Temple Of Saints - Saints go 3rd !!

Scottish Premier League - 17/10/98

Gloriously Rampant Saintees 5 Well 0 League Table Here

Team :: Main,McQuillan,Bollan,Dods,Kernaghan,Dasovic,O'Neil,Preston, Kane,Georgio,Simao
Subs :: Lowndes,Legend,McMahon,Griffin,Ferguson

After an enforced 2 weeks absence from the delights of the Premier product whilst we all watched Callum Davison turn into the classy international player we knew he'd become at Saintees, it was time to return to the real reason for getting up on a Saturday. Visitors this time were Motherwell with a new manager and a Saints side still smarting from an unlucky defeat at Fir Park at the start of the season.

Things have changed though and with St Sandy at the helm the boys have rediscovered the delights of attacking football. Right from the start Saints were well in control of the game with Georgio and new cult hero San Miguel forming a good partnership up front. It wasn't all plain sailing in the first half though with the Saints midfield in particular looking rusty - Kane struggled to find any form and Dasovic was running round like a headless chicken most of the time.

Motherwell almost took the lead against the run of play after 10 minutes when some lazy defending from Dods saw Teuchter Adams get into the box only for Main to pull of a save worthy of the Scotland no 4 slot (copyright Chic the Pric). Having said that Main was casual with a lot of his play in the match including clearances and throws to defenders under pressure.

Still Saints were in control. We had a series of corners which showed just how good Woods in the Well goal was at the cross ball but failed to capitalise with Dods and Simao both coming close along with the more traditional misses from Georgio. Add to that Kanos volleys over the bar and a shot that hit the bar and a Dods header that was cleared off the line and it was plain that Saints were overdue the opening goal.

It came after 40 minutes when Kane sent Georgio free on the right to cut into the box and let loose a rocket past Woods for his first League goal of the season.

Saints were still casual at the start of the second-half but the game was effectively over as a contest after 50 minutes when Miguel broke down the right and cut the ball back to the edge of the box for Father Dougal to send a left foot volley into the top corner of the net. Georgio almost made it 3 a few minutes later when Miguel squared the ball from the left but Woods saved. Still we hadnt long to wait and in an almost identical move Georgio squared the ball for the unmarked Miguel after 62 minutes for him to send a low side-footed shot into the net. He was replaced not long after by McMahon after the Portuguese had the wind knocked out of him by a Well thugh. Nat King Goals came on just after for Del who to be frank had been fairly ineffective all day.

With 3-0 looking like a flattering scoreling for Motherwell and Saints needing to keep their tradition of appearing in the Sportscene Goal of the Month competition, Georgio made it 4-0 with 5 minutes to go. A through ball to him and he spotted Woods off his line and from all of 40 yards send a lob into the net. Sheer class and it was good to see some confident play from him at last. He was unlucky not to get his hat-trick as Saints kept up the pressure towards the end and Woods pulled off 2 excellent saves from Georgio shots. Still the pressure paid off with a couple of minutes to go when Dods headed home an Il Biscotti corner to complete the rout.

Overall it was a mixed performance but at least it shows that the current Saints squad have the attacking skills and flair to bang in the goals when needed. And we did it all without the Legend. No bookngs for Saints players and MoM for me was easily Miguel. Or as one wit put it yesterday - 'Leigh who?'

Remember to vote on todays ref John Rowbotham (Kirkcaldy) - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk

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