Match report

Saturday, 12 September 2009
Two points dropped in Paisley

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
St Mirren (1) v Saints (1)
Attendance [4,543]

Left: Danny Grainger squares up to Craig Dargo.

St Mirren’s new ground was looking resplendent in the autumn sunshine as St Johnstone made their first ever trip to the venue.

Paul Sheerin and Steven Milne came into the line-up at the expense of Chris Millar and Kenny Deuchar who were both on the bench and for the first half, Alan Main defended the goal in front of the travelling Perth support.

Some of the games at the old Love Street ground in its latter years were full of excitement and talking points but the opening half hour of this one today was instantly forgettable. The ball spent plenty of time in the air and indeed went over the roof of the stands on two occasions but there was little for the sun-drenched crowd to enthuse over. The only effort on goal in that opening half hour came from Murray Davidson who was slipped in by Collin Samuel but his parting effort was well wide of target.

The same Perth midfielder was involved in a talking point in 25 minutes when he chased a horribly sliced clearance from Hugh Murray and he certainly seemed to be impeded as he went for it but referee Nicholls was having none of it – in truth it might have been a soft one had it been given. As the appeals went unheeded, the quick thinking Graham Gartland wasted no time in trying to end the argument by planting the ball in the net from the edge of the box and his effort was not far away.

If that penalty claim was a bit controversial it was nothing to what followed. St Mirren’s Stephen McGinn went for a ball in the box and was challenged by Dave Mackay – it looked like the Perth defender’s contact was minimal at best but referee Nicholls wasted no time in awarding the kick – Billy Mehmet scored from the spot. Mackay was booked for his protests.

It was a blow to Derek McInnes’s side but they bounced back brilliantly and were level just four minutes later. Danny Grainger made the chance with a trademark long throw and when his effort was cleared to the edge of the box it was met by Jody Morris who fairly rattled it goalwards and the ball flew past Paul Gallacher to draw the Perth Saints level.

We came close on a couple of occasions before the half-time interval – Morais fired an angled drive just wide of goal courtesy of a slight deflection and then Steven Milne was played in by a fantastic Samuel slide-rule pass but he couldn’t bring the ball under control and the chance was gone.

Saints picked up where they left off when the game restarted and Steven Milne should have scored early on. Murray Davidson flicked the ball onto Morais who scampered down the right before sending in a great cross which was met by the Saints striker but he was unable to keep his header from eight yards down and the ball flew over the bar.

Saints had Paul Sheerin and Murray Davidson yellow carded in quick succession for fouls and the veteran midfielder was replaced by Chris Millar soon after.
The game still lacked any great fluency and although both teams were looking to get in front there were too many fouls to allow the match to flow.

Collin Samuel was the fourth Saints man to be booked when he was ill-advised to go in for a challenge moments after picking up a knock and his hesitancy cost him in terms of the clumsy challenge and the yellow card that followed.
Martin Hardie was brought on for Morais in 64 minutes and both sides had half chances – all predominantly from crosses which just failed to find their target or which were inaccurate when the attackers did make a connection.

Saints did have a great chance to go ahead in 71 minutes when Chris Millar set off down the right wing and passed to Samuel whose cross was met by Davidson 12 yards from goal and although he did everything right, Gallacher in the Buddies goal managed to push it onto the bar and the ball was cleared.

Kenny Deuchar was then brought on for the tiring Collin Samuel and within minutes he had brought a save out of Gallacher who pushed his header away for a corner kick.

The game could have gone either way at this stage with each side looking to get the goal but equally aware of the consequences of late errors.

However, it was Saints who came closest as the game went into its final ten minutes. Steven Milne found himself in space down the right and his measured cross was met by the head of Chris Millar who watched as Gallacher somehow blocked his effort and when the ball broke back to the Saints midfielder he watched in agony as his second header crashed off the bar and the ball was cleared.

The game ended as it had been played – with poor quality and a bit niggly. Graham Gartland – playing one of his best games in a Saints jersey - became Perth booking number six in injury time when he brought a St Mirren attack to an abrupt end. It was a ‘good foul’ from the point of view of a stretched Saints defence and although the ball remained in St Mirren’s possession referee Nicholls incurred the barracking of the St Mirren fans for failing to play the advantage.

The referee was on the receiving end from both sets of fans as he brought the game to an anti-climatic end.

Our first point on the road in the SPL but this is a game we really could and should have won. There was not much between the sides in terms of possession but Perth Saints definitely had the best of the goalscoring chances, particularly in the second half and this will be looked on as two points dropped.

Saints: Main, Mackay, Grainger, Morris, McCaffrey, Gartland, Davidson, Sheerin (Millar), Morais (Hardie), Milne, Samuel (Deuchar).
Subs not used: McLean, Irvine, Reynolds, May

St Mirren: Gallacher, Ross, McGinn, Mair, Potter, Murray, Dorman (Robb), Mehmet (Brighton), Thomson, Higdon (Dargo), Barron.
Subs not used: Howard, O’Donnell, Quinn, Faulds,

Referee: Steven Nicholls
Att: 4,543

PHOTOS
Top - Chris Millar holds his head in his hands after passing up two great chances to put Saints ahead
Bottom - Murray Davidson and Stephen Thomson in an aerial battle