If Saints fans were worried that promotion to the premiership would leave them floundering, unable to compete and quite literally out of their league; then this afternoon's 2-2 draw with Hearts will have put all such fears to rest. For the first 45, Saints dominated, and deserved to take a 1-0 lead into the interval. Hearts two goals in the second half followed a significant improvement in their performance, coupled with their ability to seize the chances they generated, while goal-scoring opportunities were not taken, or taken and disallowed at the other end. The large crowd erupted, when Saints equalised in injury time, thanks to a curling Martin Hardie free-kick from 25 yards; a fitting conclusion to a thoroughly entertaining match.Ticket prices may have been raised at McDiarmid Park, as St Johnstone enter the big league, but there's no doubt that the entertainment level has been raised far more. The relentlessly fast, more skillful play of the premiership is in stark contrast to some of the plodding Division one games of last season, and the ability of top-flight teams like Hearts, to hold possession and build from the back, is worlds-away from some of the dreary long-ball punting we were subjected to from the likes of Stirling Albion last year. It was also good to see that the premiership has lead to bigger-crowds of away-fans coming to Perth than some of the lower-league minnows could muster; this coupled with a big turn-out of locals in the home stands, meant that there was a real atmosphere too. With entertainment this good on offer, they deserve to do well.
4 comments:
Great game. Good sharing it with you and "young Motty".
15 years after moving to Perthshire and I am STILL saying "I suppose I should go and watch St. Johnstone some day." I have 3 questions for you (if you don't mind): Do you think I should bother? How much would it cost me? Is there any danger of getting hit on the back of the head with a bottle or a dart (my pal, a Sunderland fan, tells me stories of such things from the Newcastle-Sunderland derbys).
Andrew - thanks for the comment, and in answer to your questions..
1) I'd go, at least once to see what it's like! Enter the ground from the Crieff road and bear right to the east stand, where the home supporters gather.
2) £20 (cash only, on the door), kids and OAPs £15-.
3) I have taken my 9 year old with me a few times, and we've never seen even a hint of any trouble. We tend not to go to the really big games, where crowds are bigger and potentially more exciteable, but St.J's crowds are actually rather polite!
OK. Thanks, it is now officially on my list of "Things to be done." Hopefully I'll get it done before I am old enough to benefit from the OAP prices :-)
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