'Well Throw Away Three Points

It must have been a sight in the dressing room after the game. Butcher must have been incandescent with rage at the team’s inability to kill off a game which seemed to be won.

Don't count chickens...

We were two up after eleven minutes. McCormack’s downward header from Skippy’s cross started proceedings. Then Paterson fired a rocket from twenty yards and McDonald was on hand to squeeze the rebound under Stillie.

The united defence looked clueless as we poured down on the goal at the Cooper end. McDonald fired a low ball across the goal line and Hamilton almost concerted at the far post. McCormack thrashed one from thirty yards and Stillie did very will to tip it over the bar.

It looked inevitable that we would score the third. We were in complete control. The half was almost at an end and debut keeper Meldrum’s goal had been under no threat. Good work by Fernandez on the wing lead to a cross which was headed home by Miller. United were back in the game and we were only one ahead at the break. The game should already have been won.

There were two half time substitutions, surely caused by injuries. Fitzpatrick replaced Paterson and Kinniburgh stayed in the dressing room and Keogh came on to fill the left back slot. Quinn and Craigan were now in central defence.

The switch seemed to pay an immediate dividend. Fitzpatrick was rewarded for his appearance in the box with a goal in forty eight minutes. Our two goal lead was restored and we were back on course. But United also made a tactical change and they started to threaten on both wings. Fernandez got one back five minutes later.

A second half attack

Jim Hamilton’s fine header just inside the post direct from Hamell’s free kick at the East Stand corner flag on fifty seven minutes steadied the ship and we were 4-2 in the lead. There was half an hour to go.

McDonald was still plugging away and almost scored but his twelve yard shot was straight at the keeper. Then we collapsed.

In an eight minute spell we conceded three goals. Miller, and two from Brebner turned the game as our defence went to sleep. Maybe the combination of the unusual quartet of Hammell, Quinn, Craigan and Keogh together with new keeper cost us. But there can be few excuses.

Andy Smith then replaced Fitzpatrick and we tried to grab a late equaliser.  Stillie produced a great save and as the game entered added time we had two strong penalty claims denied.

With Craigan suspended and the defence at sea, Tuesday’s CIS tie against the Accies might be more of a contest than we had anticipated.