Look back at previous games

After taking pictures at previous games this season, I thought it be about time to put them on the website and share the good times, and bad times.

So here we go…

       

 

Saints V Rangers to be broadcast live on BBC

Saints Homecoming Scottish cup game will now be played on Tuesday 16th January with an 8:05 pm kick off at McDiarmid Park.

The game was the second draw to be picked out the hat at Hampden Park on Monday afternoon.

Ticket sales to be announced soon.

Saints extend lead to 4 points

Saints have extended their advantage at top of the table thanks to a 1-1 draw at dens park and also extending their unbeaten run to 10 games.

A few changes were forced in the starting line up with Kevin James replacing the missing Stuart McCaffery. Kevin Moon took the place of suspended Martin Hardie but Jody Morris kept his place in the starting 11.

The game was to very hard fought match indeed with the referee making some very decisions and becoming a useful 12th man to the home side. But with the Perth camp keeping their cool and profesionalism about them the pulled infront after a great stop by Alan Main denying the Dee. Main took the ball and punted it right up the field where Derek Holmes dummied the ball to Liam Craig where he unselfishly passed a header to milne to alow Savo to hit home his 7th Goal of the Season. The ex dundee hitman making his mark at his old club and causing an erruption with the 2,000 strong away fans.

Kevin James almost cost us on the blink of half time where his lack of match fitness or decission making casued him to be tackled by a striker but thankfully Alan Main once again came to the rescue showing he can still cut it in the SPL.

In the 2nd Half saints came out hoping to hold onto their lead but Dundee had other plans as they came out more aggressive and hungrier for a goal and made a dent in Saints expectations to further themselves away from the 1st division pack when Paton ran up the right wing and crossed in a pacey low drive where Courier was able to tap it in from close range.

The game was still action packed and had either side of the 6,500+ fans on the edge of their seats when both keepers had to pull out remarkable saves to deny their opposition. But a point is a point and Saints will be happy to be sitting top of the table clear by 4 points.

Reserves get smoked

 Well with a full squad barr two full backs saints looked good for the taking against Arbroath. A great starting line up that you’de normally be happy with in the 1st team including new boy Greg Kelly, Kev James, Ando, Mckoy, Morgan, Morris Moon Peaso and the goal scorer of Saturday Samuel. The team were brilliant from the start with excellent passing and capabilites, unfortunatly only in the defending and midfield areas. The team went behind 1st with a goal that mirrored savos 2nd against rangers two years ago, with a clearing ball over the midfield, Arbroath stkier being faster than the defence and placing the ball in the bottom left corner. The second came when Chris Dodd let his man go in behind him shoot for goal with it coming of the post and Arbroath being the quicker to rect stuck the ball in the net. The jinx still applied to the reserves and hopefully dosnt rub off on the 1st Squad.

 

 

Superb goals put saints to top of the league

2nd November 2008

Well its the morning that saints fans have been waiting for for a long time,,, to wake up knowing that we are top of the league.

A great support brought through from Perth had the team raring to start the game and with all the ecxitment in the away stand we only had to wait 8 minutes to see a well directed Martin Hardie free kick float in the top left corner (im still celebrating that goal). It wasnt enough to hold onto the lead into half time though as Scott Wilson managed a header past Alan Mains goal after Millar trying a header that brought back memories of Stephen McManus’ effort to clear Hardie’s goal in the semi final 2 years ago against Celtic.

A very worrying tackle had all saints fans keep their eyes on lifeless Kevin Moon after receiving Stephen Glass’ studs enter his ribs. With a neck brace and hospital visit though he is reported as being fit and able enough to return to training this week already.

Half time ended all square and the away fans accepting a draw but were looking for more in the 2nd half, and not one saints fan behind Gallaghers goal could have dreamt the wonder goal scored by Liam Craig giving the panel a hard time to choose whether his goal topped Sheerins against Dundee for goal of the season.

This was an absoulte peach of a goal that had saints fans thinking “what the hell is he doing” as he struck the ball, but seconds later they were absolutly ballistic when they witnessed a Premiership styled goal that Man Utd or Chelsea would be proud of. Taking the ball from all of 35 yards out he struck the ball straight to Gallagher but curled last second to hit the top left corner again. You could see how much Craig knew that this will probably be his best goal he’ll ever score as he came running towards the traveling support. Jim McIntyre moaned that the ball had been played out for a throw in just before Craigs goal but didn’t seem to care when we all shouted for a throw in when the Pars took advantage and scored, bit byast in my oppinion.

Who cares ’cause the Perth boys came back with what they had worked so hard for especially after all the preasure that Dunfermline through at us but credit to the back four who remained tight and cleared all danger.

Savo Milne again displayed outstanding fitness as he pratically sprinted the whole 90 minutes of the game. Derek “Holmer” Holmes was superb in the air knocking down high balls to all of his team mate. The display of great ball control by Millar, Hardie, Sheerin and Craig was the core to our win in the midfield area.

MOTM to Liam Craig for his work rate and superb goal.

 

Dunfermline V Saints preview

Tomorrow saints fans get to travel to the long anticipated game of our new “derby” in Dunfermline.

Saints fans are expected to reach over the 2,000 barrier and are reminded about their safety when making the short visit through. Thanks to a thread created on We Are Perth the build up to this game has been bringing more and more adrenaline each day that goes.

