Saints kicked out in the cold

Feb 10 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DEREK McInnes yesterday watched a video nasty filmed in the Highlands.

With half his squad stranded in a hotel car park on the outskirts of Glasgow as the west of Scotland went into cold storage, the Perth manager scanned the evidence from the weekend draw against Ross County.

And McInnes, who has a closed doors game today against the Scotland U21 team, had no reason to change his opinion that several key decisions had again gone against his side.

En route to Dingwall, Morton attacker James Grady admitted Jody Morris should have had a spot-kick at Greenock the previous week.

And officials did Saints no favours in the Highlands, with three goals chalked off, a penalty claim denied and the advantage rule ignored at a crucial moment.

McInnes said: “We didn’t get any breaks and I’m still annoyed. We were on the wrong end of a couple of poor and big decisions. But we were still guilty of conceding two poor goals.

“I think it was wrong but I can see why the officials gave a foul against Derek Holmes for using an arm. But they should have played the advantage rule to let Liam Craig score when Andy Jackson was brought down. The referee blew too early.

“I can also see why the linesman felt Kevin Rutkiewicz was offside with the Holmes header. But Collin Samuel was well onside when he touched in Stuart McCaffrey’s header.

That should have stood. It was the worst decision of the lot.”

McInnes got the reaction he wanted from players facing a two goal interval deficit.

“It’s five months since we went up to Dingwall and began this 17-game unbeaten run so I know these are proud players. I got the reaction I expected from them.

“Andy Jackson and Gavin Swankie both made an impact and that’s what I want from my substitutes. I asked Gavin to get on and deliver crosses and Jacko caused them real problems.”

A strong Perth side will face former manager Billy Stark’s U21 side today. The SFA have ensured the game goes ahead by meeting the cost of undersoil heating. The match isn’t open to the public.

McInnes expects to give game time to Swankie, Peter MacDonald, Steven Anderson, Graham Gartland, Euan McLean, Jackson, Kevin Moon and Martin Hardie.

Striker Steven Milne’s hamstring injury is improving and he could return for the weekend home clash with Livingston.

Swankie yesterday revealed that McInnes is counting on him.

The substitute set-up the second Perth goal and he revealed: “Before I went on the gaffer told me he’d be counting the number of crosses I put into the box. So it was good to set-up the equaliser.”

Since winning in Dingwall in September Saints have embarked on an impressive unbeaten run.

Swankie said: “We’re four points clear at the top and we’d have taken that after our start to the season. And while it was disappointing not to go on and win against Ross County I suppose we’d have taken a point at half-time.

“Now we have Livi here on Saturday. We’ve had a lot of away games and we’ll be looking to win at home.”

MCDIARMID Park played host to an exciting Scotland U20 clash with Wales on Friday. The young Scots won a thriller 18-17. On February 27 the Scotland ‘A’ team returns to Perth to face Italy with a 7.30pm kick-off. It’s the night before the home game with Dundee so the ground staff will have their work cut out. And on Friday, March 13 Scotland U20s return to McDiarmid for a game against the Irish at 7.30pm. Admission free.