Whilst Saints had started superbly against Ross County last week, they started extremely sluggishly this time. We looked shaky at the back (possibly due to a different goalkeeper), and Clyde were aware of it, the forward line of Andy Smith and Ian Harty (both one time Saints targets) looking lively up front. It didn't take long for a goal. With the defence looking sluggish, Harty skinned a defender and lobbed the advancing Woods. Cue chants of "Top of the league, we're having a laugh" from the Clyde support.
Under certain a former manager who share their initials with someone whose birthday it was recently, we'd have chucked it and gone on to get thrashed. Not this time, however. Infact, the response was almost immediate, Brian McGinty doing great work down the right, cutting the ball back at the byline for Robert Dunn. Don't worry folks, as, unlike last week, Dunn did actually find the target and, even more amazingly, the net. After half a season Robert Dunn had finally scored his first Saints goal, and it was a rare goal for a Saints striker. Well, a Saints player being used as a striker. Cue the mature Saints support singing "Top of the league, yer having a laugh".
Most Saints fans were hoping the goal would spur us on to take the lead, and whilst we looked slightly better in the aftermath, it was clear Clyde were the better side at this stage. They took the lead after about half an hour (ish) when 78 year old Andy Smith wandered through the Saints defence and slotted past Woods. Nice defending lads.
In the build up to the goal Laurie Ellis went down injured. He was helped off the field and it has now been revealed he has a broken leg and could well be out for the season. Get well soon Laurie.
2-1 was the half time score and was probably a fair reflection. However, Saints came out really fired up and it wasn't long before parity was restored.
Dunn went charging in to the box, only to have his run brought to an abrupt halt by two Clyde defenders. Penalty, no question. Up stepped Ricky Gillies but, knowing any fool can score penalties, he skillfully took it so that the rebound came back to him to head in for the equaliser. Sheer brilliance. Except that, when the penalty was originally saved, the referee had blown his whistle, claiming that someone had moved. God knows who. Andy Millen took the retake 9seeing as Ricky had already missed one) and slotted it away for his first Saints goal, against his former club. Nice one.
On a day of first goals for Saints who was next. David van Zanten? Sadly not. Within 10 minutes Clyde had scored their third, when Mark McLaughlin rose unchallenged to head a soft goal. It turned out to be the winner as, despite Saints pressure, they couldn't score a third and finished the game pointless.
We probably deserved a point but no more. We were lacking up front again but the defence was shocking, in particular the ancient Kevin McGowne who had the urine extracted by the OAP that is Andy Smith. The officials were shocking, giving pathetic free kicks and showing some new interpretations of the offside rule. Add to this the fact that Clyde, a team full of big, strong, physical players, seemed to hit the deck rather easily and needed treatment for sod all and you'll understand it wasn't a good day.
As well as a new striker we now need a new left back. Hopefully we'll give Airdrie "United" a hammering next week and go on to draw Celtic away again :-)