The visitors hit the woodwork a few times during normal time and had other chances to score but just couldn't, either due to incompetence or the heroics of Saints goalkeeper Chris Smith. Saints had a few chances near the end of normal time, but even they were just goal line scrambles.
Saints lineup was bizarre to say the least. We returned to a 4-4-2, fine, but Charlie Adam was dropped and Kirk Broadfoot was played in midfield! This was changed at half time, with Adam and Alan Reid replacing Maxwell and Mark Corcoran as we returned to a 3-5-2. As if this wasn't amazing enough, Saints boss Gus MacPherson realised that it is within the rules not to play Andy Millen, and his assistant manager was replaced by Billy Mehmet after a shocking performance. Aside from the scrambles, Saints had a few chances, Adam having a bash from long range that the Morton keeper did well, and Reid having a header that was somehow stopped on the line.
Before I move onto the drama of the penalties, a word for the officials. As per usual, they were shocking. hugh Murray was booked early on, but the next person to join him in the boox over an hour later was a Saints player, despite some similar fouls from Morton men! They failed to book Andy McLaren for blating diving, though did turn down a penalty claim, whilst the Main Stand linesman got decisions so bad that the referee had to overrule him!
So, penalties. They were at the Saints end and Saints were up first. mehmet scored, as did a Morton player, before John Sutton blazed his over the bar. Fortunately, the next Morton player missed too! Adam scored, followed by a Morton man, followed by Kirk Broadfoot.
When the next Morton player took his penalty, Smith guessed the right way and saved it, having only just failed to save the previous kick. This left Stewart Kean with the chance to put Saints in the final, and he did so with a brilliant penalty to send Love Street wild.
Overall, we probably didn't deserve the win as Morton clearly seemed to want it more for some reason. However, if you think back to the FA Cup Final, Man Utd hammered Arsenal but lost on penalties. Last night was just the same.
The final will supposedly take place at New Broomfield on November 6th but whether that's true or not I don't know. Maybe I'll have my voice back by then!