10 Killie players + 1 ex-Saintee Cheat 1 Saints 0 League Table Here
Team ::
Main,McQuillan,Biscotti,Dasovic,Weir,Kernaghan,Scott,O'Neill,Kane,Georgio,Jenko
Subs :: McCluskey,Wright,Roddy
Oh well the honeymoons over again. Talk about the highs and lows of the game. After last weeks win and El Luggino signing on to lead the Crusade for another 4 years hopes were high of consolidating the 4th spot in the league and getting the European trips sorted.
Unfortunately due to a combination of an absent manager (apparently no well thus leaving a tactic-free Saints dugout), a crap pitch, a crap ref and absolutely no luck on the ball along with a bunch of diving gits as opposition (especially a certail Paul 'Brasso-free' Wright) Saints were left back down in 5th thanks to a 25yard volley from Reilly in the 92nd minute.
Playing against a strong wind in the first half meant that it took 20 minutes before Saints even started to look liker a settled team. Before that we had to put up with mishit goal kicks and clearances (courtesy of Main and Father Dougal), a midfield that was all over the place and the traditional lone striker in Georgio who was caught offside so many times that I thought the linesman was going to pull a muscle in his right arm.
Saints were lucky to go in at half-time with the score goalless after Jesus was forced into a couple of amazing point blank saves. At the other end we did little to test Meldrum with Jenko only looking like a pale imitation of last weeks wonder-winger. Personally I thought the heavy pitch didnt help his cause but his total lack of any form of consistency is still worrying. On the other wing Del looked to be struggling with the heavy boggy pitch as well - maybe its a reflection of the uncertainty at the club during the week but to be honest, the Saints side out there today looked well short of fitness.
Second-half started a lot better and with Saints playing with the wind behind them forced a series of corners early on - including one gifted by the incredibly inept Colin Meldrum. Unfortunately we failed to capitalise on these although Kernaghan and Phizzy both came close. The midfield was much improved in the second-half although there were too many times when a hopeful ball was punted up the park only for a Killie defender to easily retrieve it.
Phizzy also managed to pick up the 3rd booking of the game (after Del and Father Dougal had been harshly judged previously) when he headed the ball into the net from Meldrums hands - baldy git-in-the-middle Rowbotham adjudged that Meldrum hadnt been able to release the ball and booked the Saints midfielder.
As the 90 mins approached with Jenko and Del making no impressions on the wings (and with the latter struggling after being murdered by Killie tackles all afternoon) we awaited the Saints substitution. But with the team crying out for a change to ease some of the pressure on the obviously tired midfield the Saints bench held firm.
So with utter predictability the additional pressure Killie put on us meant some panicky clearances and a corner as the clock hit 90 minutes. The ball was cleared only to land at Reillys feet for him to score from about 25 yards out with Jesus having no chance.
Oh well thats fitba - at least we're still in the hunt and lets face it who wouldnt have accepted the defeat today if it meant last weeks win. MoM for me was Dasovic - put in plenty of tackles and looked to be one of the coolest Saints on the park when the rest were rushing about trying to get rid of the ball.
Remember to vote on todays ref John Rowbotham (Kirkcaldy) - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk