Match Date : Saturday 16th August 1997 Competition : Premier League Attendance : 5,036
SLACK WELL SLAYED BY SAINTS
Motherwell (0) 0 Saint Johnstone (0) 1A LETHARGIC performance by Motherwell allowed Saint Johnstone to dominate this match and leave Fir Park with all three points. Without suspended Captain Brian Martin Motherwell gave a debut to Steven Craigan, but the Motherwell defence looked decidedly shaky without the steadying influence of Martin.
The first quarter of the match was a fairly even affair, with Motherwell perhaps shading things slightly. Chances first-half were few and far between, though the best fell early on to the home side. >From a Mickey Weir cross, Willie Falconer leapt unchallenged to power in a header which the impressive Alan Main managed to tip over the cross-bar for a fruitless corner. Saint Johnstone then came more into the match, with O'Boyle up front holding the ball up very well allowing his team mates to put numbers into attack. Davidson, upon receipt of an O'Boyle lay-off, crossed for Scott to rattle in a header which Stevie Woods somehow palmed onto the cross bar and over. Saints were finding a lot of room to manouvre in, the Motherwell midfield seemingly ineffective in stopping the Perth men breaking upfield. At half-time it was fairly even, though Saint Johnstone would have been more satisfied with their first-half effort, whereas Motherwell seemed to be lacking in ideas and direction.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Saint Johnstone 0The men from Perth began the second half in a whirlwind fashion, pushing Motherwell back into defence. McQuillan's shot from the edge of the box was deflected by Eddie May for a corner but that was as close as Saints' pressure was to provide at this stage. Motherwell were then awarded a free-kick wide on the right. Weir sent Doerner racing towards the St Johnstone box, and his shot was well held high to the left by the acrobatic Main. Motherwell fans had a rare moment of cheer when Tommy Coyne got ready to come on, but the cheers quickly turned to jeers when it was realised that it was Doerner, perhaps Motherwell's most effective player to this point, was to come off. Saint Johnstone then came even closer to scoring when McQuillans' free was hooked goal-wards by Scott, only for Philliben to boot the ball over the bar from on the goal-line. Howver, the Perth team were not to be denied, and a clever move led to their taking the lead. A Motherwell attack was broken up by a long boot upfield from Jim Weir, met by his namesake who laid the ball off for Scott on the half-way line and in the clear. Scott made his way unchallenged to the box, and after intchanging with O'Boyle and Grant, crossed the ball in low where Grant volleyed home in complete isolation. It was a well-worked goal, but the marking was shocking to say the least. The last real chance fell to Motherwell. Eddie May, who had been subject to a torrent of abuse by certain sections of the home support, almost silenecd his critics by running 30-yards and sending in a chip which had Alan Main at full stretch to clutch the ball. Thereafter Saint Johnstone ran the clock down, and Motherwell were left to ponder how they could produce such Jeckyll and Hyde performances in their first two matches of the season.
FULL TIME Motherwell 0 Saint Johnstone 1