Saints blown away by Dons and the storm

Dec 16 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

I’VE no idea what manager Steve Lomas said as his players left the shelter of the McDiarmid dressing room but “I’m just going outside and I may be some time” would have been entirely appropriate, reports Gordon Bannerman.

In the sort of brutal weather even Captain Oates might have baulked at, players and fans faced an endurance test prompted by Sky Sports’ ludicrous demands to fill a free slot in mid-December.

With police urging motorists not to travel, many fans took note.

With the Tay Bridge closed to traffic, Hurricane Bawbag’s wee brother ripped through Perth and the 1607 turn-out marked a record low attendance.

Leaving aside the matter of a gale so ferocious football was always going to be a complete fiasco, fans were being asked to dip into their wallets and purses for three home games in eight days.

The Perth club didn’t want this fixture re-arranged so quickly with Christmas on the horizon but they didn’t have a say in it and hardy referee Steven McLean mystified observers with a game-on verdict.

Mistakes were inevitable and they came thick and fast. Unfortunately for keeper Peter Enckelman, another high-profile botch-up saw him enduring taunts from 355 Aberdonians huddling in the stand behind his goal to witness the Dons first away win this season.

Coming hard on the heels of a glaring error against Motherwell, the heroics of Tynecastle must have seemed a distant memory to the Finnish international as he sclaffed a clearance from the left-back position into the centre circle and winced as midfielder Ryan Jack booted it from the half-way line into his vacant goal.

With 11 minutes left, that killed off any hope of retrieving a 14th minute deficit created by a fierce low Jack strike which Enckelman parried into the path of alert centre Scott Vernon for a close range finish.

Later, his attempt to scoop up a loose ball whirling around in the wind tunnel brought back recollections of John Lambie’s famous “drunk chasing a balloon” phrase from years gone by.

Fog dispatched the original fixture and spectators were cheated again by the weather in midweek.

For Saints, it was another disappointing outcome, with five goals leaked in the last two home games, and Celtic up next on Sunday. They are still in fourth spot but the prospect of European football suddenly seems a long way off.

Manager Steve Lomas isn’t making a song and dance about it but how many teams can handle the loss of five core personnel and expect business as usual.

Canadian centre Marcus Haber rose to nod home a close range header from a Chris Millar cross in stoppage time, with Dons defender Considine red-carded for a second foul, but while Murray Davidson had a shot blocked before the final whistle it was too little too late.

With Sandaza still posted missing, Sam Parkin got his first start since ankle woes and surgery back in February.

Inevitably, the temptation was to launch hopeful punts into the front two.

Millar buzzed around as usual in a central midfield role and warmed the keeper’s glovers in the third minute and conjured-up a rare piece of quality with a sublime scooped pass which released Haber on a 29th minute dash towards the box.

He was taken out by cautioned defender Foster and the referee decided it was fractions outside the penalty area.

By then, Saints were trailing to Vernon’s poacher’s goal and had something to defend resolutely. Liam Craig fired over and then declined a chance to shoot before the break and Dave Mackay had a header deflected.

But Murray Davidson squandered a clear-cut 54th minute opportunity created by a Craig flick. The midfielder got his head down and ploughed towards the Dons penalty area. The keeper advanced but the Saint’s attempt to lob him went awry and the visitors, who later struck the post with a 35-yard Arnison potshot, survived the scare.

Fans headed for home with REM’s “Night Swimming” belting out. At least someone’s sense of humour had survived intact.

SAINTS: Enckelman, Mackay, C. Davidson, Anderson, McCracken (Finnigan 86), Millar, M. Davidson, Craig, Parkin, Maybury (Gibson 72) and Haber. Subs not used: Mannus, Robertson, Durnan, McIntosh and Gray.

ABERDEEN: Brown, Foster, Mawene (McArdle 56), Considine, Milsom, Vernon, Arnason, Fallon (Chalali 74), Osbourne, Jack and Clark (Pawlett 81). Subs not used: Gonzalez, Magennis, Mackie and Megginson.

REFEREE: Steven McLean.