The game started off reasonably well with Saints M dealing with most things that came their way. Paul Rudden and Chris Kerr were still poor in their roles, and it was Rudden who indirectly cost the first goal.
After crippling someone, Rudden was rightly booked and a free kick given. It was floated into the box and was looking easy for new captain Jamie McGowan to deal with. But this is Saints M we are talking about, and nothing is easy. Sure enough he tried to head it back to goalie Ludo Roy, and didn't head it hard enough. Keigan Parker, one of St. Johnstones narky neds (with Hartley being the other, and I won't back down on this even though some St. Johnstone fans are moaning at me) nipped in and slotted it away easily. Looking back on it this chance to score was probably harder than the ones Saints M were to miss in the second half!
The rest of the half was mainly St. Johnstone, with a few attacks by Saints. As normal Kerr was trying to beat too many men, and Rudden was shocking on the right. Ian Ross hardly got the ball but when he did he usually did something constructive. Ricky Gillies didn't do an awful lot apart from remind us that his shooting was awful. Andy Dow wasn't too bad, and even made a run at one point, something unseen by one of our midfielders for years. Scott McKenzie was supposedly playing but did nothing. At the back McGowan was OK apart from his mistake, and Ricky Robb was having a great debut. Brian McGinty and Martin Cameron didn't have a lot to work with, and the half finished with a long range Cameron shot and some Saints M corners, from which nothing was done.
The second half was more of the same, with St. Johnstone the better team. Ludo Roy had to pull off a great reflex save, but could only palm it away. He was left standing as the follow up shot hit the bar. A lucky let off for Saints M.
If that was fortunate then what Paul Rudden did wasn't unfortunate, it was just downright pathetic and showed he can not play at right back. A pathetic attempt at a cross was easily cleared to Hartley, well inside his own half. He proceeded to run until just outside the edge of Saints M's penalty box, before he actually met one of our defenders! Kerr was running about lost, and Robb was the only person to put a challenge in. He actually put in two, but these were easily avoided as Hartley slotted it away for a goal thats already contendor for goal of the season. Typical Saints M defending, and we were out of it. Hartley responded to the abuse we've been giving him for years in the usual fashion.
Or so we thought. Whereas last season Saints M switched off at the end of a game, this time they switched on, with a fair bit still to play. McGinty made a great run despite having his shirt held most of the time. His shot was parried away by Cuthbert in the St. Johnstone goal, leaving Ross with a simple tap in for 2-1. Except he slid/was nudged, and couldn't make contact with the ball. A chance gone.
Another chance came Saints M way just minutes later. A great ball was played by Kerr, the only good thing he did all day, and Cameron ran onto it. He took half an hour checking whether he was offside or notm, by which time he was very close to the goalie. As soon as the ball had been played through I thought he would score, him of all people, but instead the ball was caught up in his feet and easily cleared. A player lacking in confidence.
Just after this Saints made three substitutions in quick succession. Off came Dow, Rudden and Cameron, on coming Simon Lappin, Graham Guy and Mark Yardley. All three did superbly well when they came on. Straight away Lappin kept the ball in instead of letting it go for a Saints M corner, and put in a superb cross. Gillies met it and proved his heading is as rank as his shooting, as he headed wide when it was easier to score. That was the last real chance for Saints M, and St. Johnstone comfortably won 2-0, though could probably have scored more if they wished.
A poor start to the season, and i've never felt so pessimistic after an opening game. It was almost as bad as most of last season. Roy, Robb and McGinty the only ones who played 90 minutes who got passmarks. Yardley, Guy, who was far better than Rudden, and Lappin all performed well when they came on. McGowan and Cameron weren't too bad apart from their mistakes, andRoss didn't do too badly when he had the ball. The rest were shocking.
Tomorrow's game with East Stirlingshire is vital, we must win it or else confidence will be extremely low. After Saturday we are second bottom, and even though it's only one game I don't see us getting out of the relegation zone. More performances like that and it's division 2 here we come. Kerr and Rudden must be dropped, or alternatively go for 3 up front with Mendes alongside Cameron and McGinty. We have scored 1 goal in our last 4 league games.
Lineups
St Mirren: Roy, Rudden (Guy 70), Kerr, McGowan, Robb, Dow (Lappin 69), Gillies, MacKenzie, McGinty, Cameron (Yardley 71), Ross.
Subs Not Used: Robertson, Broadfoot.