Saints
1 Killie 0 League Table HereSaints
1 Killie 0 League Table Here
Team :: Main,McQuillan,Il
Biscotti,Attila,Weir,Kernaghan,McMahon,Kane,Roddy,Georgio,O'Neil
Subs :: McCluskey,O'Halloran,Jenkinson
Well at last after almost 2 months since the last league win things seem to be getting back to normal with Saints running out well-deserved winners over a Killie team whose defence made Hivbees look classy. This was 1-0 going on 5 although the lack of finishing from Georgio and Roddy is bound to worry El Luggino.
Saints took the lead in the first minute when after some good work by McMahon, Dino put a cross over from the right. The entire Killie defence was missing and it was the totally unmarked Del O'Neil who leapt up to head the ball low past Marshalls right. That was the cue for a sustained period of Saints attack when (shock, horror) we actually played some good football. With the weakness of the Killie right-back (who looked totally lost) exposed there was plenty of opportunities for Il Biscotti and Del to run riot on the wing to the extent that for most of the early stages Pat 'Whinger' Nevin spent all his time defending.
Even when Killie got the ball up field the Saints defence looked solid although the intervention of every Saintees favourite ref Dallas (seemingly intent on giving the Ayrshire team a record number of free kicks) meant that there were some worrying moments for the home support.
Having said that this was the first time in ages that the Saints midfield seemed to play like a unit with Attila absolutely immense. The big Austrian looked like he was playing for his jersey and seemed like a man possessed as he pushed forward all the time. Saints had plenty of chances to increase their lead. McMahon and Georgio both came close with Marshall forced into a world-class save just before the break.
Second-half saw Killie push forward a lot more and with Dallas refusing to allow the game to flow (to add to the stupid bookings he gave Attila and Legend) Saints performance fell away to the extent that the last 20 minutes were spent mainly on the defensive. Having said that there was a real look of fatigue amongst the boys (not just Roddy). McMahon faded again (despite making some cracking runs up the right wing) and O'Neill seemed to be struggling after a nasty ankle knock in the first half. The most worrying sight was Georgio who seemed willing to let the game come to him instead of harrassing what everyone could see was a very nervous Killie defence and keeper.
Saints problems continued with Kernaghan forced to go off with a strain after making a high clearance. Still McCluskey took over from him in the middle of defence and looked a much more confident player than a few weeks ago. El Luggino sent Chief on for McMahon and Jenko for Georgio but Saints struggled to maintain their attacks.
As we've all come to expect by now the traditional siege of the home occupied the last 10 minutes with Saints failing to clear their lines. Main, who had had little to do in the game was forced into a couple of excellent saves and we even survived a penalty claim in the last minute (which by Dallas' performance over the match came as a great surprise).
MoM for me was Dino - an excellent overall performance and goes a long way to forgiving some of the half-hearted games earlier in the season. It was also the first time in ages that the Dino cheer took place after the final whistle. Maybe that sums up the change in the team.
Remember to vote on todays ref Shuggy Dallas (Motherwell) - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk