Temple Of Saints - Jacko's Yellow Army

Bells League Division One 19/01/2008

Dunfermline 0 Saints 1 League Table Here

Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, Cameron, Rutkiewicz, Anderson, Peaso, Craig, Jacko, Savo, Sheerin
Subs: Cuthbert, McInnes, McManus, Weatherston, Daal

With the delights of the cup a mere distant memory (at least for the next week or so before we plan our trip north), Saints got back to league business today with a trip to face the other Fifers at East End Park. After two goalless encounters in the league (one only just finishing goalless for us courtesy of Paul Sheerin pulling off the sort of glaring miss that Kevin Moon can only dream of) we had been cheered up by a certain victory in a cup final. But since then the Pars have had a change of manager and under new boss Jim McIntyre have gone on an unbeaten run which has seen them climb back to fourth in the table - nobody was expecting an easy game this afternoon. We haven't won at East End Park since Monaco was just a holiday destination in the minds of Saints fans. But these days the pressure was on both sides and for Saints, the need to keep winning was just as paramount as at any time last season and despite the likes of Biscuits and Des McKeown writing off our title challenge in midweek, we still had the backing of Barbour-hating Billy Leckie as we tried to close the gap on Accies (newly cursed to finish second thanks to signing Mensing) and "Morality" Dundee.

The game though went against tradition, with a thrilling match between two attacking teams, only slightly spoilt with a referee who is still mastering his ABC, never mind the rules of the game. It was the sort of morale- boosting psychological victory that really raises the confidence and morale in the dressing room and while we're not getting carried away, Saints thoroughly deserved their win against a Pars side that threw everything but the kitchen sink against us. Defensively we possibly had our best performance of the season, while Main in goal pulled off some excellent saves. Sure we survived a missed penalty and the woodwork came to the rescue of both sides but the ball managed to stay on the deck for long periods and some of the workrate and fight shown throughout the Saints side was simply excellent.

Saints started with the injury list getting longer following the announcement that Danny McBreen had undergone a cartilage op and will be out till the end of February while Caff had joined him on the sidelines after limping off against Raith Rovers with an Achilles injury, and the impressive Mooner was ruled out with a back injury. James, Hardie and McCluskey were all closer to returning to the fray but this game came too soon for them. The midweek win over Raith had also seen our defence take another knock with Rustybitz having to go off injured.. So into the side in place of Caff came Steven Anderson preferred over Allan McManus whose comments in the papers this morning possibly didn't go down too well. New boy Greg Cameron who joined Saints on loan from Tannadump yesterday came into midfield to start in place of Moon while the bench saw Del make his first appearance in a while to make up the numbers. For the Pars it looked like a nightmare geriatric dressing room with Crawford, Harper and McIntyre on the bench and Hamilton and Burchill starting up front. Oh aye and Sammy the bloody Tammy whose pre-match "entertainment" was even worse than usual - maybe he had a feeling of what was to come for the home side.

From kick-off though, it was the Pars that started the stronger with some early pressure (and interesting simulation from their strikers) causing us some problems with Irvine having to look sharp to clear a first minute cross and a minute later Hamilton tried a lob from the edge of the box which went just wide of Main's goal with the keeper slow to get across to cover. Burchill was next through a minute later with Anderson slow to keep up with him and Main having to come out and clear the danger. Hamilton was up to his usual antics and won a soft freekick in the 8th minute after collapsing under a challenge from Rustybitz. Morrison sent the ball round the wall but Main got down to tip the ball clear. We were generally poor outwith the defence with the strikers unable to get free of their markers and the midfield playing it too tight.

If we thought the start was poor, it almost became a lot worse in the 12th minute when a through ball into the box found Burchill and seeing Irvine come within 5 yards of him, the Pars man hit the deck unfortunately fooling referee Underhill into the bargain. Justice was well and truly done though when the same player went to take the spot kick and totally skyed the ball not even coming close to the target. Even so Saints failed to heed the wake-up call and a couple of minutes later Irvine conceded another freekick when Morrison hit the deck. The freekick again sailed wide of the goal. Saints were barely getting into the Pars penalty area and even when Savo was clobbered by Harris and the freekick was put out for a corner, that was easily cleared.

The first real chance for Saints came on the left side when Saints found Jacko in the box. He managed to turn to lose his marker but with no room to shoot, the ball was laid off for Peaso and his effort went wide of the goal. Liam Craig was having a decent game in midfield alongside Sheerin and they became more and more effective as the half wore on. He linked well with Jacko on the edge of the box in the 21st minute and picked up Jacko's lay- off to send a shot which went over the bar. Three minutes later and Craig picked the ball up in the box and laid it off to Sheerin on the edge. He fired in a cracking low shot that brought out a brilliant save from Paul Gallacher who did well to get down and tip the ball round the corner. While we were getting back into the game the overall play was pretty stop-start with the Pars getting the benefit of a lot of close offside decisions. In fact they were getting the benefit of most decisions with another Hamilton clash with Rustybitz ending in a freekick for the home side on the edge of the box after thirty minutes. The wall did it's job though. A minute later Burchill was through again and outpaced Anderson before trying a lob from the right that found Main in no man's land - luckily the ball went wide of the goal.

