Saints 0-0 Dundee United

The main talking point is that our long run without a home league win continues. We desperately need to end this, although we have to wait another three weeks for our next league game at St. Mirren Park. The much missed Hugh Murray was a welcome and shock addition to the starting line-up, the midfielder taking over from Steven Thomson. There was also space for Craig Dargo in the team, with Michael Higdon dropping to the bench. The opening exchanges were relatively dull, with United pushing but creating little and Saints trying, and failing, to attack on the break. Garry Brady did provide a rather foolish moment when he played in a cross that hit Paul Dixon and stopped to appeal for a penalty - while United cleared the ball! The Arabs were soon claiming for a spotkick of their own at the other end when Danny Swanson hit the deck when Hugh Murray was nearby, but referee Dougie McDonald gave a corner instead. There was finally some excitement after 27 minutes, a good move seeing Jack Ross send a fizzing ball in that Billy Mehmet headed narrowly wide. There was a lucky escape at the other end when a Swanson corner was volleyed towards goal by the unlikely figure of Darren Dods, but despite a few appeals from United fans it bounced away without crossing the line. This actually woke Saints up a bit and we saw some good football, for a change, with no real chances created. Stephen McGinn did go close with a long range effort after he was set up by Andy Dorman, but it couldn't really go down as a clear cut opportunity. The second half also started fairly slowly and nearly 15 minutes passed before David Goodwillie let fly with a long range shot that went narrowly wide. An effort at the other end was also not too far away, a Ross blockbuster a rare moment of excitement near the opposition penalty area. Dods has made a habit in his career of scoring at both ends in the same game but today he tried something different - hitting the woodwork of both his and the opposition's goals. With 15 minutes to go he slid in to try to block a Garry Brady cross and only succeeded in putting it onto his own bar before the ball bounced to safety. Higdon went close soon after, heading wide from a Barron cross, before Steven Robb came on for Dorman. We then saw a surprise display of attackingness from Saints boss Gus MacPherson when the injured Murray was replaced with Tom Brighton. It nearly worked two, the forward crossing for fellow baldy Mehmet to volley wide. There was a late scare win Prince Bauben had a shot deflected over for a corner, but fortunately the delivery was Saintsesque. A game for the purists, but the fact the defence looked reasonable at times bodes well. Now we just need to start getting some wins.