Match report

Sunday, 11 April 2010
Saints gain Pittodrie revenge

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Aberdeen (1) v Saints (3)
Attendance [7,568]

Left: Kenny Deuchar celebrates the equalising goal.

Manager Derek McInnes was understandably talking up the importance of the remainder of the season ahead of this second visit of the campaign to Pittodrie but it was difficult to escape the feeling of anti-climax that pervaded this lunchtime kick-off, Hearts’ win less than 24 hours earlier having ensured there would be no top six place for the Saints.

It was known that left back Danny Grainger would miss out through suspension but his full-back colleague on the other side of the park, Dave MacKay, was also conspicuous by his absence – a calf injury meaning he missed.

Into the side came Gary Irvine and Murray Davidson with Liam Craig filling the gap left by Grainger.

Saints were shooting towards the old ‘Beach End’ in the first half and for the opening ten minutes that was certainly the direction of most of the traffic as we looked to get off to a flier.

They may well have made an early breakthrough but Filipe Morais’ delivery from a corner kick and a free kick in quick succession was poor.

Saints played by far the better football in the opening quarter of an hour and they carved out a clear cut opportunity in the 12th minute when Morais broke from the centre circle and pushed the ball wide to Chris Millar. When the midfielder’s cross came in, an unmarked Kenny Deuchar flashed a header goalwards but it was wide of Jamie Langfield’s right hand post.

That early pressure made the shock of going a goal behind in 17 minutes all the harder to take. Saints were caught out down the Aberdeen left as Steven McLean fed Marshall and he found Darren Mackie to his right who, in acres of space, accepted the pass and drove it low into the net.

It was a blow for Saints and certainly against the run of play but as they have done so often this season Saints bounced back quickly and in style and they netted the equaliser just four minutes after the home side’s goal.

Admittedly, the goal came in part due to Aberdeen keeper Jamie Langfield’s error of judgement and only he will know what possessed him to come miles from his goal to try and grasp a Liam Craig free kick from the right. He got nowhere near the ball and when Kenny Deuchar got his head to the ball some 15 yards out he was able to simply head it into the unguarded goal.

That pleased the Perth support tucked away in that far corner and they were on their feet again just another four minutes later as their side took the lead.
A much neater goal this: Filipe Morais’ cross again wasn’t the best but Zander Diamond took the difficult option of stooping low to head it away and he got it only as far as Jody Morris who, with a deft pass, played the ball into the path of Cillian Sheridan and the loan Celt fired it low past Langfield to make it 2-1.

Saints could have made it 3-1 in 36 minutes with the best move of the half but Murray Davidson’s header was just inches wide of Langfield’s right hand post with the keeper beaten – this after good work by Liam Craig on the left and a great cross from Morais.

Saints played with confidence while the home side looked fragile but it was by no means all one-way traffic and Graeme Smith was called to push the ball around his near post when McLean got his head to an Ifill cross from the right.
The only other talking points of a quite entertaining first half was bookings for Aberdeen’s Davide Grassi and Saints’ Michael Duberry - both dreadfully soft.

The opening quarter of an hour of the second half was a messy affair during which Aberdeen enjoyed most of the possession although Saints had the best chance came from free play. It came after a Dons free kick rattled into the Perth defensive wall and in a flash the ball was with Morais who scampered the full length of the park down the left wing, supported only by Sheridan, and it was just a pity that the Celtic man didn’t make a more meaningful angled run.

It left the Portugese winger with little to aim for and in the event he crossed it low and tamely into the path of Langfield.

There was a real let-off for us in 57 minutes when Steven Anderson was penalised for a handball on the edge of the penalty box. He looked mightily close to being inside the area when the offence took place but referee Calum Murray awarded a free kick which the home side wasted.

Saints needed a goal at this stage and they got one in 65 minutes when Cillian Sheridan pounced again to make it 3-1. The home defence again looked vulnerable to a ball into the box – this time it was a free kick from Liam Craig and with Langfield toiling to get it, Deuchar headed it on and Sheridan allowed it to bounce once before burying it from 6 yards.

That proved to be the end of the goal action and although the home side enjoyed a good deal of possession, particularly as they made changes in personnel they created little to trouble Graeme Smith.

Saints defended very well indeed and not just the back four. There were late bookings for Cillian Sheridan and Liam Craig but overall this was another assured, confident performance from a side who showed no signs of disappointment at their failure to make the top six.

SAINTS: Smith, Irvine, Anderson, Duberry, Davidson, Millar, Craig, Morris, Morais (Samuel), Deuchar (Jackson), Sheridan (Sheerin)
Subs not used: Main, Rutkiewicz, Gartland, Swankie

ABERDEEN: Langfield, Mulgrew (Fyvie), Foster, Diamond, Ifil, Grassi, Marshall, Kerr, MacLean (Young), Mackie, Paton (Grimmer)
Subs not used: Nelson, Duff, Jack, Robertson

Referee: Calum Murray

Att: 7,568

PHOTOS
Cillian Sheridan pounces to make it 3-1 and then hails his second goal.