Sheerin hails derby goal as 'best ever'

Oct 10 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Bottle rocket

PAUL Sheerin yesterday hailed the Dundee derby goal as the best of his Perth career.

The midfielder was collecting his PA Sport/George Wimpey player of the month award for September.

With a free weekend looming as Scotland tackle Norway in the World Cup qualifiers, Perth players and management enjoyed a team bonding golf day at King James VI.

But it will be back down to business as preparations crank-up for the clash with joint leaders Livingston next Saturday.

At the end of the first quarter last season, Saints trailed Hamilton by eight points.

This year, the margin is four points – despite a troubled start.

Sheerin said: “The Dundee goal was up there with some of the best of my career. It was a long wait, two years for a goal from outfield play, but it was even sweeter because it came against our local rivals.

“We’ve produced a string of good results and achieved the target of 10 points from 12 that was set for us during the last international break.

“We’ve turned things around and it’s down to hard graft as much as anything. Hopefully we’ve had our bad spell for the season.

“We’d heard some whispers that we weren’t as tight a unit as we might be. I think that hurt a few of the lads because we really are tight-knit and in it together. But we had a chat about it anyway and we’ve moved on and bounced back after a dodgy spell of results

“It was great going into the break with that win over Airdrie. The gaffer had stressed it would be awful to undo the good work against Dundee.

“We’re four points off the pace and that’s definitely manageable. We have Livi up next and could go within touching distance of them. There’s a great opportunity to piece together a very good run.

“We might have a few players back from injury. We’ve had a chance to re-charge the batteries and we’re ready to go again.

“We have a strong squad and that’s underlined by the fact Peter MacDonald wasn’t featuring for a few weeks. That underlines the depth we have.”

Manager Derek McInnes, who had been eyeing-up a French trialist in recent days, was disappointed when a closed doors game had to be cancelled.

He said: “We are already looking at the Livi game and several injured players could resume training with the squad on Monday.”

Collin Samuel will miss the Livi game with a hamstring injury and Euan McLean is sidelined for another month, with his arm in plaster. But Jody Morris, Kevin James and Steven Anderson should train next week, along with Martin Hardie.

McInnes said: “We’ll wait and see but hopefully there will be no reaction from the work they have done this week.”