[SaintSam]

Played infront of a crowd bolstered by the largest away support outwith Dundee and Dundee United to travel to Perth this season was an absolute dire match - at least from a St.Johnstone perspective. We lined up:

Cuthbert

Lawrie Anderson McManus Dyer

Mensing McInnes Sheerin Stanic

Milne Scotland

Once again Coyles weird favouritism evident with the embarrassingly unfit Steven Milne taking up a starting position ahead of both fit bench warmers MacDonald and Jackson. Nothing of note in the first half, or is it just that I was so bored that I cannot remember anything? Could well be the case. We were playing very poorly, but as much as I think Ayr United played the best football they are capable of, they didn't really threaten us. Same goes for the second half, they marked our strikers fairly well throughout, and we had to replace both Milne and Scotland with Jackson and MacDonald, but to no real improvement to the way things were going. Credit to Ayr who played some decent stuff and had a go at us but I don't imagine they would have scored even if the game had gone to extra time.

They had a decent chance to take the lead when they forced Cuthbert into a fingertip save from a long range effort but other than that, they offered little in the way of goal threat. We had a couple of decent chances through the fairly influential substitute Willie McLaren, two volleys from the same side in the last 5 minutes or so. Connected better with the second than with the first, but he went a long way to showing the fans he has potential with his performance today. Simon Mensing also had a couple of efforts, one in the first half and one in the second. The state of my match report really sums the game up today, totally lethargic.

Our midfield is decimated in numbers and lacking in quality at the moment, and the goals are beginning to dry up. McInnes didn't add anything, Mensing had an off day and whilst Sheerin and Stanic both played well, we really need more than we're getting from the four in the middle at the moment. Coyle needs to sign some pace and some quality, soon.

Credit where it's due to the massive travelling support from Ayr, although some of them were stupid enough to ignore countless warnings to sit down, and chose not only to stand but to crowd around the stairs and were unsurprisingly thrown out. It's an all seated stadium, I don't really have any sympathy for any of the people who ignored the two tannoy announcements requesting they sit down. All in all, I don't expect to lose the replay, I don't see where Ayrs goals are going to come from, and whilst they played really well in stages, they had nothing upfront and didn't look like they would score if given another 90 minutes within which to do so. Hopefully we will have some players back from injury and a couple of new faces in by that stage too.

Woeful game today, but still didn't come close to losing. Is that a positive? I don't know.

[Steak & Barley]

Great result for Ayr after the problems they've had recently. Pity about the ejections but par for the course on Tayside.

[Steve McQueen]

Steak & Barley, on Jan 6 2007, 17:58, said:

Great result for Ayr after the problems they've had recently. Pity about the ejections but par for the course on Tayside.

No pity about it at all! Another 10 should have gone also. Fair enough to complain about not being able to stand where the seats are but no defense for blocking the aisles.


Poor game over all could have won it at the death again but our luck has been stretched recently.

[SaintSam]

Steve McQueen, on Jan 6 2007, 18:06, said:

No pity about it at all! Another 10 should have gone also. Fair enough to complain about not being able to stand where the seats are but no defense for blocking the aisles.
Poor game over all could have won it at the death again but our luck has been stretched recently.

I agree with you. I don't think the police would have been so quick to eject them had they been standing in the seating areas, but they were all over the staircase. Bunch of idiots, more of them deserved to go. You can't come to an all-seated stadium and expect to be able to drape yourself all over the stairs.

[Steak & Barley]

Less than 3000 in a 10,000 seat ground - they must have been a huge Health and Safety risk

[Radford]

Yeah, I think the problem for the Ayr fans was the standing on the aisles which is totally pointless. Credit to the support they gave their side though.

Can't be bothered saying much about what was a very poor match devoid of many goalscoring chances. Ayr had a few last gasp blocks in the first-half but Steven Milne had the best effort when he cut inside and only a full stretch McGeown tipped his drive round the post.

In the second period Peaso rattled the side netting, Mensing fired straight at McGeown and McLaren found the 'keeper well positioned with a late volley. Kevin Cuthbert had to look alert to tip a long range effort over the bar.

Teams with pace cause us endless problems in the middle of the park and the same was true today where Ayr were first to the vast majority of the second balls. Our midfield is sitting far too deep, in part because they are worried about leaving gaps behind them when they don't have the speed to get back and cover. The strikers service consists almost entirely of long, high punts.

Not looking forward to the replay but hopefully we'll have Martin Hardie back so at least we might have a chance of winning some of the high punts. None of the new signings will be able to play though.

I wonder if it'll be the game SKY choose to cover?

[SaintSam]

Steak & Barley, on Jan 6 2007, 18:13, said:

Less than 3000 in a 10,000 seat ground - they must have been a huge Health and Safety risk

As I said, I don't think the police would have been quite so quick to eject them if they had just been standing infront of their seats, but standing all over the stairs, they are a health and safety risk. Had they scored, one or more would have gone flying down those stairs. And what about the people who did sit down who wanted to get down the stairs but had to negotiate a bunch of topless morons on their way?

I appreciate your sentiment but the way fans conduct themselves at their home ground if it's an all standing stadia is not the same way as they should behave at an all seated ground. Like it or not, the police and stewards are not going to stand for it and people will end up being ejected from the ground. Ayr United fans were addressed on two seperate occasions today before the police waded in. I can't really have any sympathy for those who missed the game as a result of refusing to move away from the staircase.

[Kyle]

General standing in a stadium chat for this pish - it's boring after 3 billion debates

Utterly woeful match between two teams who could've played all day without scoring. For the Saintees (should probably point out that it's Coddy typing this) positives were very difficult to find (maybe the effort put in by Stanic, and the solid goalkeeping of Lob....erm.....Kevin Cuthbert. As for Ayr, there was very little quality evident, and if the replay is of a similar quality, penalties are a certainty.

