to Main's right although to his credit the keeper at least guessed the right way. The Greenock fans in the main stand started to enjoy themselves while the cloud of gloom settled over the east stand - five games without a win was pretty much unthinkable.

Del made his first change with Mooner replacing the knackered Weatherston, but we generally looked knackered. Morton kept up the pressure with a good series of shots in the box before Sheerin cleared the danger. At the other end we wasted another freekick with Craig sending the ball into the box and straight at the keeper. Irvine had a good run into the box in the 81st minute and set up Savo but the Saints striker couldn't find the room for a shot and it was cleared. Morton went straight up the park and split our defence wide open before cutting the ball back across the goal where Paartalu failed to get in a shot from the edge of the 6 yard box and Main eventually held the ball.

Savo went off for the last 6 minutes to be replaced by McBreen. Almost immediately we were winning balls in the air up front and from one in the 86th minute the ball was played forward for Moon to Craig who tried a shot that was tipped wide by the keeper. But when the corner was floated in there was the skipper at the near post to lift his eyebrows 2mm and get enough contact on the ball to stick it in the net. Peaso replaced Jacko after that but Morton were down and beat with only a decent turn and shot from Millar to even cause any consternation amongst the home fans. We ended the game by winning another corner from Moon and Peaso in injury time and from it Ando headed the ball down for Peaso to score but the referee decided Ando had been fouling the defender - some days you just can't win.

The performance was much better than last week with a bit more fight in the side. The midfield was poor though and missed Morris and Quinn with Hardie not fully fit and Weatherston unable to outpace his marker on the wing. Defensively we were a lot better with James commanding and MoM for me Gary Irvine outstanding on the right. But Ando was inconsistent and up front the strikers badly suffered from a lack of service although McBreen's header-winning abilities when he came on did help a lot. There's still plenty of work to do for next week but at least the three points will lift the side a bit.

Oh aye and Chris Millar looks a no bad player!!

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