Like Scotland real get on boy....
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www.stjohnstonefc.co.ukFirhill for Thrills – rarely can this often-used catchphrase have been so appropriate as Saints and Partick Thistle shared 8 goals over 120 minutes of football followed by nail biting penalties at the end.
Saints may have scored four goals for the FIFTH successive time on a visit to Firhill but this was no 4-0 scoreline with Dick Campbell’s men pushing Saints every inch of the way.
Owen Coyle rang the changes following the three successive defeats – Kevin Cuthbert was recalled to goal, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Ryan McCann and Peter MacDonald also making their way back into the starting eleven. A flat back four was preferred with Kevin James and Rutkiewicz flanked by Steven Anderson and Goran Stanic but that formation lasted only 11 minutes because James, who appeared to be suffering from a knock as early as the 5th minute was replaced by David Hannah who moved into the right back slot with Anderson moving inside alongside Rutkiewicz.
The midfield was along familiar lines while Jason Scotland sat just behind twin strikers Steven Milne and MacDonald.Saints dominated the early stages and MacDonald, Sheerin and Scotland all fired efforts in on Kenny Arthur’s goal which were not far wide of the mark but it was Kevin Cuthbert who was called into serious action first when he brilliantly got down quickly to push away a low Sean Kilgannon drive for a corner.
In 25 minutes, the influential Sheerin swung over a great cross from the left but Milne failed to get a proper connection on his header and
that was followed by McCann just failing to reach a lovely Scotland pass inside the box and then the Trinidad and Tobago man fired a great effort just wide of goal after picking up a short corner.A neat move involving Scotland, McCann and MacDonald saw the last-named fouled and when Sheerin’s free kick was whipped in Rutkiewicz headed over the bar. At the other end Saints were fortunate that Mark Roberts failed to control a Nicholas cross in the box or the consequences could have been serious.
No goals at half-time and although Saints had dominated possession, only one keeper had had to make a serious save and that was Cuthbert.
Saints picked up where they left off and a McCann corner saw a Rutkiewicz cleared off the line by Kilgannon and then Milne tried an overhead kick which went high. The home side lost Will Snowdon who was stretchered off but in 61 minutes they opened the scoring against the run of play – the ball fell to Roberts some 25 yards from goal and he fired in a stunning dipping drive which gave Cuthbert absolutely no chance.
The lead was short-lived though as just three minutes later Jason Scotland went down under a challenge from Scott McCulloch and referee Dougie McDonald immediately pointed to the spot much to the anger of home players and supporters. Peter MacDonald dispatched the spot-kick with typical aplomb to make it 1-1.It was an absorbing game now and only a superb last-ditch tackle by McCulloch prevented Scotland from scoring after a great ball from MacDonald. Roberts flashed a header just wide of Cuthbert’s goal and then Arthur produced a superb save from a dipping Stephen Dobbie effort, the sub having replaced Steven Milne.
With 10 minutes to go Saints edged ahead. Ryan McCann was determined and tenacious at the edge of the box and his determination not to lose possession gained a free kick and when Darren Sheridan’s dead ball came into the box, Kevin Rutkiewicz got the slightest of touches to send it into the net. That goal sent the travelling fans wild and it looked like that would be enough to win the tie but 40 seconds into injury time, Stanic made a rare error on the night allowing a cross to come in from the right and Thistle sub Jukka Santala headed powerfully into the net.
The pace in the first period of extra-time was no less frantic and former Saint Stephen McConalogue rattled the post with a shot in the opening exchanges.
At the other end, Peter MacDonald produced the run of the night but spoiled his work by trying to score rather than pass to unmarked Dobbie or Scotland to his left. Two minutes before the break in extra-time and unmarked McConalogue got his goal firing in from an angle and that gave Thistle the advantage with 15 minutes to go. And what a 15 minutes it was!
Three minutes after the restart David Hannah found Scotland and his pass to Dobbie saw the former Hibs man produce a crisp finish to make it 3-3. It wasn’t over yet though and with just 3 minutes to go Rutkiewicz was penalised for a push in the box and Sean Kilgannon scored from the spot to make it 4-3 to the home side
but back came Saints and within 60 seconds it was all-square again, Scotland finding sub Neil Janczyk and his shot taking a deflection before bouncing into an empty net.And so to penalties with Kilgannon and Dobbie scoring, Murray scored but Janczyk sent his effort well over the bar to make it 2-1 to Thistle. Kevin Cuthbert then saved from Smyth before Scotland scored for 2-2. Roberts and MacDonald both netted for 3-3 then Andy Gibson saw his kick saved by Cuthbert and David Hannah gleefully thrashed in the penalty to take Saints through 4-3.
What a match! Saints will be pleased with a lot of their play and their domination of long spells but no doubt concerned at the lack of efforts on goal over the 90 minutes. Credit them for digging in though and making it through to the last eight.
Man of the Match: No real failures. All the recalled players more than did themselves justice as did the ever-impressive Steven Anderson but it has to go to the tireless DARREN SHERIDAN who threaded passes around the Firhill pitch for the entire 120 minutes.
Partick Thistle: Arthur, Murray, Snowdon (Andy Gibson), Brady, Smyth, McCulloch, Nicholas (Santala), Gillies (McGoldrick), McConalogue, Roberts, Kilgannon. Subs Not Used: Colin Stewart, Strachan.
St Johnstone: Cuthbert, Anderson, Stanic, McCann, Rutkiewicz, James (Hannah), Sheerin (Janczyk), Sheridan, Milne (Dobbie), Scotland, MacDonald. Subs Not Used: Paston, Stevenson.
Att: 1,465