Last point on today - nice of Morton to make the Ayr fans day for them. Can't be often that they seem like the better (was gonna say quality, but that would be factually incorrect) team in Ayrshire these days....

When is the replay - need to know when to stay wel clear of Somerset Park.

[A Broggie for me]

How boring was that..zzzzzzzz..yawnsville.

First half - good save from Ayr keeper just before halftime, second half petty fouls and timewasting from Ayr and nothing of any note from us.

McInnes will prove to be a waste - good for morale in the bar though (piss head) and Goran aint no Freddie Aitken left winger - but a good overlapping full back - take note Owen.

Too many sugary sweeties handed out on the Ayr supporters bus - bit cold (and gay) to be jumping about bare-chested.

Not worried about the replay though - Ayr are shit - but could've done without another long haul midweek trip - is it next week?

PS took my new-fangled binoculars with fitted digital camera to the game so will post photos hopefully when I've figured it out!

[Radford]

Replay is Wednesday 17th, Broggie.

We surely can't play as poorly again!

[SaintSam]

A Broggie for me, on Jan 6 2007, 22:54, said:

Too many sugary sweeties handed out on the Ayr supporters bus - bit cold (and gay) to be jumping about bare-chested.

[The Ger]

I was at the game and I have to say it was one of the worst I've been at but the atmosphere created by the Ayr fans was superb. As for blocking the stairway it was all a bit daft, the folk were taken away and let back in but it didn't surprise me when the police got involved. It was my first time at a match on Tayside and I'd heard previously that Tayside police take no prisoners when it comes to standing in grounds.

[Vince the loveable stoner]

After sitting through that abysmal 90 minutes of "football" I think we should rename ourselves BORING FC. Our fans are made to look boring by an ayr united support. The way we play football is utterly boring. Even our stadium is boring, our managing director is boring. The only non-boring thing about the club is the manager, but his side is playing boring football so that's cancelled out. WE'RE BORING!!!

This post has been edited by Vince the loveable stoner: 07 January 2007 - 21:09

[Steak & Barley]

Vince the loveable stoner, on Jan 7 2007, 20:55, said:

After sitting through that abysmal 90 minutes of "football" I think we should rename ourselves BORING FC. Our fans are made to look boring by an ayr united support. The way we play football is utterly boring. Even our stadium is boring, our managing director is boring. The only non-boring thing about the club is the manager, but his side is playing boring football so that's cancelled out. WE'RE BORING!!!

Nicely summed up B)

[Broggy Man]

Radford, on Jan 6 2007, 18:22, said:

Our midfield is sitting far too deep, in part because they are worried about leaving gaps behind them when they don't have the speed to get back and cover.

We played a good ten yards further up the park than we normaly do courtesy of one Mr McIness.

[Broggy Man]

The Ger, on Jan 7 2007, 15:24, said:

I was at the game and I have to say it was one of the worst I've been at but the atmosphere created by the Ayr fans was superb. As for blocking the stairway it was all a bit daft, the folk were taken away and let back in but it didn't surprise me when the police got involved. It was my first time at a match on Tayside and I'd heard previously that Tayside police take no prisoners when it comes to standing in grounds.

Aye right and your lot take yer season ticket off you

[Nocturnal Groove]

Prices have now been confirmed for our 3rd round replay with St. Johnstone on Wednesday the 17th of January (7:45 KO). They are as follows:

Adults £12 (Ground/Enclosure or Main Stand)
Child/OAP £6 (Ground/Enclosure or Main Stand)

[maxwell5]

For once in the cup against lower division opposition i'm really not too confident of winning the replay. If thats what atmosphere the ayr fans create away from home i hate to think what its going to be like at somerset park. I really did feel ashamed to be a saints fan that day not just beacause of the woeful performance nut because of our near silent support. All in all I wouldn't be surprised to see us playing like we did againts morton i.e by fielding a slightly weakened team, sitting back on a lead, conceding needless fouls just to break up play.

[Radford]

I share your concerns, Maxwell. I'm not at all confident about this tie at the moment. Hopefully we don't have another Stenhousemuir on our hands.

[Kyle]

I'd take a defeat in this if it meant we beat Hibs.

Then again, after watching their game against Aberdeen last week, there is more chance of Coyle dropping Jason Scotland!

[A Broggie for me]

Lot of apathy around for this match, chaps.

Used to be a Scottish Cup tie would get folk buzzing and we'd take a bigger than normal support - be lucky if we take more than 200 to this one.

I'll be there though expecting an easy win - as I always do .

[Raving On]

Is Vareille suspended for Ayr? I see he was sent off for violent conduct at the weekend, which would suggest he will miss out.

[Radford]

Raving On, on Jan 16 2007, 09:05, said:

Is Vareille suspended for Ayr? I see he was sent off for violent conduct at the weekend, which would suggest he will miss out.

Yep, he is.

Our squad for the match is: Cuthbert, Lawrie, Stanic, McLaren, Mensing, McManus, Anderson, Hardie, McInnes, MacDonald, Jackson, Scotland, Sheerin, Dyer, Doris, Halliwell.

Stanic is a doubt.

[Reynard]

I`ll probably have to go to this game.

St.Johnstone will win 3-1 and quite comfortably. Ayr are rubbish. They tend to sit in a bit much and try and hit on the break but they don`t have good enough players to do it. Their only good player is Jerome K Jerome and he`s out.

St.Johnstone should be too good for them. Hopefully it will be a good game though but I doubt it.

I will get in the boys gate as usual.

[Baggio]

A big game awaits the winners!