Match report

Saturday, 01 May 2010
Saints bounce back to grab first points from Killie

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Kilmarnock (1) v Saints (2)
Attendance [4,679]

Above: Kenny Deuchar (left) heads home to make it 1-1

The tension in the home stands may have been palpable but Saints players and fans were able to approach this match against Kilmarnock with a degree of
comfort thanks to their exertions earlier in the campaign.

That’s not to say that there was nothing to play for: with each SPL league placing worth a reputed £80,000 Derek McInnes would like to see his summer transfer kitty boosted from any source and then there was the no small matter of Killie having won all three previous meetings between the sides this season.

The opening 35 minutes were not a thing of beauty that’s for sure but there is little doubt that the best of the pressure came from the home side, particularly early on.

That said, their dominance of possession didn’t count for much in terms of creating scoring opportunities and with the team trainers on the pitch three times in the opening quarter of an hour it made for an untidy spectacle.
Graeme Smith was not untroubled though and Gary Hay was just inches away from getting a head to the ball when well placed.

Also untidy was a few of the early challenges but they were just that – untidy rather than malicious and the double booking handed out to Michael Duberry and Frazer Wright was for the players squaring up to each other after the Killie man had needlessly clattered into Graeme Smith just after the Saints keeper had safely grasped a corner kick.

For Saints, any opportunities were of the half-chance variety and were sent wide of target but the there was a clearer-cut opening in 31 minutes when Simon Ford was sloppy with a headed back pass to his keeper and Kenny Deuchar nicked in but sent his header wide of goal.

If either of the sides deserved a goal it was the home side and it duly arrived in 38 minutes. A corner kick from the right was only half cleared and when the ball was played back into the box Kevin Kyle headed it on and Frazer Wright headed powerfully home to the delight of the home fans.

Derek McInnes has said how pleased he has been this season with the way his players have bounced back from losing a goal and they duly, if unexpectedly, obliged again with a goal just seven minutes after Kilie had edged ahead.
It was a lovely move – certainly the best Saints had produced and arguably the best from either side in a poor first half – and like the Killie goal it was a headed affair.

Collin Samuel was involved in the build up, making space for himself on the right and he played the ball to Murray Davidson who was lurking just outside the penalty area. Spurred on by shouts from team mates that a Killie player was approaching from behind, Murray curled a delicious cross with pace into the six yard box and the inrushing Kenny Deuchar stooped to head home from four yards.

After such a tepid opening half hour those two goals could even have been followed by a third before the break but Killie’s Tim Clancy headed wide when well positioned.

It had certainly been the home side’s half in terms of having the ball but chances at either end had been thin on the ground.

The opening half hour of the second half was no more of a spectacle than the first half had been but Saints were certainly much more like the thing and from the kick off posed more of a threat.

Six minutes after the restart Saints had a good shout for a penalty kick when Liam Craig appeared to be clipped as he attempted to get on the end of a Jody Morris ball into the box but referee Iain Brines was not convinced. The official could easily have booked Danny Grainger moments earlier after the defender lunged into a challenge.

Goal scoring opportunities were still at a premium – Dave MacKay came closest for Saints at the end of a neat move but his parting effort was blocked as Killie grew increasingly anxious and Saints will wish that someone had followed in on home keeper Bell when he went to stop a Liam Craig effort. The effort was tame but Bell spilled it but escaped without further punishment.

Jimmy Calderwood’s side went straight up the other end and home fans were understandably aggrieved when a goal kick was awarded after Graeme Smith had erred on the side of caution by pushing a Kyle shot wide of goal.

The home side brought on Conor Sammon to pep up their attack but with 15 minutes remaining it was the Perth men who struck.

Chris Millar played the ball into the box from the right and although Murray Davidson wasn’t able to get the cleanest of touches on it, the midfielder stuck to his task and managed to prod the ball through to Collin Samuel and the Saints striker took just one touch before firing it past Cammy Bell – the Killie keeper might have got a touch.

The home side grew increasingly frustrated and created only a couple of chances in the 15 minutes that remained – Liam Kelly had the best of them but his direct shot from 15 yards was straight at Graeme Smith who stopped and then smothered the ball.

Conor Sammon had a chance but pulled the ball wide of the far post.
News that St Mirren had levelled the game at Falkirk fired up the home fans but their side were not able to create further chances with the Saints defence soaking up what came their way.

Another game in which Saints had to come from behind but after a tepid opening thirty minutes the performance was much improved.

Solid defensively - Duberry was a stand out - creative in midfield as the game went on and it was good to see the strikers getting the goals.

SAINTS:Smith, MacKay, Grainger, Rutkiewicz (Gartland), Duberry, Morris, Millar, Davidson, Craig, Deuchar, Samuel.
Subs not used: Duffy, Anderson, Falkingham, Sheridan, Jackson, Milne.

Kilmarnock: Bell, Clancy, Hay, Wright, Ford, Bryson, Kyle, Owens (Sammon), Kelly, Hamill, Maguire. Subs not used: Combe, Fowler, Invincible, Skelton, Old, Burchill

referee: Iain Brines

PHOTOS
Top - Jody Morris battles for the ball
Bottom - Collin Samuel fires home the winner