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.

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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!

Replay is Wednesday 17th, Broggie.

We surely can't play as poorly again!

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.

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

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

Aye right and your lot take yer season ticket off you

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)

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.

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.

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!

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 .

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.

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.

A big game awaits the winners!

3-0 Ayr.

We've been building up to a poor result for weeks. We need to get it out of our system.

Haven`t decided whether to go or not yet. It`s cold and I`m a petal.

3-0 to Ayr would be quite funny,but I can`t see it.

Ayr Utd 0-1 St Johnstone (Scotland)

1-1 Mon the Honestmen.

yup. 'mon the ayr.

enjoying the commentary on radio scotland. can hear the wind in the background. Was it the ex-fermer that scored for ayr?

Aye although I thinks he's gratuated from cattle to spuds now.

bollox.

i have found a new love.....peaso

Was quite a good cup tie really in spite of or maybe because of the wind. It was a howling gale tonight and it was penning either side in or near their own penalty area when they played against it.

Ayr huffed and puffed and chased hard all night and caused Sainteees a fair bit of bother without really looking in much danger of scoring. Until they scored

Ayr raised their game for this one quite significantly but they just didnt relly have enough quality to do the damage. St.Johnstone were there for the taking as well. Have Saintees fans stopped following their team away or something? Mind you I don`t blame them for staying in on a night like this. They shouldn`t allow games to go ahead in weather like that. You really can`t play football in it.

It was not a bad game though, I quite enjoyed it.

Even a referee hell bent on giving Ayr United every decision couldn't help the poor second division outfit beat us tonight. This game was very much like the original match, I think Ayr could have pushed us all night and not scored (again). Some decent moves, but no real end product. Must be terrible to watch on domestic duty.

As for us, I appreciate that Kevin James has good leadership qualities and cannot argue with the pure facts that recently, when he has played, we have picked up more points than when he hasn't but his form has dipped so low he's almost a hindrance to the team at times, made no better by the donkey beside him in McManus. Nevermind the lack of mobility in our midfield, I lost count of the number of times Ayr managed to exploit our defence. James was clearly unfit and I'll be utterly raging if I have to watch him play like that against Airdrie United when there's a fit and excellent Steven Anderson sitting on the bench.

I think our biggest problem other than that was there was nobody in midfield to win any loose balls. Every ball that came out into midfield was picked up by an Ayr player. Things, for me, improved with the introduction of the pacey youngsters McLaren on the left and Jackson on the right. Ayr were beginning to tire by this point and so they were much better options than Sheerin and Hardie.

Credit to Kevin Cuthbert and indeed the Ayr keeper for keeping the match interesting with some good goalkeeping for the large part, especially from the Ayr man towards the end of E/T, who did well to keep his side level as we pushed relentlessly to avoid a penalty shoot out. Our quality and fitness showed through in the end, as it should have done in the first match. Credit to Ayr United for a tough challenge though.

I think it's harsh to judge anybody for not turning out to watch that tonight, Reynard. The two hour trek in wintry conditions and then having to stand out in that wind was just awful. I've never been so cold in all my life.

Well, I'm not sure what the radio said but I thought we throughly deserved that.

We opened well and took a deserved lead when Jason fired a free-kick under the wall and past a stationary McGeown. How the referee never booked their player for the challenge on Lombardo in the build up, I'll never know.

The wind was with Ayr (no pun intended!) in the first-half and they used it to their advantage. KC dealt with everything superbly though. His handling was top notch. The referee booked Lawrie for his first challenge then James and Stanic were booked for dissent as the homer in charge gave us nothing, including blowing for a free-kick when advantage would have seen Peaso in on goal.

With the wind at our backs in the second-half I was happy but then remembered Saturday although we started well and forced some early corners after winning none in the first half.

KC had to look sharp to beat Varielle (why was he playing?) to the ball but could do nothing about their equaliser, which Hollywood couldn't have scripted better. A hopeful cross holds up in the wind (as did nearly every pass) and Stevo takes a touch to lift it over James before volley low past KC from 20 yards. Cracking strike to be fair to him. KC honestly had nothing to do for the rest of the half but Saints only really clicked when McLaren was introduced for Sheerin.

As the game wore on McGeown began to shine, saving Ayr on numerous occasions.

The first period of extra-time saw Ayr creep slightly back into things with the wind advantage but Saints still looked in control. It was in the second period though that it looked like we were up against a possessed man as time-and-time again McGeown denied Saints the winner they deserved.

