Match report

Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Another draw in Paisley

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
St Mirren (1) v Saints (1)
Attendance [3,009]

Left: Dave Mackay (hidden) lashes home the opening goal.

With cup exploits over for another season, Derek McInnes and his troops turned their attention back to the most important task of the season – retention of our hard-fought SPL status and for the second trip of the season to St Mirren’s trim new stadium he made three changes from the side which was eliminated from the Scottish Cup by Dundee United in Perth last weekend.

Steven Anderson was recalled to the starting line-up at the expense of Gary Irvine – Dave Mackay moving back into his more accustomed right back role after a sterling job over eight games at centre half, Liam Craig replaced Murray Davidson in midfield and with Kenny Deuchar’s back injury getting the better of him, Peter MacDonald started up front.

Following his 60 minute run out in the closed door game at Cappielow on Monday Collin Samuel was deemed fit enough for a place on the bench.

The opening spell of the game was notable only for the decision of referee Mike Tumility to book Saints central defender Michael Duberry after only five minutes. No question that the big defender fouled O’Donnell but the punishment seemed harsh for a first foul so early in the match.

As is frequently the case when the Saints of Scotland meet, both sides had a good go at each other but although play ran from end to end, there was precious little in the way of goalmouth action to warm the crowd on a cold night.

Both keepers dealt comfortably with the few balls which did head in their direction and again it was a yellow card which next raised the temperature – Billy Mehmet could have few complaints about the booking for a rash foul on Steven Anderson.

After a sterile opening thirty minutes the game finally burst into life around the half-hour mark and in the fifteen minutes which followed Saints could have scored three times. In the event, they had to settle for one and it came in 33 minutes.

Steven Milne and Filipe Morais combined well down the left hand side and when the ball was played inside to Liam Craig the midfielder tried his luck and Gallagher was happy to push it up and over his goal at the expense of a corner kick. When Craig’s corner kick came in, it was met by the head of Michael Duberry and when the ball fell to Steven Milne, Savo did well to get an overhead kick away. Jack Ross was able to clear it but when it fell to Dave Mackay 12 yards from goal, the defender wasted no time in rattling in his first ever goal for the club.

Boosted by this goal, Saints went looking to extend their lead and could have done so twice before the break: Peter MacDonald watched in despair as his flashing header from a Liam Craig cross was grabbed at full-stretch by Gallagher and then Steven Milne was left holding his head in his hands when he headed a Morais cross off the face of the bar.

Saints would have been expecting their hosts to lift their performance up a level after the break and they were not to be disappointed. The Buddies looked to get back on level terms quickly but for the opening fifteen minutes Perth Saints soaked up the pressure well and indeed Mackay might have grabbed an unlikely second goal but his header from a Liam Craig cross flashed across goal.

Both sides made changes around the hour mark but the home side’s introduction of Craig Dargo and Graeme Carey was more effective on proceedings that the introduction of Murray Davidson for Liam Craig.

St Mirren's best chance of the game came in 64 minutes and only Andy Dorman will know how he managed to fire wide of the goal from a great position.

You sensed an equaliser was coming and although Graeme Smith pulled off a great save to deny Dargo in 68 minutes he was powerless to prevent a goal three minutes later when Michael Higdon and Dave Mackay both went for a Carey free kick from the left and although the St Mirren player was quick to accept the congratulations when the ball flew wide of Smith and into the goal it later transpired that it was the Saints defender who had got the touch and had thereby completed the feat of scoring at both ends.

The home side pressed hard for the next ten minutes and looked likely to get another goal but a Perth defence – superbly marshalled by Michael Duberry – was resolute and kept Smith comparatively well protected.

With sub Murray Davidson making an impact, the introduction of Paul Sheerin brought a bit of composure to the proceedings and indeed was the catalyst for a better spell of play that could have seen us snatch a winner ourselves – Peter MacDonald unable to reach a Sheridan header and Jody Morris close to turning the ball home in injury time.

A good point for Saints who had chances in both halves to get goals that would have brought a win but who also had to defend well during the home side’s good spell midway through the second half.

SAINTS: Smith, MacKay, Grainger, Duberry, Anderson, Millar, Morris, Craig (Davidson), Morais (Sheerin), Milne (Sheridan), MacDonald.
Subs not used: McLean, Irvine, Connolly, Samuel

ST MIRREN: Gallagher, Ross, Mair, Potter, Murray, Dorman, Mehmet, Higdon, O’Donnell (Dargo), Barron (Carey), Innes.
Subs not used: Howard, Brady, Johnson, Loy, Ramsay

Referee: Mike Tumilty
Att: 3,009

PHOTOS:
Top-Peter MacDonald tries an overhead kick
Bottom - Substitute Murray Davidson battles for the ball