The last time the two sides met saw saint ssuffer an embarrasing 3-0 loss. But with a settled squad now in place and getting revenge on Partick last weekend after they beat us 4-0 the confidence and concentration on this game is at an all time high.

 

Stats for bith sides:

Last 6 games played

Saints   -         W D W W W W

Dunfermline - L D W D W W

Top scorers:

Saints -  Stevie Milne  -  7  -   6 in league and 1 in cups

Dunfermline - Kirk -  7   -      5 in league and 2 in cups

Oh sweet revenge

After the last fixture bringing together Saints and the jags, it was the Perth team looking for revenge after a thumping defeat with a sore scoreline noted at 4-0.

With windy conditions affecting one game in the 1st division saints had to play with experience and skill in order to fight of 12 mand thistle and the wind combined.

Before Kick off, every one in the stadium took a respected 1 minutes silence for the sad loss of a saint legend - Charlie McFadyen. Charlie was a well respected player and person earning a record 336 appearances.

 

After recovering from an illness, Gavin Swankie took back his role in Midfield ahead of Alan Morgan who played last week in Livingston. Thislte could have opened the scoring when Buchanan shot wide of Alan Mains goal after a disagreement he had with the wind but luckilly Rutkiewicz was on hand to clear any danger and release the ball upfield.

The scoring began for saints when a Martin Hardie free kick came in the box and landed to McCaffrey to make a good turn and volley the ball home. It ended just one goal up at halft time but could have easilly doubled the advantage had Sheerin made a spot kick count after Liam Craig was brought down.

But moments later it was Craigs turn to take a chance at a second awarded penalty and made no mistake getting the ball into the net. The third goal came from Stevie Milne who was yet again provided a great ball from Derek Holmes and Milne took the ball with a sweet drive past Tuffey.

 

 

 

Saints V Thistle Preview

St Johnstone welcome back to McDiarmid park tomorrow the visit from Partick Thistle and some players have admitted that revenge is not on the cards so long as they pick up 3 points. The last encounter with Thistle saw saints be put to the gaunlet with a 4-0 loss on a day not remembered much by Kevin Rutkiewicz after a bizarre ilness that cut his game short.

The St Johnstone squad is looking a lot brighter than in recent times with plenty of wins on the trot now and the majority of the squad all fit and shaken off most injuries. Mcinnes may be able to play the likes of Morris and Swankie who have come through training with no worries since their injuries and illness repectivley.

Colin Samuel is still fighting away at his fitness battle and has upped his training recently and hopes to resume to full training this coming week.

Thisltes only worries have come in the shape of striker Mark Roberts and defender Alan Archibald both out with injuries but have Mark Twaddle back in the line up.

If saints pick up another 3 points it is possible to be top by end of the day but the Perth camp know that they must take each week at a time and not get carried away with themselves and concentrate on maximising points on the Perth front.

Stats for the clubs:

Top scorers - St Johnstone -   Stevie Milne  - 6 goals ( 5in the league)

                               Partick Thistle - McKeown - 5 goals ( 1 in the league)

 

Previous Form in last 5 games - saints      W D W W W

                                                          Thsitle     L  L  D  L  L

 

Home and away form as required -              P       W        D       L        F       A       pts

                                saints (home)                      5       3          0       2       9        7     17

                                Partick (away)                      5       1         1        3       3       7      14

 

Predicted score SJFC 2- 0 Thistle

Attendance predicted   2768

Scorers  - Milne (34)    Jackson (67)

Reserve game called off

Due to a lack of number in the East Fife team able to play tonight the club has announced a further delay in the game and will not go ahead tonight as planned.

Saints tame the Lions!

After a great run before the international break St Johnstone were looking to make it 13 out of 15 points on the trot in a tough battle at top of the league leaders Livingston.

The Last result against the Livi Lions didn’t go to plan after being knocked out the Co-Op cp 2-1 after extra time. With a solid defensive partnership starting to bond with McCaffrey and Rutkiewick and Gary Irvine celebrating the birth of his new baby daughter and Liam Craig starting to become more farmilliar in the left back role it seemed certain for a good day in Alan Mains goals especially with the loss of Livi’s two goal scoring threats.

A healthy sized away support had come through to see St Johnstone pick up 3 points at Almond Vale and it was the on-form Stevie ‘Savo’ Milne that came up not only with the goods but an absolutly outstanding world class piece of finshing worthy to win any game. A great ball was played up the left wing from Craig to Holmes who done well to control under preasure and cross the ball to Milne who made an approach to the edge of the ‘D’ section in Livi’s box, controled on the knee and lobbed the keeper from a good 20 yards out.

Although the game finished 1-0 to saints it should probably have finished 3-1 with both sides missing close range headers and one from Hardie who was unlucky not to have directed the ball to wither side of their keeper.

Easy clean sheet for Alan Main, great defensive work from all, excellent fitness showed by the midfield and great decision making from the forwards.

All 3 subs were used by Mcinnes and the only person in the stadium not knowing who they were was the tannoy man and achiving 100% to get every name wrong as saints players came on. MacDonald was the last of the subs to appear and is looking a lot more fitter and thinner but should have scored when running goal wards from the right but opting to pass instead of shoot.

All heads down now for the Partick game and the team are hoping they will have a great vocal backing by the supporters and keep them going for another 90 minutes!

 

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