Saints 3 Raith Rovers 1
Team : Main, Irvine, Stanic, Moon, Rutkiewicz,
McCaffrey, Peaso, Craig, Jackson, Savo, Sheerin
Subs: Cuthbert, McManus, Anderson, Daal, Weatherston
The traditional break from the league campaign as the Scottish Cup 3rd, sorry 4th, Round comes round is usually a welcome one for Saints given that it means we get a break from the rotten form we've shown over the festive period. But despite a pools-winning coupon's worth of draws in recent weeks there have been signs that things are improving on the park with the manager getting his own players in and against Partick last week (the game that Weeble McCall thinks they dominated), we'd managed to keep the ball on the deck for a change and come away with the sort of win which didn't really reflect the domination we had in the second-half. Unfortunately the weather had put paid to the game at the weekend so there was a bit of anti-climax when the game finally got underway tonight, especially when the cup on the Saturday with the so-called big guns in it is a unique occasion each season. But our recent form had been good and despite Raith's form this season, there was no other way to look on this game as little more than a great big banana skin. Going in as favourites rarely does Saints any favours and the draw had again been unkind to us with Saints up against one of the Division Two front-runners with the Fifers having a good season under John McGlynn. And even worse was the knowledge that our previous encounter against the Stark's Park side earlier in the season, had almost seen us come a cropper with the dreaded penalty shootout required to see us progress in the Challenge Cup (still that was an omen given that we landed the silverware). But with a trip to Cove or Dingwall awaiting the winners, and having avoided the big names, the chance to progress to the quarter-finals there was more than pride at stake tonight.
As it was, February 2nd is still booked out for an away trip after what can best be described as a workmanlike win over Raith Rovers. Saints never really seemed to get going tonight and while we might have won by more, there wasn't the feeling that we deserved to win by that scoreline. We weren't exactly poor but lacked a real killer instinct and at times took the game far too casually which almost cost us near the end. But we did deserve the win and while it didn't reach the heights of some of the cup games in recent seasons, we took our goals well and nobody was really a disaster on the park and hopefully we didn't pick up too many injuries despite both centre-halves limping off. Going into the game, Saints didn't have too many injury worries with the new signings providing some much-needed competition for places. But after last weekend's win, the manager resisted the temptation to tinker too much with the side. Andy Lawrie had joined the bodies in the treatment room due to a neck injury with James, Hardie and McCluskey all still missing out as they continue their recovery. For the rest of the side though it was a case of playing through the minor knocks, with the exception of Danny McBreen who missed out through injury while Sheerin and Ando both played despite suffering from the cold. For Raith the extra delay had seen some of their injury problems diminish and Big Marvin was able to start.
The opening stages saw Saints almost at their worst with the long ball making another return to McDiarmid with the predictable effect against the likes of Tod and Marvin in the opposition defence, despite a minor bit of hope in the third minute when Andrews managed to screw up a passback leading to a bit of panic in the Raith defence although the Saints forwards were nowhere near them. Two minutes later and Goran decided to do his own clowning about with a misplaced pass out of defence allowing a cross back into the Saints penalty area which lead to an up'n'under from McCaffrey before Irvine managed to clear the danger. Not exactly awe- inspiring stuff and there was little for the fans to cheer about. Raith won a series of corners after that and again the Saints defence struggled to clear their lines before the Mooner finally hoofed the ball up the park.
Our first shot came in the 9th minute when a Craig miskick was sclaffed back to McCaffrey and he decided to test Renton from inside his own half with a long-range punt that could best be described as "speculative" and easily held by the Raith number one. Rovers' came back up the park and Hislop tried his luck from the edge of the box with a low shot that Main held before another Raith freekick into the box was sent wide of the Saints goal. Our only response to that was a good run by Peaso down the left (where it seems Saints always concentrate their attacks these days) and he cut into the box only to end up on the deck. Referee Finnie decided against a penalty, possibly not helped by some exaggeration from the Saints striker. Sheerin had a weak shot held before Craig was caught napping by Raith's impressive winger Templeton who got into the box before Main managed to collect his cutback. In general though the game was pretty poor with neither side showing the sort of cutting edge to break the deadlock and at times it was very reminiscent of the first Ayr game last season (and just as cold).
We won our first corner in the 16th minute when a Craig freekick was deflected off the wall. It was easily cleared but Saints pressure paid off when Goran released Peaso in the box and his turn and shot went just wide of the goal. Rovers immediately hit back with Irvine's half-clearance finding no white shirts in midfield and allowing Dingwall to get a cutback in from the left that found Weir challenging Main at the near post. The Rovers striker's header was half-parried away by Main but fell back to Hislop who thought he had nothing more than a simple tap-in. But he didn't count on Stanic on the line and although his first block fell back for Hislop, the striker's shot for the rebound was cleared off the line by McCaffrey. Cue a massive sigh of relief in the home support. Followed within a minute by a cheer as Jacko took the ball up the park on the right wing before cutting in behind the defence and slotting home an angled drive to leave Renton helpless and Saints one up.
Saints got a bit of a lift from the goal and a minute later a freekick on the left found Jackson who released Peaso for a cross into the box that Savo almost managed to turn into a spectacular goal but his backheel flick ended up going across the goalmouth. Irvine turned provider next with a run before slipping the ball in for Jacko but his effort went wide of the target. Raith were by no means out of it though and Templeton was given far too much room on the half-hour mark by a slow Saints midfield. He ran up the wing before cutting in along the edge of the box and trying a shot from 20 yards out that went just wide of goal. Up the other end a quickly-taken throw-in found Savo and his cutback reached Mooner only for the shot to be blocked. Jacko turned provider next for Irvine but again the final ball into the box was well cleared.