With the clocking ticking down, Peaso picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and turned his man before catching the ball sweetly to fire it straight down the middle to deceive McGeown and set Saints up for Falkirk.

Positives were the effort from all the players and several good performances, notably from McInnes, the two strikers, Cuthbert and the two subs. Mensing looked so much more comfortable in the middle when Jacko came on. I think OC seriously needs to look at the midfield still though as we looked much better when we had the pace of McLaren and Jackson out wide, although Ayr were tiring to be fair.

Well worth the trip.

Yeah, disappointing turnout but hardly that surprising. I'd guess maybe 150 Saints fans?

The defence is it's mid-January, snowy and cold and Ayr is 90-odd miles away and it meant crossing the Kingston Bridge during rush hour. We also watched the same two sides serve up a dire 0-0 draw last week and have had an expensive month following Saints with the semi coming up.

No doubt all the die-hards will crawl out of the woodwork for the game at Tynecastle though.

Tall order for a Gers fan this season he said, inviting a smart reply.

Jason's goal from the Saints end, courtesy of poster Real Madrid and his YouTube account...

Clicky

Yup!

couldn't believe when peaso scored, he usually plays crap when he starts, more of a player who comes off the bench with 25 mins to go and scores vital goals. A couple against Hibs wouldn't go a miss.

That`s probably why I said I don`t blame anyone for not turning up in that weather...

You are right about James though. When he is not playing well he sticks out like a sore thumb even worse than normal. He`s dreadful BTW.

He's patently not fit but the conditions were always going to present problems for him in particular. The people criticising him have very short memories though as generally he's been outstanding for us since his arrival. You can count his bad games (and yesterday was one of them) on one hand. It was only a month ago he was the saviour after coming in against Dundee and holding us together.

People, myself included to be honest, like Steven Anderson but you can't get away from the fact we aren't collecting points regularly enough when he's in the side. Ando will be a quality player for Saints but at this moment in time, we need our captain on the pitch as often as possible.

They said Ayr were the better side in the first half and St Johnstone did nothing of note after they scored. Sounded completely bereft of goalmouth action until extra time when Ayr's walking wounded were absolutely knackered and it turned into shooty-in.

Decent crowd from Ayr given the conditions and their pishness. Fair play to them.

Drop McManus then.

If we play McManus and James together in the centre against Gretna, we will ship goals galore.

Crap : game, weather, stadium, food, toilets.

Apart from the first 10 minutes and the second period of extra-time I thought we were awful.

I hate watching from behind the goal when your team is attacking the other end, especially on 'flat' terracing like that - I couldn't make out what was going on and even missed the winner as I was daydreaming of being back in the nice, warm car.

Saw the goals on Sky Sports News this morning - it was a good one from Peaso and saw myself jumping up when Jason scored!

Big improvement required if the cup double is to be achieved.

In the first-half, Ayr had the wind and put us under a lot of pressure, forcing a lot of corners which Cuthbert dealt with superbly. We didn't force one corner.

In the second-half, we had the wind and put Ayr under a lot of pressure, forcing a lot of corners which were generally pish. Unlike Ayr in the first half though we did create chances with Mensing blazing over and McGeown beginning to "step up to the plate". Ayr didn't force one corner.

Extra-time we dominated, especially the second period where McGeown was a man possessed until being deceived by MacDonald's shot.

Couldn't believe the stuff I was hearing from "Gus" on the radio when we got back to the car. Cuthbert only had to deal with crosses, I can't remember them having a shot on target apart from Stevo's wonderstrike... the b'stard!


You don't know that any more than I think we won't! It was you that produced the stats on We Are Perth a few weeks ago about the points with James in the side compared to Anderson. It doesn't matter what we think they look like when they are defending, we pick up more points with James in there. Look at the form up to when James got injured compared to after.

FWIW, I think he'll play a back three against Gretna as Graham in particular runs the channels so would drag a centre back out of position. We played a back three in the second half down there in December (should've gone! ) and coped better with them so I think Coyle will stick with that.

I reckon the reason football always seemed better when I was younger is that often you were behind the goal and things that aren't even close (and you'd realise that in a seat in the Main Stand) look close! Hope that makes sense!

I thin as Leckie was commentating they were in full "plucky wee team" mode.

the toilets are the highlight of going to Somerset Park. The away end trough style urinal had a fag packet in it since about 1979 and it used to be fun pishing it from one end to the other.