Dundonian Robbery
Regular readers will know that I rarely compose a match report without blaming someone at Saints for a defeat. In most situations, there are always things we could have done to prevent losing the game. On the back of Friday’s defeat, I simply can’t pick fault.
Alec picked a good side with a good shape and gave good instruction for the duration. Helping the players; not patronising them. If he continues in this vein, he will receive my full support. I am delighted to see the change in attitude and it’s clear to see that the players are now responding to him. It didn’t happen in the past but there is clearly respect between players and coach this year. That bodes well for all concerned.
We started the game in a terrific manner, pressing hard with the wind at our backs and making the most of the unusual surface. Young Midget, who shares his name with the disgraced Heart of Midlothian right back, was combining well with Mitchell (pin-up of the SJFC magazine and available in most local newsagents or from McDiarmid Park) and the front two of Kano and Gray. More often than not, when we build an attack on the right, one of the front boys would come out and make an angle allowing Thomson to run into the corner. Ricky was giving the Arabs a torrid time as he burst forward from centre midfield and young Steevsie was allowed to cut in from the left wing to increase the goal threat in the box.
The passing in the first half was a joy to behold. One of the advantages of having a threadbare squad is that all the players know each other intimately and that was clear to see. Times without number two of our players were equidistant from the ball yet not once was there any confusion as to which player was taking the ball. One-two’s often became one-two-three’s and it just worked like a well oiled machine.
We were comfortable when playing tight on the shy-line, we were comfortable when cornered (invariably winning a corner kick or throw-in) at no point did United look like posing a threat. Their keeper and left back were both having regular hissy fits whilst our troops were once again captained superbly by Moffat, who again was partnered by Hutch. I assume that Rodger is still sidelined by his nasty injury sustained at Creamery Park.
Also missing from the squad were Callum and Cads. Callum presumably injured and Cads (presumably) protected because we’re at the bare bones for the first team midfield. Although Callum wasn’t really missed, thanks to Scotty Gray putting in an excellent shift, Liam’s drive and fitness was badly missed in the second half. Wee midget dropped right of the game when he had to run in the wind and no longer carried the threat he had in the first half. Nevertheless, the wee man can be proud of his efforts. He took the game to United without fear and that attitude will serve him well throughout the season.
It was another of the young players, Greg Mitchell, who started the chain of events leading to United’s first goal. The timing and circumstances could not have been worse. With the game badly delayed due to road works at the Keir Roundabout, your author was too stupid to note the kick off time. My watch read 1358 as the referee blew for the goal. Mitchell had over run the ball, some 25 yards from goal and he took a silly swipe at one of the United lads. The referee was correct to award the free-kick but it was never a yellow card. By booking the right back, he then set a stupid precedent.
Anyway, just like the Motherwell game, we went to sleep at the back. Didn’t pick up and didn’t make enough effort or show enough bravery. The diagonal ball was played back into a decent position and it was an easy finish past an isolated Worby. As expected the referee blew for half time almost immediately.
The awful people on the United bench because between them they don’t possess enough brain cells to realise that we had battered them for 45 minutes. Still results are all that matter and Arabs hadn’t won a game all year. Maybe that’s because their coaches are not very good?
Anyway, the onset of half time saw your author skedaddle for a second jacket to fight off the blustery conditions on the exposed pitch. As I walked to the car I was pleased to note that in the crowd were; Stewart Duff, Abby Ramsay, Callum Davidson, Derek McInnes and one other match day official whose name I should know. Irrespective of the names, our club is in very good hands these days. We not only have a board of successful, self-made folk, but we have a passionate and loyal batch of officials who handle themselves with dignity.
Watching Del and Davidson in action together makes my suspicious mind wonder whether Callum will Del’s assistant when McInnes finally fecks off to England. It’s rumoured that Doc doesn’t want to uproot his family and surely he would fancy a crack at the real thing. I’m certainly not advocating this, there are better managers out there; but I’d be open-minded if he did take over. He might not have any time for me, but I won’t hold that against him. If it’s Doc and Jody, c’est la vie. That said, Jody Morris will certainly not start with a clean sheet if he gets the managers’ job. Anyone that believes 4-4-2 is an outdated concept; simply doesn’t understand the game.
As the teams came out in the second half the wind had dropped and the rain had halted, though it would re-appear at the end. Saints were shooting uphill and into the wind, with a one goal deficit. Nevertheless, they played so well you’d have thought the three circumstances were reversed. It was fairly early into the game when we won a freekick, 22 yards from goal. A sense of expectation surrounds our attacking set-plays these days and you author stood behind the United keepers goal.
I watched open mouthed as Ricky clipped the ball high over the wall from his right to his left, it was dropping but boy was it hard to tell whether it would drop enough. The keeper panicked and through himself high to his right and as he fall despairingly to the deck the ball zipped into the keeper’s top right corner. The phrase postage stamp was made for goals like this. If you thought Hardie’s kick against the Hearts was good, you’d have loved to see this. 1-1 and surely now, it was our game to take.
We pressed and harried for dear life, winning four or five corners in a short period of time. We made great use of the diagonal ball, a specific and early instruction from Alec to combat the swirling winds. We frequently built from the back, knowing the Worby wouldn’t get any great length when kicking into the wind. Aiden and Greg worked well with Thomson and Steeves to support attacks and repel United’s infrequent forays.
Sadly, Ricky McIntosh began to drift out the game and Kez Stewart was struggling to hold the centre of midfield. He did have more space as it looked as though United were now doubling up on Mr McIntosh.
Half chances were created by the dozen but so very often a slip, a gust of wind or pass just short of perfect prevented us from scoring. Young Mancunian, Hutch, headered against the post and the rebound was the stuff of tears as it skiffed past three blue shirts and plonked right at the feet of a grateful of United player. It was one those moments when you realised it wasn’t to be our day.
And so it proved. With Saints rampaging forward and throwing some caution to the wind, we got hit on the counter. If you wanna be super-critical, Aiden perhaps could have brought down the man on the right but he would undoubtedly have got straight a red card for his troubles. He probably did well, not to dive in. It was just one of those things. In fairness to the opposition, the move was slick on a surface with more anomalies than a Dundonian teenager. There is no doubt that we tired as the game wore on, perhaps an indication that the boys had out so much into chasing the game.
Late on we had a great chance as our only subbie managed to get a shot away in a packed penalty box. Sadly for us, the ball rose just inches over the bar. As I said; one of those days.....
Yet again, the Under 19s have provided great entertainment with certain players showing real promise. My top two tips; Kano and Scotty played well, though in Scotty’s case, a few moves didn’t quite come off. These lads undoubtedly have a future in the game and Ricky is scoring for fun at the moment, a valuable commodity. He might well end up on loan, sooner rather than later, Kano might also go down that route though probably not until 2012. Moffat captained the side well, though he could have done with keeping his chin high and his chest out when the going got tough in the second half.
All told there were no failures and I left with only plus points. Alec is turning my mind in a dramatic fashion. The female talent at the Uni remains strong and I even found time for a wee bit of sport after the game. Happy times.
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