Scottish
League Cup Final - 29/11/98
Scottish
League Cup Final - 29/11/98
Rangers 2 Saints 1
Team ::
Main,McQuillan,Bollan,Dods,Kernaghan,Dasovic,O'Neil,Scott,
Kane,Georgio,Simao
Subs :: Lowndes,Roddy,Il Biscotti
Gubbed. Humped. Slaughtered. Massacred. Well as much as I hate to disappoint the hordes of Wegie unwashed and their media cohorts (esp. Messrs Baillie and 'Nobody will speak to me' Keevins), but none of the above applied to the 1998 League Cup Final. We came, we saw, we were bloody unlucky. In fact if this had been a league game I'd be bloody disappointed at not getting at least a draw.
With Georgio passed fit, he took over from Legend up front with big Roddy joining Nat King Goals and Il Biscotti on the bench so there was the usual defensive tactics there. From the start we ran at the Spawn of Satan (or 'blue foreigners' if your name is Gerry McNee). 3 minutes gone and Eusebio broke down the right and sent a beautiful cross over at knee-level. Unfortunately Kane didn't connect with it properly and sent it just wide.
Of course that was then the cue for Saints to suffer a wee setback. The Spawn sent a long ball up the right wing to Andrei the BreadQueuer who despite being a mile offside was allowed to continue a run into the box. Bollan and Main tried to cover but the Commie git cut back to Guivarch who sent a volley past Dods into the net. Massed cries of despair from the 11,000 Saintees (and it was nice to see that sea of blue and white behind the goal) and the media hordes got their 7-0 headlines ready once more.
Unfortunately
they don't know what St. Sandys Crusaders are made of. Saints pushed back
up and got a corner. Kane sent a long ball over for Father Dougal to knock
back. The ball eventually broke to the edge of the box towards the
Italian-Dutch midfielder. Just as he's about to get the ball in comes
Dasovic, takes it away, has one touch and sends a cracking 20-yard volley
into the net. We went crazy at that point - and the game was less than 10
minutes old.
For a period after that Saints had a fair bit of possession. On the wing Eusebio had a cracking game with Porragini resorting to fouling all the time whilst Scumdee Hendry and Craporuso in the Spawn defence were plain crap with Georgio fouled constantly. In midfield Dasovic was putting in dangerous tackles all over the place whilst Kane and Del closed people down at every opportunity. Defence was it's usual resilient self although there was a period in the first half when tempers got short. The only weak point in the side was Phizzy - his lack of tackles and inability to control and run with the ball stood out.
It was Phizzy who had Saints other good chance of the first half when he got the ball in midfield and ran through the middle. Unfortunately his shot was pathetic and easily gathered. The only other incident of note was a booking for Dasovic for nothing (while Dallas was happy to see Hendry and Craporuso hack from behind). With 5 minutes left the Spawn made it 2-1 when a poor clearance found the Hun Hun on the edge of the box who sent a low drive through a ruck of player past Main.
Second-half saw Saints going for broke with again getting plenty of possession but struggling to make any inroads. Georgio, who had one of his best games in a Saints jersey made one great run down the wing only to be hauled back by Barry Fergushype, not that the south side linesman noticed (given that he missed the offside for the opening goal. Kane came close and Dods had a shot go narrowly wide but there was little to show for our efforts.
St. Sandy put on all the subs for Eusebio, Del and Georgio (though how
the hell Phizzy stayed on the park I'll never know). Legend got stuck in
nicely and Nat at least looked hungry but legs were tired. As Saints tired
in the last 15 minutes the Spawn put more pressure on us and it was only
due to a world-class save from Main from Andrei BreadQueuer and blocks
from Dods and Kernaghan that prevented the Spawn getting a third. They
also had a claim for a penalty (obviously not realising that they only get
these in the last 5 minutes of a game).
The last couple of minutes saw Saints get a couple of corners but to no avail leaving the media to resort back to the patronising stuff about plucky Saints etc that we are so used to, as they get their tongues safely back up the collective Ibrox arse.
Me?
Even when the final whistle went and the Spawn support started reciting
their bigotry, I have never been so proud to be a Saintee. MoM for
me was Dasovic and Georgio (with the former picking up the official MoM
award). However, the whole team and support were magnificent - it would be
nice to see that every week.
Next Time we'll get a trophy!!!
Remember to vote on todays ref - Hugh Dallas (Bonkle) send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk
