Match report

Saturday, 06 December 2008
No lack of endeavour but two points go astray

IRN-BRU Scottish Football League First Division
Saints (0) v Queen of the South (0)
Attendance [3, 068]

Above: Jody Morris feels the force of Stephen Simmons' challenge.

For the first home game in a month Saints made three changes to the starting line-up: Stuart McCaffrey, Martin Hardie and Collin Samuel being recalled. Kevin James, Kevin Moon and Steven Anderson were the players dropped – the latter two onto the bench.

Saints were shooting towards the specially opened Ormond Stand in the first half but it was Queens who showed first and Stewart Kean flashed an effort across the face of goal from an O’Connor pass.

Saints strived to find an early rhythm but it was even possession-wise in the opening quarter of hour with Saints having a couple of chances – Chris Millar and Derek Holmes just failed to get on the end of a Liam Craig cross and then when a Steven Milne miskick fell to Derek Holmes the big striker fired his effort wide of the post.

Paul Burns was booked for a crude challenge on Martin Hardie at the East Stand touchline as Saints looked to make the breakthrough
Queens, as ever, were proving troublesome in attack and were arguably the more threatening of the two sides and at the half hour stage it’s fair to say that none of the Saints fans in any of the three stands were having much to cheer on a cold afternoon.

Saints enjoyed an increasing amount of possession as the half entered its final third but Queens defended in depth and with quality and indeed had a great chance of their own seven minutes before the interval after they won a corner kick. When the ball came in from the right, Alan Main didn’t get his punch in ahead of O’Connor whose goalward header was headed wide by Stewart Kean.

Saints had a chance in 42 minutes when the ball was played into the box and Derek Holmes laid it off to Steven Milne but his parting effort was blocked by Andy Aitken and away for a corner kick.

Half-time came with little to cheer about for the home fans.

Saints came as close as they had done all afternoon in the 61st minute when, after a patient build up, the ball broke to Steven Milne who curled an effort goalwards but with some Saints fans on their feet ready to acclaim the goal, the ball slipped wide of the post with Queens keeper Bell beaten.

Andy Aitken was booked for a cynical foul on Collin Samuel after the Saints man had sped past him but from the resultant free kick, Liam Craig’s delivery was poor – something of a familiar story with the Saints attacking efforts during the game.

The 67th minute brought another great Saints chance when keeper Bell spilled an Irvine cross but when Chris Millar pounced on the loose ball 13 yards from goal, he saw his effort deflected wide for a corner kick.
With 20 minutes remaining Peter MacDonald replaced Derek Holmes as Saints tried to find the breakthrough and Steven Milne headed just over from a Collin Samuel flick on. At the other end Stephen Simmons sent a towering header wide of Alan Main’s right hand post.

Jody Morris had a shot on goal charged down as Saints upped the tempo and with 15 minutes remaining Kevin Moon replaced Chris Millar.

There was a talking point ten minutes from time when Steven Milne took advantage of keeper Cammy Bell bouncing the ball with Savo nipping in to take the loose ball and finding the net but referee Mike Tumilty had his back to the action and turned around only to see the ball hit the net and he immediately disallowed the goal. It looked a harsh decision given that the keeper had opted to drop the ball as opposed to Milne making any attempt to take it from him in mid-kick.

With eight minutes remaining Liam Craig was unceremoniously halted by Jim Thomson, who was booked, but Peter MacDonald’s 19 yard free kick was blocked by the wall and Jody Morris’s effort from the loose ball rose just over the bar.
Jody Morris became the first and only Saints booking of the afternoon for persistent fouling.

With four minutes remaining in what, during the second half, was a rare Queens attack Alan Main saved from Dobbie after Jody Morris had given away possession and with under 60 seconds to play Saints had a great shout for a penalty when Kevin Moon’s ball into the box was clearly handled by a defender but with referee Tumility looking to his assistant for guidance, none came and the claim was gone.

A frustrating afternoon for the Saints players who showed bags of effort and endeavour but could not find a way through a well-organised Queens defence. The final pass or cross was too often not of sufficient quality but in a game where the visitors looked dangerous on the break, a clean sheet was maintained and the league lead extended, albeit by only one point.

SAINTS: Main, Irvine, Craig, Morris, Rutkiewicz, McCaffrey, Millar (Moon), Hardie, Holmes (MacDonald), Milne, Samuel.
Subs not used: Anderson, Sheerin, Hillcoat

QOS: Bell, Barr, McQuilken, MacFarlane, Aitken, Thomson, Burns, Tosh, O’Connor (Dobbie), Simmons, Kean.
Subs not used: Kinniburgh, Weatherston, Robertson, Halliwell

Referee: Mike Tumilty
Att: 3, 068

PHOTOS
Top: Steven Milne bends an effort just wide of goal
Bottom: Peter MacDonald battles with Craig Barr

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