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Saints put their recent form slump well and truly behind them as they put
Accies to the sword with a swashbuckling display that finally saw Stewart
Kean get off the mark in the stripes and saw another more established
buddie emerge from the shadows with a quite supreme midfield performance.
Step forward Simon Lappin.
Gus went with the same XI that started the new years day clash with
Partick, lining up in a 3-5-2 formation of Hinch, Van Zanten, Broadfoot,
Millen, McGowne, Reilly, Murray, Lappin, McGinty, Kean and McCay and right
from the first whistle the buddies took the game to their opponents.
From the second minute, when a scorching Lappin drive was fumbled over the
bar by McEwan in the away goal, Saints were superior in all departments
against an out of sorts Hamilton side. It's difficult to understand how
this side recorded a win at Love Street on league business just a
fortnight ago.
Brian McGinty was then guilty of profligate finishing as he shot tamely at
McEwan when put through on the right hand side of the box, however Accies
failed to heed the warning.
It took the Saints just 24 minutes to do what they couldn't do in that
league fixture in finding a way past the usually impressive McEwan.
Some sterling work on the left hand side, where Saints enjoyed great joy
throughout the 90 minutes, saw McCay curl a fabulous centre which was met
first time by Stewart Kean who slotted the ball under the keeper and into
the net for his first goal in the stripes.
The former Ayr Utd man celebrated like a man who had the weight of the
world lifted from his shoulders, although he soon had the weight of the
rest of the side on them, as they swamped him in recognition of the
importance of the goal. Even at this early stage it looked very much like
the game was over.
The game should have been over for one man in particular a few minutes
later as Paddy Keogh clearly stamped on David Van Zanten in full view of
the assistant referee who failed to even acknowledge the foul.
It was not the first time that the officials would baffle the home fans.
The rest of the first half saw Saints camped out in the opposition half
with Craig Hinchcliffe a total spectator. Hugh Murray went agonisingly
close to extending the lead with a fierce drive which went inches wide
whilst Mark Reilly skimmed the crossbar from twenty yards as Saints
continued to press.
Right on half time Jinty managed to dispossess one of the Accies defenders
and fed Kean through on the right of the box. As McEwan and another
defender advanced to meet him the youngster turned expertly and seemed set
to curl the ball into the net before being crudely scythed down from
behind. The decision not to give a penalty was right up there with the
midweek shenanigans at Old Trafford in the big list of bloody awful
refereeing decisions.
On one of the coldest days some fans kept warm with a healthy dose of
cup fever :-)
The talk in the North Bank at half time was that surely Accies couldn't be
as bad in the second half and in fairness to Alan Maitlands' side they did
restart in more positive mood and might even have levelled after a mixup
by Kevin McGowne handed possession to the unusually quiet Marc Corcoran
who screwed a volley just wide of the target.
Saints were also still on the offensive and again Jinty threatened when
put through but yet again our most frustrating player managed only to
trundle the ball towards the waiting mitts of McEwan. It has been said
before but if Jinty could only finish what he creates. Even occasionally !
Accies had another half chance as they broke on the right hand side and
hit a dangerous centre into the box which Hinch and Millen somehow dealt
with amidst claims from the visiting support of handball.
Simon Lappin was having a quite magnificent match in his new central
midfield role and was at the centre of everything that went on in the
middle of the park. Tackling hard, tracking back, and spraying some superb
passes around the pitch. This was a very welcome return to form for the
once golden child and long may it continue.
On the hour Jinty was sent scampering through on goal again only to lose
his footing at the vital moment and allow Accies to mop out the threat.
The signs of fatigue were there for all to see and Gus decided to withdraw
his enigmatic frontman and replace instead with the equally energetic but
better looking (apparently not good enough for the club calendar though)
Alan Russell.
The substitution proved inspired just five minutes later as another superb
burst from Lappin on the left found Russell surging into the box and he
lunged at the ball to divert it into the corner of the net, thus ending
the game as a contest.
Saints were in easy street by now and the frustration of Brian McPhee was
obvious as he was involved in an unseemly shove on Mark Reilly which saw
the former Airdrie man booked when he was lucky not to see red.
The showboating continued and just two minutes later it was three.
Kirk Broadfoot took possession on the edge of the box and shaped to shoot
not once, but twice, turning and twisting past a couple of challenges
before feeding Kean inside the box with an expert pass. The youngster had
much still to do but took one touch and then launched a superb drive
across McEwan and into the corner of the net. How fantastic it is to have
a real penalty box threat in the side !
The last ten was the Paisley version of Shock & Awe as the buds threatened
to run riot against an Accies side that was now caught in the headlights
of a juggernaut at full speed.
Kean should have completed his hat-trick but delayed too long when put
straight through on McEwan whilst the Accies stopper did well to dive full
length to stop a Mark Crilly snapshot.
The final whistle was welcome relief for the visitors as Saints returned
to form with avengence.
Best for the buds were Lappin, Kean, Broadfoot, Hinchcliffe, Russell and
McCay with Lappin probably edging out two goal hero Kean in my book as
MOM.
More of the same please !! |
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