Partick Fissel 0 Saints 1
Team :
Ferguson,McCluskey,McCulloch,Weir,Malcolm,Whiteford,Lauchlan,
Pope,Nathan,Georgio,Keyring
Subs : Robertson,Smith
I suppose we should be reasonably happy that we won a friendly match at the fifth time of asking this season, but to be honest although the performance was better than yesterday, the opposition wasn't of the same quality. Even worse, yet again it was several of the more experienced members of the squad found wanting.
With most of the first team in the stand St. Sandy went for a 4-3-3 formation with Georgio, the Bomber and Keyring in attack. 'Rab C.' Lauchlan made a return after yesterday's injury scare sporting a fetching bandage round the heid. In defence Weir and Stuart Malcolm formed the centre pairing with McCluskey and McCulloch at right and left back. Midfield saw Whiteford and Pope roam the centre whilst Rab C. was on the right wing (although when he swapped sides in the second half he was a lot more effective on the left).
Saints pressed from the start and both teams played a fast game. Both Malcolm and McCulloch looked excellent prospects in defence - why is it we can produce great centre halves but still can't come up with a 6ft striker? In midfield Pope looked more settled in the middle of the park. Up front though we still had problems. Georgio isn't 100% fit yet and suffered a nasty injury scare midway through the first half. As for Nathan he was slow to reach anything today and looks to be suffering from a dose of Phizzyitus (ie no confidence).
Our best chance in the first half fell to Keyring who beat the Fissel offside trap but lobbed the ball over the bar with only the keeper to beat. At the other end the Maryhill Moaners had a few chances go wide although Ferguson looked comfortable in goal.
We took the lead on the stroke of half-time when a Pope free kick from wide on the right met the head of Cap'n Courageous at the far post. With everyone thinking his looping header had gone over there was a weird few seconds silence before we realised it had gone in. So another Saints goal and another non-forward scorer - some things never change.
Second-half saw Fissel come more and more into the game although both Lauchlan and Pope were making good runs. McCulloch and Keyring also teamed up well on the left. The ineffective Lowndes was replaced by youngster Darryn Smith up front and he had a couple of chances. It was at the Saints end that most of the keeper work was being done. Dolph had two or three good saves proving that any future loss of Alan 'come and get me Judas' Main won't threaten the safety of the Saints goal. In defence as well Malcolm had a cracking game (and my MoM). Our only weak link was McCluskey who seemed more and more uncomfortable at right-back as the game went on.
So another 3rd place finish. I know we shouldn't read too much into the pre-season stuff but I am starting to get worried by the lack of goalscoring by the strikers - when was the last time any of them got the ball in the net?