What an embarrassing defeat

Aug 19 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE Challenge Cup exit in the Highlands was meant to be a wake-up call so a rare but emphatic defeat on home turf should have alarm bells clanging at McDiarmid Park.

It was a chance to lay down a marker, to pen a statement of intent which would have First Division rivals quaking in their boots. That opportunity was seized upon, but by Dunfermline, not St Johnstone.

As victories go, this was in the Usain Bolt category.

Like Jamaica’s lightning quick 100-metre Olympian, the Pars burst from the blocks, saw off the opposition in double-quick time and slipped into cruise control long before the end.

While the Fifers were up for it straight from kick-off, far too many Perth players showed all the energy and vitality of a Rastafarian working his way through a sack of ganja.

The upshot was the most embarrassing defeat endured at McDiarmid since champions-elect Falkirk swept aside Saints en route to the title three years ago.

On the plus side, there’s no shortage of time left to put right the damage but four points from nine wasn’t the return demanded by manager Derek McInnes, with sluggish starts proving the club’s Achilles heel in recent seasons.

Three games in and no one has posted a faultless start to the campaign, confirming suspicions it will be dog-eat-dog again.

And surely no one saw a performance like this coming.

Saints were lethargic, disjointed and riddled with uncertainty, while the Pars seized the initiative in the opening minutes with a series of corners and only rarely looked ill-at-ease.

Apart from a Liam Craig header gripped by Gallacher and a debatable penalty claim when Derek Holmes was grounded, the first-half action unfolded in the Perth half. Apprehensive keeper Euan McLean and his defenders lacked the cohesion shown at Greenock, with the U21 international unconvincing at the Pars opener and fortunate to have Kevin Rutkiewicz covering when he dropped a cross at scorer Iain Williamson’s feet soon after the interval.

Despite territorial domination, the Pars relied on a scrappy 42nd minute opener, with Kevin James impeded before Williamson latched onto a loose ball before Dan Smith.

His close range angled shot was miscued but McLean couldn’t keep prevent it clipping the post and edging across the line.

Injured Holmes and Gavin Swankie remained indoors at the interval and there was hope for home fans when James missed his connection with the goal gaping and Collin Samuel failed to convert a Chris Millar cross.

But 11 minutes in and Dunfermline doubled their lead. Bayne and Kirk combined to stretch the defence and midfielder Nicky Phinn got in ahead of Smith to drag the ball into the net from four yards when the cross was driven towards the near post.

Any Perth comeback depended on a rapid response but Gallacher fended off an Irvine strike from a testing angle and turned aside Samuel’s mis-hit hitch-kick in the space of 60 seconds.

The game was done and dusted when Graham Bayne, ironically linked with Saints over the summer, lashed home a spectacular third from 25 yards after a horrible slip from Rutkiewicz.

It made no difference to the outcome but did little to help the mood of Perth fans venting their spleen, and there was added frustration when Stevie Milne burst clear only to inch his shot wide before the final whistle.

St Johnstone: McLean, Irvine, Smith, Millar, Rutkiewicz, James, Swankie (Samuel 46), Craig, Holmes (Jackson 46), Milne and Sheerin (MacDonald 85). Subs not used: McCaffrey and Main.

Dunfermline: Gallacher, Woods, Wilson, Phinn,Shields, McCann, Harper (Williamson 23), Glass, Bayne, Kirk (Muirhead 84) and Burke. Subs not used: Willis, Dearden and Reidford.

Referee: Crawford Allan.