Stuart McCaffrey had picked up a minor knock after falling heavily early on and he limped off in the 37th minute to be replaced by Alan McManus. And a minute later he was in the thick of it as Marvin's Miracle somehow prevented a Saints second. A foul on Savo led to a freekick floated into the Raith penalty area from the right wing. The ball bounced nicely for Rustybitz but despite getting two shots in both somehow managed to be blocked by Marvin's teammates. With the ball doing a pinball impression Mooner saw an effort stopped and then Savo had a shot before Craig had a go - at least he won a corner. The fun wasn't over though and when the ball came over Rusty had a header and Mooner and McManus both had shots blocked before Mooner sent a final effort over the bar.
We looked like finishing the half better though as we seemed to be warming to the task. Jacko had a run down the left where he left Andrews for dead before cutting back for Craig but Liam couldn't line up his shot properly and sent the ball wide. The half ended with another Jacko run down the left before he played a great ball in for Savo in the box but despite bundling the ball over the line, the assistant had already flagged for offside.
The second-half seemed to hint at Saints reverting to type with a Sheerin corner two minutes after the restart easily one of the worst he's ever taken as the ball limply found a Raith defender. Rovers broke up the park and found the Saints defence sleeping and Peaso caught napping on the ball before we eventually cleared the danger. But within a couple of minutes it was all smiles again with Craig fouled on the left. The freekick from Sheerin was a bit better this time curling into the box where for about the first time tonight a Saints player in the form of Cap'n Rustybitz managed to outjump the Raith Giants defence to head the ball down in the box where Savo was there about seven yards out to hit a cracking half-volley through a sea of legs and into the back of the net.
Rovers began to throw everything at us in an attempt to get back in the game and Peaso picked up the first booking in the 52nd minute after catching a Raith attacker from behind (not helped by the defence going missing again). The freekick was well held by Main and he managed to spot an opening and a quick kick out found Savo running up the left wing. He got behind the defence before squaring the ball to an unmarked Moon who had come through the middle. But the final pass was just too far in front of the midfielder and he couldn't make proper contact with the ball instead only managing to put it just wide of the goal. Moon was in the thick of it ten minutes into the half when he was brought down. The freekick was sent into the box but too deep and McManus only just managed to play it back into the melee where it broke for Moon again but yet again his shot was blocked (guess what was about to become a frequent event for Del's favourite youth player?).
Two minutes later though Jacko won a corner and in what looked like a good training ground move, Sheerin played it low and short into the box for Jacko who was caught from behind as he turned. The referee wasn't exactly overly demonstrative in pointing to the spot (where's Dallas when you need some showmanship) but he gave us the penalty and up stepped Sheerin to make his first real contribution to the game with a well-taken kick that sent the keeper the wrong way and put us three up. The first Raith fans headed for the exit.
Raith's counter was a shot from ex-Saintee Robert Sloan that sailed over the bar but while we hoped to see a confident Saints go on to settle and start to play "proper" fitba, instead we had the misfiring Saints continue to give the ball away. Peaso had a blatant dive for a freekick that was justly cleared but again could easily have seen him pick up a second booking and a red card (think back to Broadwood) and it's something he badly needs to get out of his game. We had a couple of attacks including one 3 vs 3 move but too often the final ball was still found wanting.
Del made his remaining changes in the 65th and 70th minute. Rusty went off after picking up what looked to be a calf strain and trying to run it off to be replaced by Pamela while Peaso went off to allow Davie Weatherston to get a run out (Dyron had to play gooseberry tonight). But despite the fresh legs on the right (and eventually the left), Saints seemed lacklustre in attack and while Craig had come onto a better game, Sheerin had slipped back and seemed to continually be caught on the ball. For all that Raith had little to offer in attack and it was the likes of Craig and Jacko that were creating chances while Savo was a threat through the middle. Wilson picked up the game's 2nd booking for a petulant tantrum and kicking the ball away when a decision went against him but it wasn't a dirty game.
With eleven minutes remaining, Craig managed to win the ball off two Raith players in midfield and went for a run before playing a lovely square ball to the unmarked Moon to his right. With just the keeper to beat, Moon fired in a shot that Renton did well to block. Even then Moon was there for the rebound but only put it over the bar. Almost immediately Raith broke up the park and a Wilson cross was headed behind by Irvine for a corner. That came over was somehow fumbled by Main and while he tried to parry the ball away Weir nicked in at knee-height to bundle the ball home to make it 3-1 and start more than a few nerves fraying in the East Stand.
The closing stages failed to see Raith capitalise on their goal though and it looked like we'd add to our tally. Craig had a decent shot go wide of goal after a good long ball from Savo. Then with three minutes left of normal time, Craig released Weatherston down the left and he sprinted into the box before cutting back to the unmarked (yup him again) Moon in the middle but somehow Kev managed to shoot wide. The final chances fell to Raith but Marvin's tumble in the box fooled no one and their last effort was comfortably held by Main.
No real stars tonight but Jacko gets my MoM for one goal and winning the penalty just edging out Savo, Craig and Mooner. We can and will need to perform a lot better than this though - tonight we looked jaded for long periods of time and lacked the sort of match sharpness that could easily have seen us punished early doors. Still we're through what could have been a nasty game and hopefully set for a good trip up north in February.
Hmmm Raith one round, Ross Co the next - where have I seen these omens before?
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