Brave Saints go down fighting against Celtic

Nov 30 2009 by Our Correspondent, Paisley Daily Express

CELTIC 3

ST MIRREN1

SAINTS dropped to ninth in the SPL after opponents Celtic rediscovered their scoring touch at Parkhead.

Gus MacPhersons Buddies made a decent go of it in the first half but the Hoops bagged two goals in three minutes to put them on Easy Street.

Saints substitute Michael Higdon pulled it back to 2-1 a minute before the break but Scott McDonald extended Celtics lead just past the hour mark.

Buddies boss Gus MacPherson made just the one change to his starting 11, with Garry Brady drafted back into action at the expense of Higdon.

After four minutes, Aiden McGeady picked up a pass from Andreas Hinkel on the right and sped away brilliantly from David Barron. The Republic of Ireland Internationalist made an angled run into the box, where his low cross was met by Zheng Zhi eight yards out but the effort was easily held by Paul Gallacher in goal.

After eight minutes, Hugh Murray started a great move when he picked out Jack Ross on the right.

The Saints skipper for the day played in Mehmet and his lay-off found Andy Dorman at the edge of the box but the Celtic defence were on hand to deny him a shot at goal.

Chris Innes was on hand to head clear a McGeady cross into the dangerzone with McDonald breathing down his neck but the nearside flag was raised for offside anyway.

Brady combined with Ross on the right before the former sent a lovely angled cross into the box for Steven Thomson but goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska was there to take the catch.

Then McDonald sent a cute volley from 10 yards just high of the target when the Aussie played in Hinkel on the right and the German defender repaid the compliment by delivering a teasing cross.

There was a serious blow to St Mirren after 17 minutes when midfielder Dorman sustained a hamstring injury and was replaced by Higdon.

By the midway point, the home support grew aggravated by their teams performance, while for the visiting support, they must have been fairly satisfied with what they had witnessed so far.

After 26 minutes Innes was on hand to hoof clear a Danny Fox cross to the near post after McGeady played him in, before Innes denied McDonald a shot at goal after Marc Crosas combined with Zhi to present the Australian with a sniff of goal.

McGeady saw a shot blocked after Murray lost possession to Zhi on the right as Celtic pressed for an opener, then the Hoops midfielder sent in a tame shot from 16 yards that Gallacher easily gathered.

After 38 minutes, Celtic made it 1-0 when Zhi picked up a loose pass out of defence and found Samaras in an advanced position.

The Greek played a slide rule pass into McDonald and the strikers effort took a touch off Innes on its way to goal from 12 yards.

At the other end, Innes sent a speculative headed effort over target as Zaluska was left exposed at a cross from the right.

But the home side were straight up the park and scored after 41 minutes.

McGeadys run from midfield went unchallenged and the Irishman had the simple task of playing in Samaras and the striker sent the ball beyond Gallacher and in at the far post from 14 yards.

Saints, though, won a free-kick 20 yards out and it was a real chance to test the Celtic goalkeeper.

Saints reduced the deficit, after 44 minutes, when Mehmets cross from the right saw Crosas drag it down inexplicably and into the feet of Higdon who sent a fine angled finish beyond a stunned Zaluska.

Suddenly, from a match that looked well and truly over it was game once again.

Lee Mair picked up a caution for a foul on Samaras after 49 minutes, before Barrons woeful passback put Saints under pressure but from the resultant corner, Gallacher took it cleanly.

After 56 minutes, Gallacher saved a McGeady shot after the midfielder turned brilliantly towards a through ball on the right.

Then Innes was forced to concede a corner on the right after McGeady sent in another cross from the right side of midfield but once again Gallacher took it easily.

After 61 minutes, Celtic made it 3-1 with a tremendous worked goal when Gary Caldwell sent a great pass up field for McGeady and the midfielder controlled it well before playing in McDonald to stroke home from around eight yards.

Gallacher plucked a Marc-Antione Fortune header from a Fox free-kick out of the air seconds after the Celtic substitute was introduced for Samaras.

McGinn was sacrificed for Allan Johnston a minute later.

Caldwell was penalised for a foul on Higdon and the visitors won a free-kick 25 yards out but, before it was taken, Mehmet and Glen Loovens were spoken to by referee Steve Conroy for an off-the-ball incident.

When the kick was taken by Ross, the boot of Fox deflected it wide.

Zhi won a free-kick after 70 minutes after he received a tug on his jersey from McGinn but McDonalds effort was deflected behind by the St Mirren wall.

From the set piece from Crosas, the ball was knocked home by McDonald, but the effort was ruled offside.

At the other end, a Ross free-kick came in from the left, Caldwell scuffed his clearance and Mehmet fired it over.

Craig Dargo was introduced for Murray, before Fortune looked odds on to score but instead he dragged his shot across the face of goal.

With time running out, Gallacher was forced to stretch to get a hand to a Fox piledrive towards the top right hand corner.

From the resultant corner, Innes clearly handled it and was surprisingly red carded after picking up a caution.

But there was a farce in the aftermath when the player came racing back on after the referee realised that Innes had not been booked at that point, meaning he was free to continue.

Anyway, Gallacher spread himself to his left to block the penalty from McDonald and from the follow-up, again from McDonald, Gallacher denied him for the second time.