Cup Final: Perth Saints 1 - 6 Inglewood Kiev

There is no escaping the fact that the Saints copped an almighty hiding at the worst possible time, Cup Final day, to produce a disappointing end to what has largely been an enjoyable season.

Inglewood Kiev were too good. During the entire 90 minutes and throughout the season as a whole, no team were better. I don’t think one Saints player would say otherwise.

It’s a shame then that they can’t win with humility. Lauding it up on the Saints Facebook page only makes them look like cunts instead of the league’s best side.

It’s clear that the Ukranian club has had a bee in its bonnet about the Saints since early in the season when they lost 2-1 at Tompkins Park and the reporter labelled them as a low-mid table side. You can only comment on what you see. To improve from then and use that as motivation is a complement to the power of the report.

Our reports are written for our own club but read league wide. If you get a laugh then that’s great. If you get offended then that’s great too. Suffice to say that without them the league would be fucking boring.

The Cup Final was lost five weeks ago. Internal tensions amongst some players and coach and disquiet at end of season performances and tactics put paid to the Saints chances long before a ball was kicked.

In our hearts the Saints hoped they could win, but the mind was saying that it would have to be one of the performances of the season to claim the cup for a second consecutive season. The fact that a number of players had an all day bender the day before the match probably highlighted the Saints mentality heading into the game.

Regardless, the boys in blue wanted to win and were switched on to give 100% on Cup Day. Those hopes were blunted only 10 minutes in when the Weasel easily turned two defenders and lashed in a low strike. It was a quality goal no doubt.

The referee then bottled what would have been a huge decision when the Inglewood Lumberjack kicked/stamped Dan Doody who lay prostrate on the ground following a foul. The linesman flagged and notified the ref who only issued a yellow. Dan Cropper asked him why it wasn’t a red and the referee said he wanted to be lenient.

Ryan Davies floated in a back post free kick which dropped inches wide of the goal and Colin Burdle’s desperate lunge with the keeper stranded.

Blunted hopes turned to shattered hopes when the second went in. Cropper clearly won the ball on the edge of the box before then clipping the leg as the attacker tried to get past. The referee blew for a foul, another poor decision on his behalf.

The free kick was heading in until a fingertip save from Collins onto the cross bar. The lurking attacker muffed his shot from two yards but Fitzpatrick’s off the line clearance smashed off the face of James Guiney and into the net for a comedic own goal. With it went any realistic hopes of a win.

The Saints central midfield was non-existent. The space afforded to the Ukranian club could have been used to set up beach chairs and umbrellas on the pitch. Indeed the umbrellas would have afforded greater defensive protection than those in blue shirts.

The third goal came after the awarding of another dubious free kick after Fitzpatrick was adjudged to have been in the back of an attacker when heading a lofted ball. The video would say the man in yellow was backing in to the defender in one of those free kicks which the referee just guesses which way to blow more often than not.

Regardless, the free kick came into the box, Ryan Davies couldn’t win it, the ball spilled to the back where it was smashed past a hapless Collins after Cropper failed to keep pace with his player. Game over.

Dan Doody should have reduced the arrears after being played in from half way, the Lumberjack and his 140kg frame left floundering. Doody advanced into the box, turned inside a defender but slipped at the crucial moment and had to stretch on the shot which was saved by the keepers’ legs.

Fitzpatrick limped off with a leg injury as coach Doody finally went to his subs bench. It failed to stop the flow of goals with Inglewood netting a fourth after sub Scott Jarvis lost the ball near half way. A ball over the top and low cross which provided the Weasel with a simple tap in at the back post. If those in blue hadn’t already given up the fight, they had now.

It should have been five but the Lumberjack’s unmarked header from four yards was brilliantly saved onto the bar by Collins.

Half time was mercifully blown. The message was to tighten up the midfield and to score a few goals for the fantastic Saints support that outnumbered those from Inglewood 4 to 1.

The Saints improved in the second 45, or perhaps Inglewood took the foot off the accelerator. Doody had an early chance but it was saved low.

Some comedy play then set up the fifth for the Ukranians. Guiney who disgraced himself the night before, set the tone for a terrible piece of play by gifting up the ball in central midfield. Weasel chased the through pass, with the ball looking to be over the by-line before embarrassing Colin Burdle, Ryan Davies, Dan Cropper and Guiney again before squaring to an unmarked player to tap home from a few yards.

Captain Fletcher had one powerful effort tipped over the cross bar at full stretch before the goal the Saints fans wanted finally came when Fletcher played a ball over the top (Lumberjack was hopelessly out of place) and Dan Doody expertly lobbed the advancing keeper from an angle.

From there it would have been nice for the Saints to net another to add some respectability to the score but instead Inglewood had six. Fletcher did brilliantly to thwart the initial attack but the resulting cross was missed by Ryan Davies and all that was left was for the low cross back in to the six yard box to be tapped home. Another very soft goal.

That was that. Inglewood lifted the trophy in front of their 20 supporters and celebrated the double. Deservedly so.

In truth the end margin probably assisted the Saints to forget about the game pretty quickly and get stuck into the beers, which went on until close to midnight at the Bowler with the faithful.

For the blues it was a 90 minutes to forget. Not one player could hold their hands up to say they played well. The Saints were out coached, out ran and out played.

Match Details:
PerthSaints 1 (Dan Doody)
Inglewood Kiev 6

Spotted: A huge number of Saints supporters, many wearing blue. Thanks for your support, it was truly appreciated and indeed embarrassing to receive your applause at the end of the match.

Spotted 2: The Immigration Department ready to inspect Irish visas

Not Spotted: InglewoodKiev fans

Next Up: A summer of no football and plenty of drinking

The Future: The Saints may well bid farewell to the Metro league when the club AGM is held and a vote will determine the clubs playing future

Thanks for reading, you’ve been great.