St Pat's give the students a lesson

Published 27 Oct 2009 14:00

St Patrick's FP 3 Strathclyde University 1

St Pat's sent the students back to school with a convincing win over Strathclyde University.

When D'annunzio converted St Pat's third goal in the 19th minute it helped to ease the

concern felt during the final 15 edgy minutes when one slip could force the game in to extra time.

St Pat's had scorned numerous chances during the game and they should have been in a comfort zone even before the half-time break.

Gardiner in particular was on sparkling form, leaving the visitors defence in tatters every time he surged forward.

The visitors' scrambled defence would concede two gaols just after the quarter-hour mark.

The first came after MacKinnon won a tackle and quickly switched to Smith, who sent Sean Marner clear to pick his spot with a low drive.The second then arrived in spectacular fashion.

Good work from MacLeod was followed up with a super cross to Monaghan, who polished off the move with a left-foot shot giving the keeper no chance from some 12-yards.

This should have signalled an avalanche but the students had learned their lesson and won back a fair share of possession with a solid passing game.

Though they were prone to go for a spectacular shot once they got into the final third of the park.

This made life easy Kevin Connor in the St Pat's goal while his opposite number Dave Paterson was diving all over the place, smothering or deflecting half-hearted attempts from the Saints forward line.

Gardiner would again take up the burden with another run out on the left and as he resisted all efforts to get the ball off him he turned inside to unleash a shot, but his luck deserted him when Paterson made another fine save.

As the first half was coming to a close the students won a corner kick and as the ball was delivered into the heart of the Saints' defence, the referee awarded a goal when substitute Graeme Anderson was deemed to have flicked the ball over the line.

The fact that the ball remained stubbornly in play failed to sway the referee and the visitors correctly accepted their good luck and goal in good grace with the next whistle for half time taking any heat out of the situation.

The second period would never reach any great heights, and while the visitors got more adventurous their forwards were well marshalled by Michael King and Kris Brown.

The very busy end-to-end D'annunzio put Saints out of their misery with a trademark goal, with the help of Joyce and Gardiner.

This Saturday the Saints are back at home on league business v Colville Park.

ST PATS: K Connor, A Monaghan, A Galloway, K Brown, M King, D D'annunzio, S Gardiner, D MacKinnon, S Marner, T Smith

SUBS: J Joyce, N McIntyre, D Graham.

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 27 Oct 09

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