Savo carves up the Diamonds

Oct 7 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

ANOTHER free weekend looms as the Tartan Army is mobilised to drink the country out of recession.

But what a difference from the last time the First Division was interrupted by World Cup commitments.

Before Scotland tackled Macedonia and Iceland, the league table was off-limits for Perth players and supporters. Three defeats, two of them traumatic, had consigned Saints to second bottom and posed question marks against the squad’s ability to live-up toa sense of anticipation which had built over the summer.

But Derek McInnes, installed for the long-term by chairman Geoff Brown when he replaced Owen Coyle, has passed the most pressing examination of his time in office, with 10 points from the 12 on offer little short of remarkable given what had gone before.

No one would have hand-picked Dingwall, Dumfries and a Dundee derby to steady the ship.

You wouldn’t have wagered a Bradford and Bingley share on emerging unscathed from that little lot – even in good times.

So management and players deserve plaudits for hauling themselves back into contention, with joint leaders QoS and Livingston reined-in and the gap pegged back to four points.

There have been no extravagant claims emanating from McDiarmid.

Talk of the Champions League has been left for Almondvale, the next staging post for a squad which surely has more quality in-depth than any of their rivals.

Bear in mind that Jody Morris and Kevin James, both regarded as influential players, have been absent so far. Saints still have to step-up another gear or two but hard graft, a more solid backline and strikers coming good has been responsible for an impressive revival.

McInnes was denied regulars Martin Hardie and Collin Samuel for this one but still had enough in the locker to polish off the Diamonds.

It wasn’t always easy on the eye and they had to recover their poise after a shock Airdrie equaliser minutes into the second half.

But a Stevie Milne double, coming hard on the heels of the derby strike which wiped away lingering memories of his first career red card, on reserve duty, ensured Saints are back on course.

They got off to the perfect start when woeful defending allowed Gavin Swankie to take a pop from 20 yards.

A deflection sent it beyond surprised keeper Stephen Robertson, who learned his trade at McDiarmid.

One-time mentor Alan Main tipped a Lovering header over but he had no chance as David Nixon rose ahead of grounded Derek Holmes to plant a precise header into the top corner from a hanging McDonald cross.

But Saints forged ahead eight minutes later when Holmes teed-up a close range volley for Milne.

The initial cross was delivered by half-time sub Kevin Moon, whose return from injury was welcomed by manager and fans alike.

The Diamonds claimed offside and Milne had a glance at the assistant before celebrating.

Two minutes later Moon was millimetres away from a comeback strike, with his well-struck 25-yarder from a Holmes set-up smacking the base of the post.

Another replacement, Alan Morgan, also made a valuable contribution.

One teasing cross saw Holmes and the keeper collide and there was only going to be one casualty in that mismatched contest. But Milne’s tap-in from the debris was chalked off by a belated verdict from the referee.

Then Peter MacDonald almost buried another Morgan cross with a first-time drop shot.

But Milne wasn’t to be denied and in stoppage time, more good work from the energetic Millar opened up the defence and the striker’s instinct saw him perfectly placed for a simple back post finish.

ST JOHNSTONE: Main, Irvine, Craig, Millar, Rutkiewicz, McCaffrey, Swankie (Morgan 76), McKoy (Moon 46), Holmes (MacDonald 83), Milne and Sheerin. Subs not used: Jackson and Robinson.

AIRDRIE UTD: Robertson, Smyth, Lovering (Lynch 76), McDonald, Donnelly, Nixon, McDougall, McKenna, di Giacomo, McLaughlin and Cardle. Subs not used: Smith, Brown, Maguire and Hollis.

Referee: Dougie McDonald.