Champions ease to a final victory

May 15 2009

APPEARANCES can be deceptive. With the sun beating down, a meagre crowd watching proceedings and a mix of first team and youth players on show for both sides, this had all the hallmarks of a pre-season friendly.

But this was no idle kick-about in the sun – this was the final match of the SFL First Division campaign. A match which those amongst the Perth support of a less confident persuasion had pencilled in some weeks ago as a potential last day of the season, watch-through-the-fingers encounter – the outcome of which would perhaps determine the destination of the championship.

But there was no need for any last match nerves, thanks to the job having been completed the previous week and this encounter – delayed some 54 hours thanks to the vagaries of the Scottish weather – was able to be viewed with a degree of relaxation by the 633 hardy souls who bothered to turn up.

A good proportion of that crowd would no doubt have been proud parents, siblings and friends watching as an array of young players got a wee taste of first team football and none of them could have gone away disappointed with the efforts of those on show.

For Saints, Stephen Reynolds and Johnny Lindsay were the youngsters making their debuts, joined later by Stevie May who, within two minutes of replacing Gavin Swankie, had rifled the ball into the goal to set the club statisticians scuttling away to see if his achievement at just 16 years and 190 days old was in the record-breaking category.

It proved a nice aside to a relaxed evening that saw farewell appearances from Steven Doris and Graham Barrett and the one time Arsenal youth striker really should have signed off with at least a hat-trick.

Saints – who fielded a side more experienced than their relegation play-off bound hosts – dominated long spells of the match and how the game was goalless at half-time remains a mystery. Barrett had three gilt-edged chances and young Reynolds sent a flashing header just over as the Perth midfield combo of Messrs Swankie, Moon, Sheerin and Samuel clicked into gear from the first minute.

Having witnessed 45 minutes without a goal, the Perth support had only four minutes of the second half to wait before their heroes made the breakthrough.

Lindsay was involved in the build up, sending in a deep cross from the left and after Barrett's header had cannoned off the keeper and Sheerin had knocked the ball against the post, Barrett teed up Swankie for a 12-yard finish.

The remaining three goals all came in the closing 10 minutes and provided a scoreline which gave a fairer reflection on proceedings. Steven Anderson was in acres of space when he headed home a Sheerin corner and May drilled the ball across home keeper Hollis and into the far corner having shown his marker a clean pair of heels chasing a Sheerin through ball.

It was left to Barrett to provide what was the final kick of St Johnstone's seven year spell in the First Division and, as it turned out, his short Perth career when he finally produced a crisp finish to give him some reward for all his endeavour.

Airdrie Utd: Hollis, Bain, Hazley, McCabe, Floan, Taylor, Keast (McCluskey 68), Watt (Donnelly 81), Maguire (Donnaghy 81), Brown, Noble. Subs not used: Byrne and Collier.

St Johnstone: McLean, Doris, Lindsay, Moon, Anderson, Gartland, Swankie (May 82), Reynolds (Milne 52), Barrett, Samuel (Millar 57), Sheerin. Subs not used: Durnan and Clark.

Referee: Anthony Law