Saints
3 Motherwell 2 League Table HereSaints
3 Motherwell 2 League Table Here
Team :: Main,McQuillan,Il
Biscotti,O'Neil,Weir,Kernaghan,McMahon,O'Halloran,Roddy,Georgio,Jenko
Subs :: McCluskey,Keyring,Andersson
Talk about a roller-coaster of emotion. For a game which Saints dominated to such a large extent, we only just managed to sneak in a winner to keep in with a shout of that UEFA slot. Both Weir and Kernaghan passed fitness tests but Paddy Connolly was left out as El Luggino stuck by the same team that gubbed the Arabs a week ago. And with Saints cutting the admission prices just under 7000 were in the stadium, with Saints fans by far in the majority.
Right from the start it was goalmouth action with Legend forcing Woods into a save in the first minute. However in a desperate attempt to stick to tradition and fuck everything up it was Motherwell who took the lead after 3 minutes. Coyne had the ball in the left and sent a low cross into the Saints box where after some half-hearted amateurish defending by the home side, the ball broke to Martin who sent a low drive past Jesus. No doubts though both Kernaghan and Weir were at fault for not clearing their lines.
Saints fought back though and with McMahon and Jenko having plenty of room to move on the wings (when the 'Well full-backs werent hacking them) Saints put plenty of dangerous balls into the box. They did appear to score when Roddy and Georgio combined to scramble the ball over the line much to the delight of the home support but ref Martin Clark adjudged that Coyle had cleared before the ball crossed the line.
Still their wasn't long to wait for the first sign of the Miracle when only a few minutes later Gerry broke down the right wing. His cross found Legend and the Well keeper. One head flick on and the ball met the bonce of the oncoming Jenko who sent a slow header over the line (although from most of the East stands view the ball seemed set to go wide). I mean a Jenko header ferChristssake !!!!
Well fought back and with the "veterans" in their front line using all their wonderful diving tactics they won a series of free-kicks with Main forced to make a couple of saves. But Saints had the better of the play and managed to miss sitters from about 6 inches out from Georgio and Jenko with the former also bringing out a class save from Woods. Even the Legend had a sitter to miss when a failed Motherwell clearance landed at his feet only for him to shoot wide.
Second-half started well for Saints with Gerry and McQ breaking down the right for the ball to be cut back to Georgios feet. Of course with such a simple chance Saints star striker naturally missed. This was the sign for the Well to get back into the game and they should have scored a second when Main made his usual world-class save from Ross who then managed to miss the sitter of a rebound. Well eventually took the lead when Kernaghan made (and lets be polite here) a 'rash' challenge in the box on Diver Davies. Up stepped Coyne and suddenly we were 2-1 behind and most of the shape going out of the team.
To make matters worse Weir had to be stretchered off on the hour mark after appearing to damage his Achilles - a word of praise (NOT) for the speed and efficiency that the stretcher was brought on as well !! On came McCluskey and straight away both him and Kernaghan started cocking up square balls with Main having to look sharp to clear a loose passback.
Still justice was done when Jenko took a corner on the 70 minute mark. The ball went to the back post to Georgio who headed it back over for McCluskey to scramble over the line. Saints started to fight back with Georgio coming close a couple of times (one shot just going over after some excellent ball skills in the box). Keyring was brought on for Gerry McMahon who had faded in the second-half and had to be stretchered off following an awkward fall in the box. He almost got a goal when McQ cut back a ball across the box only for the shot to be cleared off the line.
Just as we all started to give up Miracleman Jenko struck. With 2 minutes to go Jesus punted a long clearance up for Jenko to pick up and send a low soft shot past Woods from 15 yards. Cue massive (and I mean massive) celebrations in the home support. Motherwell pressed for the last few minutes but to no avail. And lets face it any result other than a Saints win would have been daylight robbery. Every player on the park gave 100% for the jersey (even if in the case of Kernaghan and Weir they obviously weren't 100% fit).
MoM for me though was O'Halloran - the guy must have covered every blade of grass and always seemed to be there to support any attack. As for Well - the amount of use of the elbow that they escaped with was amazing - at various times Il Biscotti, Del, Gerry and Legend were decked by flailing arms. Special praise for Delboy as well - given the amount of stick and hacks he endured it was amazing that he never retaliated.
So it goes to the last game and I have to say that if the boys play as well as today a result from Parkhead is not impossible.
Remember to vote on todays ref Martin Clark (Edinburgh) - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk