Match report

Saturday, 12 December 2009
Frail defence leaves Saints toiling

Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Rangers (3) v Saints (0)
Attendance [44,662]

Above: Jody Morris cannot prevent Kris Boyd from sweeping the ball into the net for Rangers' opening goal in the opening minute of the match.


With bad news on the injury front yesterday, Derek McInnes made a total of FIVE changes to the starting line-up for this afternoon’s match against Rangers at Ibrox.

We knew in advance that injured trio Kevin Rutkiewicz, Stuart McCaffrey and Collin Samuel would all miss out and they were joined by Liam Craig and Kenny Deuchar who also dropped out of the starting eleven as Saints looked to make amends for failing to beat either Hamilton or Kilmarnock in recent home games.

Into the side came Chris Millar, Kevin Moon, Graham Gartland, Steven Anderson and Jonaton Johansson with Anderson and Gartland teaming up at the centre of defence.

If Derek McInnes was looking for his much-changed side to dig in and make a positive start to the game he was left stunned as he watched his side concede a goal after only 29 SECONDS.

Rangers broke down the right from the kick off and with alarm bells ringing, Graham Gartland presented possession to Damarcus Beasley who was quick to find Kris Boyd and the prolific Rangers striker wasted no time in sweeping the ball into the far side of the goal with Smith helpless.

It was a dreadful start and although Saints did their best to try and make an impression with Kevin Moon being muscled out of things as he tried to work his way into the box, it was the home side who nearly doubled their advantage in seven minutes when Smith provided his best save since coming into the side to deny Kenny Miller. The former Rangers keeper dived to his right to push away Miller’s spectacular effort at the end of a neat Rangers move.

With former Saints keeper Allan McGregor sidelined with a groin problem, Neil Alexander was in the Rangers goal and he was called into action in the 15th minute. A Saints corner kick was cleared to the edge of the penalty area where Nacho Novo was sloppy in allowing Chris Millar to take possession and the Saints man tried his luck from 20 yards but Alexander’s diving save prevented him from scoring.

Rangers doubled their lead in 26 minutes and again Saints were the architects of their own demise. Recalled Steven Anderson’s attempted back pass was inaccurate and lacked power and that left Graeme Smith toiling to get in ahead of the chasing Novo. The challenge saw the Rangers man go down and there were no protests as Dougie McDonald pointed to the spot. Kris Boyd did the job from twelve yards.

Saints failed to trouble Alexander further in the remainder of the half – manager Derek McInnes was a picture of frustration on the touchline as Filipe Morais three times failed to provide a quality delivery from dead ball situations while at the other end the Ibrox side had a couple of chances to kill the game off and only the assistant’s flag and some last-ditch defending prevented Kris Boyd from celebrating a first half hat trick.

The second half was only five minutes old when Saints conceded a third goal and again it wasn’t pretty from a defensive point of view. Damarcus Beasley had the ball wide on the right and the combined efforts of Danny Grainger and Graham Gartland couldn’t dispossess him and - worse than that - the ball broke loose allowing Rangers to break towards goal. Kenny Miller should have scored but Smith denied him with a great close range save but was helpless when Nacho Novo pounced on the loose ball to rattle it into the net for 3-0.

Just short of the hour mark, Kenny Deuchar was brought on for Jonaton Johansson and within a couple of minutes he had made Alexander in the Rangers goal work as he got his head to a Moon cross but the Rangers man was equal to the task.

Moments after Dave Mackay had taken the wrong option by shooting over the bar rather than trying to find colleagues inside him, Novo rattled the base of Graeme Smith’s right hand post as Rangers looked for a fourth goal.

Gavin Swankie was introduced for Morais but by that time it was damage limitation.

Saints keeper Smith was called into action again soon after and he produced another great save to keep the home side out. Beasley had skipped down the right and cut inside, with Danny Grainger unable to stop him and the USA player unleashed a drive which Smith pushed away for a corner kick.

Saints offered little more in an attacking sense while at the other end the Saints goal lived a charmed life and one error of judgement too many on the part of Graham Gartland was enough to see a clearly angry Derek McInnes replace him with Gary Irvine for the final few minutes - Dave Mackay moving to centre half to allow Irvine into his accustomed right back role.

Few would have expected Saints to take anything from this game but it is the way that the home side were presented with an easy win which will no doubt perplex Derek McInnes. All three goals were poor from a defensive point of view.

In terms of positives, the midfield players all caught the eye although Filipe Morais will be frustrated with the quality of his delivery from dead ball situations. Graeme Smith also showed why he was brought to the club in the summer.

Plenty of work for the management team to do ahead of next week’s home encounter with St Mirren.

SAINTS: Smith, Mackay, Grainger, Morris, Millar, Moon, Gartland (Irvine), Davidson, Morais (Swankie), Anderson, Johansson (Deuchar)
Subs not used: Main, Craig, May, Durnan.

RANGERS: Alexander, Weir, Papac, Davis, Thomson (McCulloch), Boyd, Novo, Miller (Lafferty), Beasley (Fleck), Broadfoot, Bougherra.
Subs not used: Gallacher, Wittaker, Little, Wilson

Referee: Dougie McDonald

Att: 44,662

PHOTOS
Top - Kenny Deuchar and David Weir battle for possession
Bottom - Kevin Moon gets the better of Damarcus Beasley