There are few games - few halves - that can compare to what we witnessed today. The only two I can think of offhand are our dramatic comeback at Fir Park to stay in the SPL five years ago and Queen of the South's win at Hampden to make the Scottish Cup final in 2008. Today's game, particularly the second half, had just about everything - and the fact it ended with a Saints win made it even more enjoyable.
In the first half we were poor, Thompson himself admitting it was the worst we've played since he came to the club. In the second half we were good only for some of our messing around to cost us before a dramatic late winner. There have now been four late goals in our games this season and every one has been for us. Changed days indeed. It's a result that has us flying high in joint second, just a point off the top - and four points off second bottom!
We had to do it all without Paul McGowan, who was on the bench in name only due to injury. Kenny McLean and Sam Parkin were also dropped to the bench with David van Zanten, Jon Robertson and Thompson coming into the side. I mentioned in my preview about the former Saints effect but Richard Brittain, Mark Corcoran and Paul Lawson were all absent, the three not even among the County bench. The visitors looked to be operating with a lone striker in the shape of Sam Morrow, the likes of Rocco Quinn, Iain Vigurs, Martin Scott and new signing Mark Fotheringham offering support from midfield. Old pal Ross Tokely was starting in defence.
To say our start was sluggish would be an understatement. County dominated possession and when we had it we did sod all with it before gifting them the ball back. It seemed only a matter of time until they carved out a chance and in the 10th minute Vigurs was allowed to stride forward unchallenged and pick his spot from 20 yards. The shot was the perfect mixture of precision and power and we were a goal down. Going behind didn't even spur us into action as County continued to dominate while we looked lacklustre at best. For a spell County threatened to add a second before the game became unbelievably dire as we looked like doing absolutely nothing.
A flicker of hope appeared when we got a free-kick, then vanished when Michael Fraser easily saved Thompson's header from Carey's delivery. With no McGowan, Jim Goodwin was taking corners from the left. Perhaps he should do it a bit more often as seven minutes from the break his corner found Thompson at the near post and he headed in an unmerited equaliser, although Fraser got a hand to it. Goodwin then literally showed some fight when he had an altercation with Stuart Kettlewell and the pair were booked, taking the Saints skipper closer to suspension.
After drawing level we could have stolen the lead when Carey thumped a ball into the mix from a ridiculous distance and Thompson launched himself at, but sadly this time Fraser's arm was strong enough to keep it out and far enough away from Lewis Guy who was waiting for the rebound. That was as good as it was to get as a minute before the break Vigurs put a free-kick into the box and Grant Munro was unmarked to nod home at the back post and restore County's lead. Shocking marking to cap a shocking first half.
We didn't seem to have done much at half-time to fix things. There were no changes and we were still as poor as before, almost going further behind when Sam Morrow headed over from a corner. Then we got a break. Carey tried to fire in a cross, the ball broke for Thompson and he got a shot in that was frustratingly blocked on the line. However, it wasn't cleared and Guy reacted quickly in a bid to score the rebound before ending up on the deck after a challenge from Marc Fitzpatrick. Guy had already decided it was a penalty before it was even given and he was the one charged with scoring it. He did - just, Fraser coming very close to keeping it out.
Incredibly, Guy was then hooked, Robertson also going off in a change that was obviously organised before the goal. McLean and Parkin were introduced in their place, a number of Saints fans confused and unhappy at the substitutions. Clearly, Danny Lennon knows what he's doing as shortly after the switch a superb pass sent van Zanten down the right and he whipped in a perfect cross that Tokely look-a-like Parkin bulletted into the net after jumping like a man possessed. County almost equalised when McAusland handled and Vigurs free-kick was palmed away by Samson at the last second, but we then went further ahead when McLean gathered the ball 25 yards out and decided to try his luck - a good move as his low shot arrowed into the bottom corner.
With Saints being Saints you knew things were almost certainly far from over and County threw on Colin McMenamin and Gary Glen as they tried to change things. Instead, we had a couple of chances to put things to bed as Parkin raced (yes, raced - not a typo) down the left and crossed for Thompson, who nodded wide, before Imrie went on a terrific run only to fall over as he got ready to shoot. The ball did end up at Thompson but almost nothing was on and the shot went wide. It was the last meaningful contribution Imrie made as Gary Teale took his place for the last 15 minutes.
So, two goals up at home, on top and looking like extending our lead. What could possibly go wrong? Well, you've forgotten that this is Saints we're talking about - and as this is Danny Lennon's Saints hoofing the ball up the park out of danger is not allowed. So, around 10 minutes from time, we found ourselves passing the ball around at our own corner flag. All very nice. Until we lost possession. It looked as if things had been sorted, especially when a shot was blocked, but the rebound fell for Quinn and he smashed it into the bottom corner. No problem, we're still a goal up - except within a minute we weren't. The defence switched off, a cross found Quinn in almost the same spot and he provided the same response, shooting into the same corner. Shambles.
It looked as if we would be clinging on for the remainder of the game but we did at least try to get a winner, Parkin heading wide following some good play by Teale and van Zanten. That would surely be as close as we would come - but it wasn't. On a rollercoaster of an afternoon there was to be one more loop-the-loop of drama. As the game entered the 90th minute Carey burst down the left, chipped the ball up into the middle and Thompson somehow, incredibly, remarkably, spectacularly, overhead kicked it. The Saints support looked on in slow motion as the ball looped past Fraser into his net for our fifth goal - the first time we've ever hit so many goals in the SPL. Unbelievable stuff - and what a way to win it.
But there were still three minutes of stoppage time and Thompson gave away a free-kick when he was understandably a bit too keen to give Tokely a booting. It was one final chance for County to load the box, but thankfully it came to nothing and the final few seconds remarkably passed without drama. Game over. Job done. Three crucial points.
And I'm off for a wee lie down!
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