Match report

Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Saints stun Rangers

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Saints (4) v Rangers (1)
Attendance [6,189]

Above: Cillian Sheridan gets in ahead of Danny Wilson to send a stunning shot across goal and into the net to maike it 1-0.

Perth seemed to miss the worst of the return of the winter weather which returned to many part of Scotland today and that meant that the rearranged game against Rangers got the nod.

Steven Anderson overcame his hamstring strain and started so the defence which finished at Hamilton started the game against the Ibrox side.

Kenny Deuchar was fit and partnered Cillian Sheridan up front with Murray Davidson dropping to the bench.

If Saturday’s game at Hamilton was a dull, incident-free zone for almost its entire duration then the same couldn’t be said of tonight’s encounter which set off a fast pace and produced three goals in just over a quarter of an hour.
Saints began well and Filipe Morais fired in a couple of long-range efforts in the opening moments without troubling Allan McGregor but the former Saints keeper was powerless to stop us taking a 7th minute lead.

What a goal it was too from Cillian Sheridan who watched a long ball up the left wing from Danny Grainger float over his head, and with Danny Wilson at his heels he let it bounce once before hitting a magnificent angled drive across goal and into the net off the inside of the far post. A memorable goal.

If Saints fans enjoyed that one then they were even happier just five minutes later when Saints stunned the visitors by doubling their lead. Chris Millar was the scorer aided, it must be said, with a hefty deflection off David Weir but it was worth the try from 25 yards and he got the bit of luck that left McGregor flat-footed.

Of course, Rangers are too good a side to be deflated by that sort of reversal of fortune and they came back strongly and applied a lot of pressure to the Perth defence and it paid off in 16 minutes. Saints defended resolutely but were never able to get the ball clear and it was finally slipped through to Sasa Papac and he produced a crisp angled finish to reduce the deficit.

That goal was followed by an extended period of pressure from the visitors but Saints defended well and were by no means out of it as an attacking force – a great Dave Mackay cross had no takers and Liam Craig tried his luck from distance on a couple of occasions.

In 33 minutes Cillian Sheridan came close to scoring his second when played in by Chris Millar but under pressure from Davis his parting effort ripped into the side netting.

However, just two minutes later Saints fans WERE celebrating again as their side made it 3-1. Sheridan was involved again as he burst forward and although he was forced wide and lost possession, Chris Millar picked up the loose ball and swung it into the box where Liam Craig was on hand to head it goalwards – it seemed to take a touch off McCulloch on the way past a stranded McGregor.

That gave Saints a two goal cushion to take into the second half but rangers showed their intent by making a double substitution at the break – Kyle Lafferty and Maurice Edu being introduced to the fray.

Rangers set about trying to reduce the leeway but they were up against a Perth side who were clearly expecting the onslaught and defended accordingly. Every player in the side player their part at this point – a real case of defending from the front when required.

However, it was by no means one way traffic and Filipe Morais had a great chance to help us get another just after the hour mark when he was one of three players who broke against two Rangers defenders but with Sheridan to his left and Deuchar to his right he hesitated too long and when he did finally try to find The Doc, the played it behind him and the chance was gone.

Almost immediately, Rangers were up the other end and Davis fired in a low cross which was just too strong for Edu and the same player later fired in a free kick which fell at the back post and keeper Graeme Smith was forced to boot it clear.

The 74th minutes brought the visitors’ best chance of the second half and we can only wonder what the outcome may have been had Edu not fired his effort just the wrong side of Smith’s right hand post when very well placed.
In 76 minutes Murray Davidson was brought on for Morais and just three minutes later he put the game beyond Rangers’ reach with a real poachers goal.

A Danny Grainger free kick was swung into the box and headed clear to Michael Duberry just outside the penalty area. The hugely impressive defender nodded the ball back into the box over the heads of everyone and Murray was the only one to react, nicking in to prod it past the oncoming Allan McGregor.

That was the cue for a celebrations in the Saints areas of the ground as they started to soak up the win.

A great night for the team who thoroughly deserved their win. We defended well when required and every man worked tirelessly throughout. Add to that four clinical finishes and you have a night to remember!


SAINTS: Smith, Anderson, Grainger, Mackay, Duberry, Morris, Millar (Irvine), Craig, Deuchar, Sheridan (Samuel), Morais (Davidson).
Subs not used: Main, Sheerin, Swankie, Reynolds,

RANGERS: McGregor, Weir, Papac, McCulloch, Davis, Thomson (Edu), Boyd (Lafferty), Naismith, Whittaker, Miller, Wilson (Novo).
Subs not used: Alexander, Smith, Little, Fleck

Att: 6,189

PHOTOS
Top - Chris Millar strikes to make it 2-0
Bottom - Liam Craig celebrates his goals which made it 3-1

FOOTNOTE; Liam Craig's goal was subsequently taken from him and given as an own goal by the SPL 'Dubious Goals Panel'