But as the half wore on, we began to get more and more into the game. Cameron, who had taken a while to find his feet in midfield started a move down the right to find Jacko who crossed the ball deep into the Pars' box where Peaso headed it down for Cameron but his volley was well held by the keeper. We went better though just before half-time with another good ball down the right channel finding Jacko and he cut inside into the box and in almost a copy of his goal against Raith on Tuesday night, sent a low angled drive past the keeper and into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-0. Made for a nice enjoyable half-time.

The Pars made their first change at the interval with Kevin Harper coming on for Darren Young which possibly explained the delay in the restart as the Saints players were made to stand about for about five minutes before McIntyre's mob had the guts to take the field. Harper had a good start to the second-half causing Goran all sorts of problems on the wing. The half started evenly with the Pars and Saints wasting some balls into the box while the referee did his best for the Fife charities awarding the home side a corner after Hamilton had headered the ball behind - the defence did it's job though with Ando having an excellent game.

Five minutes into the half, Savo had a good run through the middle before laying the ball left for Peaso and he sent a good cutback across the goalmouth which Jacko was just too slow to reach. A minute later Stanic and Peaso linked up well on the left but the latter's shot was deflected out for a corner. Sheerin sent the ball in and it broke for Rustybitz 10 yards out and he went for power ahead of placement only to see his rocket of a shot blocked and the follow-up go over the bar. Rustybitz turned provider next with a through ball for Savo who was free and clear only for the referee to pull the play back for a foul on the Saints defender. Next up Jacko sent the ball left where Craig made a good run into space but instead of going for the cutback he elected to shoot and put the ball wide.

The Pars began to get back into the game and McIntyre came on for Ross in the 57th minute, but Saints were continuing to carve out chances with Peaso seeing another low effort held by Gallacher. Things weren't being helped by the referee and another good break on the hour mark fell victim to more controversy. Craig had sent the ball through but Savo, who was offside, didn't challenge for it leaving it for Jacko only for the ref to rule against Savo. Dunfermline weren't out of it either though and a minute later another cross into the Saints box saw Hamilton get a header in that Main made a brilliant save to tip clear. The corner came in and again Hamilton managed the header but this time the ball came back off the bar for Irvine to clear. A couple of other deep crosses caused the Saints defence some problems and a break by them in the 67th minute was only ended by an excellent Ando tackle in the box.

Saints made their first change in the 69th minute with McManus coming on for Sheerin (who'd been solid in midfield all afternoon). He went to defence as Saints looked to defend their slender lead. The next Pars corner a minute later was well held by Main and he turned defence into attack with a long ball for Savo who set up Jacko. The striker managed to turn but again there was no room for a shot and he had to settle for a corner which was cleared. Three minutes later and another good break was Savo through and clear only for Wilson to bring him down - he earned a booking for his trouble but the referee decided to let the Pars away with a wall only 5 yards from the ball. Needless to say Craig's freekick was deflected out.

With the Pars running out of ideas, McIntyre raided the geriatric ward one more time with Crawford coming on for central defender Harris as they went for broke. Meanwhile for Saints, Rustybitz picked up a nasty knock although he was OK after treatment and McInnes showed no urgency on the bench (although he seemed to enjoy warming up in front of the Saint fans who had been chanting "Yellow Army" for most of the game!). The Pars weren't creating any clearcut chances although in the 78th minute, Wilson managed a break down the right after getting away with fouling Goran but he managed to pull his shot wide. Wilson should arguably have seen red in the 80th minute though.

With Saints starting to relax a bit, Savo released Jacko down the right. In came Wilson for the tackle and if Jackson hadn't leapt out of the way, the two- footed challenge from the defender would more than likely have crippled him. No foul and the corner was held by Gallacher. We created a few chances in the closing stages though. Savo had a good run in the 84th minute and cut back before laying the ball inside for Pamela of all people but his 20-yard effort went just wide of goal. Craig got through on the left a minute after that but again his angled shot was blocked. Peaso was in for the follow up but his shot was well saved by the keeper and he had to settle for a corner. Even then the danger wasn't over with the set piece finding Anderson but his header was tipped onto and over the bar by Gallacher.

The last few minutes saw the Pars put plenty of balls into the box to little effect. Daal came on for Jacko but did little other than concede a foul. By now though the threat had gone out of any Dunfermline attack and although there was the usual nagging doubt, there never seemed to be any real danger to Main's goal. And when the full-time whistle went it was easy to see what the win meant to the Saints players and management team, although the celebrations were tempered somewhat after a clash on the touchline between Dyron and the home side's Murphy which led to the players having to be separated and Daal heading up the tunnel after being pushed there by his manager. Not sure what was said but the referee for a change didn't seem bothered about taking any action.

Today saw a good team performance form Saints so there wasn't really a stand out individual. Sheerin was excellent in midfield and Cameron came onto a better debut. Defensively Main pulled off some good saves while Rusty and my MoM Anderson were both solid. Goran looked back to his best although he still seemed to be struggling to link up with Peaso. Elsewhere in the side and Liam Craig seemed to be everywhere while Savo put in a power of work and Jackson scored one and looks like he has finally started to come out of the shadow of the other players.

In the end then, a wee bit more belief for the rest of the season.....

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