Three, but not so easy for Saints!

Jan 14 2009 Paisley Daily Express

SAINTS huffed and puffed their way into the fifth round of the Homecoming Scottish Cup last night with a less-than-easy victory over Brechin City at Glebe Park.

Jim Hamilton put Saints in the lead from the penalty spot, before Neil Janczyk’s cracking volley levelled matters early in the second half.

But Dennis Wyness put Saints back in the driving seat when he pounced on a loose ball after 56 minutes, before Hamilton put a gloss on the victory when he guided home the third with 20 minutes remaining.

Last night saw the competitive debut of new signing Steven Thomson, the midfielder coming in for Garry Brady.

Saints kicked off shooting down the Glebe Park slope and City’s John Ward did well to deny Stephen McGinn an effort on target

when the Saints youngster intercepted John Baird’s crossfield pass.

A minute later Franco Miranda tried his luck with a free-kick from distance but it lacked the power and direction to trouble Chris McCluskey in goal.

Ward saw a headed effort from a corner hoofed clear by the visitors, before an Andy Dorman cutback found McGinn but Hamilton could not reach the resultant cross into the danger zone.

After eight minutes Kevin Byers carved out a chance when he left fly from distance but the effort zoomed high and wide of Mark Howard’s goal.

Then Gary Twigg turned to fire a half chance wide of Howard’s left-hand post from the edge of the penalty box.

Willie Dyer won a corner on the left at the expense of Jack Ross after 13 minutes and from the resultant cross Warded headed it well wide.

At the other end Thomson won a corner on the right and a chance for the visitors to really pressurise the Brechin defence but the cross was headed clear.

Then Ward was forced to turn possession behind for another corner, the time on the left, but again City cleared their lines.

Wyness had the ball in the back of the net after 22 minutes following a neat build-up but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Saints won a penalty kick in the 25th minute when Ward cynically sent Dorman tumbling to the ground and the Brechin defender was cautioned by referee Stephen Finnie.

Up stepped Hamilton to roll a left-foot shot the other side of McCluskey for 1-0.

Before play resumed Dorman required treatment for a knock he sustained in the build-up to the penalty but he returned to the fray moments later.

Saints sought to extend their slender lead but Hamilton’s upward header from Thomson’s centre was easily caught by McCluskey.

Then Wyness squandered a great chance to make it 2-0 after the half hour when Howard’s long punt was headed on by Hamilton but the striker sliced the effort wide from 12 yards.

Miranda gave Saints a fright two minutes later when he almost headed a cross ball into his own net. Thankfully the resultant corner came to nothing.

In the 38th minute Hamilton almost scored a freak second goal when McCluskey’s poor clearance deflected off the number 18 in the six-yard box and almost looped over the keeper but he recovered in time to save any blushes.

McGinn sent a low right-foot shot well wide of the mark before the Buddies went into the break 1-0 to the good.

But 38 seconds after the restart and Brechin were level.

The ball came in from the left flank and was headed back across goal by Gary Twigg to Janczyk and the midfielder sent a cracking flying volley high and into the net from 14 yards.

With their tails up Brechin’s Richard Walker picked up Ian Nimmo’s fine pass and played a low shot across the face of goal where Baird just failed to connect.

Darren Smith then saw a right-foot shot flash agonisingly over the crossbar as the tide turned in Brechin’s favour.

But Wyness made it 2-1 after 56 minutes when McCluskey made a hash of a cross ball, Hamilton tried to prod it home but Wyness was there with the scraps to guide it home from 15 yards.

The action swung from end to and as Cuthbert made an important intervention tackle to deny Baird a clear shot at goal, then a right-foot rocket from Jack Ross stung the fingers of McCluskey towards the hour mark.

There was a moment on controversy in the 68th minute when Baird converted Twigg’s pass and Jim Duffy’s side thought they had equalised but the nearside assistant had his flag up and the goal was disallowed.

Up the park went Saints and Hamilton made it 3-1 after 70 minutes when Ward’s misjudged headed passback flew beyond the outrushing McCluskey and Hamilton had the simple of task of rolling the ball towards goal and guiding it into the net.

Janczyk brought out a fine save from Howard after 80 minutes when his low free-kick was touched behind by the Saints stopper who must have seen it very late.

In the end Saints are through but this was by no means a walk in the Glebe Park.

Star Saint – Jim Hamilton.