It might have been an end of season match but it was a good one, with a duff referee. Saints could have been a couple of goals up inside a few minutes, John O'Neill hitting the woodwork with a deflected shot and then shooting wide from a difficult chance a few moments later.
The referee thought we were all there to see him. Some brilliant decisions which made Tom Brown's wrong throw in decision in the cup this year appeared, including giving Saints a goal kick when one of our players headed the ball out! Sadly the linesman corrected him. The other linesman, meanwhile, got a cheer from the folk in the Reid Kerr College Stand when his flag broke.
Something I remember from County's last visit to Love Street was that their goalkeeper seemed to take free kicks from far to far forward. he tried it again this time. When O'Neill was flagged offside around the penalty spot, he tried taking the free kick ten yards outside the box! Nice try son. Might work at your normal club Rangers, but not here.
Saints best chance of the first half came from a Brian McGinty shot/cross, which O'Neill or McKenna only had to tap to put away, but whoever contacted it messed up. Ross County threatened a few times, however in all honesty it was the corner flag in danger rather than the back of the net.
Just on half time Captain Chaos had the worst header ever seen, when he could easily have scored. Just as the shouts of "McGowne yer useless" were about to start, it rather embarrasingly bounced over the goalkeeper and in. We should have been a few up so it was only fair. 1-0 Saints, nice one.
The second half saw County come out more determined, with Craig Hinchcliffe having to look lively at times and some frantic goal line clearances. As the half went off, the three youngsters went off. Molloy and McKenna hadn't done much, but McCay was superb down the left. Chris McGroarty can leave now, as McCay is good back up for Ellis and Lappin. The three were replaced by Murray, Lappin and van Zanten.
Both sides were lucky not to be down to ten men. Brian McGinty was fouled by County muppet Jim Lauchlan, for what was probably a free kick. As McGinty walked past the "injured" Lauchlan (a County bloke pretended to be injured in the first half after crippling Mark Crilly to avoid a booking, and it worked!) he had a wee nudge at him, and Lauchlan was suddenly healed and went after the former Rangers man. Fortunately the ref was as big a clown as Lauchlan, didn't see the McGinty stuff and booked Lauchlan. Nice one!
Towards the end, the County fans were wishing McGinty had been sent off, as after receiving the ball at the edge of the box he fired home his seventh of the season, making it his best Saints season. He's now got five in five games, bordering on prolific!
There was more to come though. Jim Hamilton had been niggling at McGowne all game. Hamilton went up for the ball illegally and got away with it, McGowne didn't. When it happened for the umpteenth time, McGowne went down, and Hamilton very kindly had a swipe at McGowne. McGowne was OK, and Hamilton escaped with a booking. The County team is full of thugs, the number 16 had been niggling at Craig Hinchcliffe all game!
Just before full time it looked like McGowne was going to need the headband from the Caley game back, as the ref spotted a cut on his head. No one had been near him for five minutes!
So, full time, 2-0 Saints. A good performance and everyone was clapped off after another duff season. Interestingly, the last time we won our last league game was 1998/99, and we know what happened the following year!
Inverness Caley Thistle won the league, so hopefully they'll be promoted and replaced with Partick Thistle. Ayr United and Brechin City are down, whilst Airdrie United and Hamilton are up. Yes folks, Morton lost to Airdrie, Hamilton and Dumbarton won, so the hygenically challenged managed to come fourth. A truley magnificent effort after being miles clear at Christmas!
Role on next season, and hopefully the title :-)