M*rton  (H)  Bells League Championship - Monday 3 January 2000  Match report by Roving Ross Lafferty Final Score   Saints  1     M*rton 1 Looking at the two side’s line-ups before the game it was clear why Billy Stark and Hugh Scott were so desperate to get this game called off. The Flu epidemic which had ravaged through M*rt*n’s squad had forced them to field a full strength side including regular goalkeeper Ally Maxwell who was so ill he just so happened to play the game of his life. Despite having been dragged from his sickbed on the day of the game Maxwell pulled off save after save to ensure his side went home with one point more than they deserved. Very rarely did they trouble Derek Scrimgour in the opposite goal with his only real save coming just a few minutes from the end of the game. No matter what Saints did though there was no way they were ever going to win this game as they found it almost impossible to find a way past the diseased one in the opposition goal. Right from the very first minute Saints pounded the M*rt*n goal with the visitors looking as if they had came to Paisley for a point and no more. Not surprising given the 24 point gap which exists between the two sides in the league table. The only surprise, with the exception of Stark’s team selection, was that it took over a quarter of an hour before Saints had their first chance with Scott Walker heading over a Mark Yardley flick on from close range after 17 minutes. Only moments later Yardley again caused problems with his aerial strength when his looping header from a Junior Mendes cross was cleared off the line by John Anderson. M*rt*n never looked comfortable dealing with high balls into the box and after 25 minutes Maxwell was called into action for the first time. Ian Ross’ corner caused confusion in the box and Walker’s shot on the turn forced the ‘keeper to pull off a tremendous reflex save low to his left. Twice more before the break he was to deny Saints and again both efforts came as a result of a cross into the box. Firstly he tipped over Steven McGarry’s fine glancing header on the half hour mark and then 9 minutes later he pulled off another save from Walker when he turned the defender’s header from 8 yards around the post. The half time whistle couldn’t have come soon enough for M*rt*n but only three minutes into the second half they were to find themselves a goal down. Scott Walker’s ball over the top caught the defence lapsing as they all stopped to appeal for offside against McGarry. Referee Eric Martindale, who had earlier denied Tom Brown a stonewall penalty, this time did Saints the favour as he waved play on and allowed Mark Yardley to fire a fine left footed shot past Maxwell from 10 yards. Twenty minutes later, after both Yardley and McGarry had missed good opportunities to extend the lead, M*rt*n grabbed an equaliser against the run of play when Martindale awarded them a free kick on the edge of the box following what was a clear dive by Paul Hartley. Hartley himself stepped up to take the kick which was driven in low to Scrimgour’s left - an area which the ‘keeper looked to have covered. Five minutes later Sergei Baltacha replaced Tom Brown and almost snatched the winner when his shot from 25 yards had Maxwell scrambling across his goals to make a fingertip save. With time fast running out he again foiled Yardley when Yard’s chested down a Nicolson cross and fired in a powerful shot which was blocked well by the veteran custodian. At this stage it was clear that Saints weren’t going to find a second goal but right at the death M*rt*n almost committed a theft of grand proportions when a Hartley cross found Harry Curran free at the back post. His first time effort looked a certain goal but somehow, when it mattered, Scrimgour came to the rescue with a tremendous block at the front post. St.Mirren: Scrimgour, Nicolson, Ross (Bowman 46), Turner, McLaughlin, Walker, Murray, Brown (Baltacha 73), McGarry, Mendes, Yardley  Sub not used: Rudden M*rt*n: Maxwell, Murie, Aitken, Millen, Anderson, Fenwick, Matheson, Curran, Wright (Whalen 68), Hartley, McDonald (Kerr 89)  Sub not used: Tweedie Sizzling Saint: Having been so dominant throughout the entire ninety minutes it’s a tough choice this week. Both McGarry and Yardley up front gave their all for the duration while Tommy Turner was again excellent at sweeper. I was at this stage going to award it to Iain Nicolson, who was back to his best after signing a new contract in midweek but the more I think about it the more I realise how commanding a performance Scott Walker gave not only in defence but also when moving forward to join the attack.