Match report

Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Draw the right result

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Saints (1) v Falkirk (1)
Attendance [3,107]

ABOVE- Filipe Morais blasts home the equalising goal

Saints made four changes to the line-up for tonight’s important game against Falkirk – out go Paul Sheerin, Kenny Deuchar, Steven Milne and Gavin Swankie and in come Filipe Morais, Cillian Sheridan, Liam Craig and Jody Morris.

On the bench there is a surprise inclusion with Collin Samuel deemed to enough to be stripped for action.

It was a quiet atmosphere as the game kicked off in front of a crowd of just over 3,000 and that was reflected in the opening period of play.

Derek McInnes has often talked of his side’s need to approach each game in a cup tie manner but urgency was certainly missing in the opening half hour of play from the home side who struggled to get into any sort of rhythm against a Falkirk side who looked more sprightly from the off.

As early as the 6th minute Graeme Smith was called into action beating away a Ryan Flynn shot after the Falkirk man had got on the end of long, curling ball out of defence which caught the Perth rearguard flat-footed.

Available again striker Cillian Sheridan should have got Saints ahead in the 13th minute when he got his head to a great Filipe Morais cross but he got the connection all wrong and headed it over when it looked easier to score.

That, however, was a rare attack and it was the SPL side’s bottom side who did all the early running and they had strong appeals for a penalty turned away by referee Euan Norris after Moutinho was upended in the box. The Falkirk players and fans were even less happy moments later when the referee inexplicably pulled play up to award them a foul when giant striker Enoch Showumni was through on goal – it wasn’t difficult to see why they were annoyed.

However, frowns turned to smiles for the visitors in 19 minutes when they took the lead. Graeme Smith booted a passback upfield but it wasn’t the best of kicks and Burton O’Brien pounced on the ball five yards inside the Saints half and quickly slipped it through to Ryan Flynn who had just Smith to beat and did so with some style.

It was no more than Falkirk deserved at that stage against an out-of-sorts Perth side.

Saints tried to get on level terms quickly but Liam Craig’s 25 yard free kick was rising from the moment it left his foot and it travelled at pace over the bar.

Despite a spell of Saints pressure, Falkirk still looked the more likely side and Jody Morris had to provide a vital interception to prevent Scott Arfield from being clean through on goal.

However, out of the blue in 36 minutes, Saints produced their best bit of football and it resulted in the equaliser.

35 yards from goal Filipe Morais was a wee bit fortunate that he kept possession of the ball when it took an awkward bounce but he accepted the chance and drove forward towards the edge of the box. A neat exchange of passes with Murray Davidson followed and Filipe drove the return ball hard past Olejnik and into the goal from 12 yards. A great goal.

The remaining time to the half-time was a fairly even affair although the visitors looked slightly the more likely.

The second half was a forgettable affair although to be fair to Saints they were much more like the thing after the break and enjoyed better possession and chances.

Michael Duberry – later booked for dissent - came close to opening his scoring account when he met a Morais free kick at the back post but his effort was just wide while at the other end the visitors’ Enoch Showumni had a couple of headed efforts both of which went over the bar.

Gavin Swankie and Collin Samuel were introduced to pep things up a bit but neither could find a way through an organized Bairns defence.

Arguably the best chance of the second half fell to the visitors and it took a great double save from Graeme Smith to keep them out – first diving to stop a Showumni header and then recovering quickly to block the shot which followed from the loose ball.

Not the best of performances from a stretched Saints side but a point suits us more than it does Falkirk. The visitors were very much worth their draw and although they had the better of the first half, we were much more like the thing after the break.


SAINTS: Smith, Irvine, Grainger, Duberry, Mackay, Millar, Davidson (Swankie), Morris, Craig, Sheridan (Samuel), Morais (Reynolds).
Subs: Main, Connolly, Gartland, Sheerin

FALKIRK: Olejnik, Barr, Scobbie, Mclean, Twaddle, O’Brien, Arfield, Flynn, Moutinho (Finnigan), Stewart (Lynch), Showumni.
Subs: Wagenaar, Bloom, Duffie, Compton, Davidson

Att: 3,107

PHOTOS
Top - Darren Sheridan and Falkirk's Tam Scobbie
Bottom - Michael Duberry and Enoch Showumni in one of many aerial battles they had in the game