Have we found a new penalty expert?
Roberto Martinez made a rare start, deputising for Scott Leitch, and delivered ninety minutes of efficient play. He had a key role to play in our second goal. Captain Scott's recurrent knee injury prevented him wearing the armband today and it was suggested that it maybe some time before he is able to lead us again.
The game started with the Saints in control. For the first ten minutes we we pinned back in our last third. But Woods had only to deal with a couple of crosses.
Our first foray into their box ended with Corrigan having a shot knocked away for a corner. Less than a minute later we were back in the box and McFadden was carelessly bundles off the ball. A clear penalty. The youngster coolly side footed the ball to the keeper's right and we were one up!
The rest of the have was scrappy and had little incident. We could have gone two up when Corrigan whipped over a lovely cross to find Ferrere unmarked at the far post. He made fair contact but the downward header was just off target.
The game was made safe on the hour. We were begining to put together some impressive passing moves and from the left wing McFadden set up Martinez for a shot. He was on target and the keeper was happy to give the corner.
Bob took the set piece and enabled McFadden to chip frm the corner of the box. His far post ball was perfect and Lehmann almost walked his header into the net.
The Saints lost the place for a while and their frustration earned them several bookings. Stark soon made a double substitution and ensured that they would finish with eleven players.
We kept control of the game and gained in confidence. Moves were starting to produce chances and we could easily have increased the lead. Hammell missed the target from close in and Lehmann could have done better when, in seventy minutes, he beat the offside trap and ran in with only the goalie to beat. He tried the chip instead of the square pass to Ferrere but the keeper cleared.
Elliott and Pearson came on for a jaunt as the game drew to an end.
The Saints look like a team already relegated. Their only option now is to begin planning for next season. A similar task faces Eric Black since the win all but guarantees our place in the SPL next season. "We won't be relaxed until it's mathematically impossible", was the quote from the manager.
The four/five hundred 'Well fans who made the trip travelled back south with the novelty of an away win will return northward next week when we will hope to gain the third away win against Dundee.