| As anticipated, there were a few changes in the line-up for the game which, although Derek McInnes had made clear he wanted to win, was being played with an eye firmly on next Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final – a place in the final against fellow First Division side Queen of the South beckons.
Kevin James and Martin Hardie were both on from the start as they set about putting a season of injury heartache behind them and there was also a rare starting place for David Weatherston. Another long-term injury victim Daniel McBreen got a place on the bench.
Morton came to Perth fighting to avoid being dragged into the end of season play offs and they opened the brighter of the two sides without creating too much although the ball almost fell for Ryan McGuffie to have an effort on goal.
Saints opened the scoring in 23 minutes and you have to say it was against the run of play. The move started just outside the Saints penalty area as Martin Hardie and Steven Anderson combined to break up a Morton attack. It was Anderson who broke forward and followed up his great run with a lovely pass to David Weatherston just inside the penalty area and although his first touch wasn’t the best he recovered well and sent in a deep cross to the far post where Andy Jackson leapt high to power in a header which beat keeper Robinson from close range.
If that header from Jacko was impressive it was nothing compared to the one which put Saints two up just four minutes later. Much simpler in its construction, Liam Craig had space and time to send in a cross from the left which was met by Jackson 12 yards out and well wide of goal but he managed to send in a magnificent diving header across the face of goal and into the far corner of the net. For power and accuracy it couldn’t have been bettered.
Buoyed by the two quick goals Saints went looking for a third and Steven Milne was inches away from connecting with a Weatherston cross.
Ten minutes before half-time only Liam Craig will know how close he came with a tremendous 20 yard free kick. It looked like he had done everything right and Saints fans on both sides of the ground rose to acclaim the goal but it must have been only inches wide.
There was a let off for Saints five minutes before half-time when a ball was swung into the box and it eluded everyone and bounced off the head of Gary Irvine close to the goal line and into Alan Main’s arms.
Morton made two changes at half time and they had to wait only four minutes to get a reward from that change when one of the two new faces, Brian Wake, lashed home after Saints had failed to clear their lines at a corner kick.
This gave the Greenock side the impetus they needed and Finlayson saw a low long-range drive go only inches wide of Alan Main’s right hand post after it took a slight deflection.
Saints tried to steady the ship and Steven Milne wasn’t too far away with a dipping effort from outside the box and they could and should have made it 3-1 in 55 minutes when Liam Craig sent over a free kick which was met by an unmarked Kevin James and he really should have done better than send his parting header over the bar.
A lovely three man move involving Hardie, Weatherston and Milne almost brought a third goal for Saints but Savo’s parting effort was deflected wide and as the game started to hot up Saints pre-contract signing Chris Miller sent in a low effort which was blocked by Gary Irvine.
Liam Craig came close with a shot from the edge of the box but found himself booked for persistent fouling in six nine minutes.
To the delight of the large travelling support Morton levelled the game in 71 minutes from the penalty spot after Steven Anderson got caught under a long ball into the box. He and Morton’s Iain Russell went after Miller’s cross and although it seemed to be beyond both of them, Ando stuck out an arm and the award was a formality. Iain Russell scored from the spot kick with Anderson booked for his misdemeanour.
It may have come from the penalty spot but in truth it was a goal that had been coming as Saints had never got going after the break and Kevin Moon was immediately introduced for David Weatherston.
With the momentum behind them Morton went looking for a third goal and they came very close to getting it twelve minutes from time when a low cross into the box was met by Paartalu and only because his effort was straight at Alan Main was the Saints keeper able to get to it.
With seven minutes remaining Daniel McBreen replaced Steven Milne and just two minutes later Saints edged ahead again with what proved to be the winner. It was the simplest of goals after a Liam Craig effort had been pushed wide by Robinson for a corner kick – Craig’s corner kick was met by the towering Kevin James who headed home from inside the six yard box.
Website Man of the Match: Apart from two great goals Andy Jackson was relatively quiet. Martin Hardie was superb on his return but showed an understandable inability to make the lung-bursting runs we know he can make. For overall involvement from start to finish, it has to be LIAM CRAIG.
SAINTS: Main, Irvine, Stanic, Anderson, James, Craig, Weatherston (Moon), Hardie, Jackson (MacDonald), Milne (McBreen), Sheerin.
Subs not used: McManus, Cuthbert
MORTON: Robinson, McGregor, McLaughlin (Wake), Miller, Graecen, Harding, Finlayson (Stevenson), McGuffie, Weatherston (Russell), Paartalu, McAllister.
Subs not used: Walker, McGurn
Jackson's diving header makes it 2-0 |
Liam Craig in the thick of the action |
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