Saints top the league after victory over Plean

Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of Ryan Barclay, captain Scott Maitland and Matty Pollock. In the middle of the park Aaron McKay, Gavin Forgrieve and Will Graham were flanked by wingbacks David Beaton and Preston MacIntyre with Rhys Millar and Connor Moore up front.

Warming the substitutes bench were Connor Beattie, Kenneth Black, Innes Fraser, Craig Livingstone and Kuba Ryszka.
   

Prior to kick-off Referee Stephen Rae led both sets of players and officials in a silence of remembrance for former Plean player Johnny Richardson who passed away recently.
   

Saints opened the scoring in the 21st minute, ironically profiting from a throw-in. Connor Moore put Juda Mzamu under enough pressure to
cause the big central defender to miscue his clearing header from Beaton’s throw-in from the right across the Plean 18-yard box. MacIntyre was quickest to react and beat Glen Black to lash the ball past Smith. Smith performed heroics on the half-hour mark to keep the deficit at one. 

Saints were good value for their half-time lead which they extended just three minutes into the second period. 
   
The re-energised hosts were pressing hard to get back into the game but again needed Smith to come to the rescue when he saved bravely at
the feet of Millar who had left the Plean defence trailing in his wake when he burst through the middle in the 61st minute.
   

Saints weathered a sustained period of Plean pressure before eventually clearing their lines and winning a corner kick at the other end. 

Forgrieve produced another excellent delivery from the corner flag to the back post where Millar ghosted in to cushion a volley into the net for Saints’ third goal.
   

Two minutes after the restart it was the hosts turn to profit from
a corner kick.
 

Graham and MacIntyre combined well on the left to tee-up a good 73rd minute chance which Beaton blazed over the crossbar from 18 yards.
Four minutes later the same three combined again this time to far better effect when Beaton arrived on cue at the back post to volley MacIntyre’s cross from the left into the roof of the net.

   Plean substitute Jak Connolly made an instant impact when he burst into the Saints box in the 82nd minute. Livingstone slid in to put the ball behind for a corner, however Referee Stephen Rae ruled that he had taken the man first and pointed to the penalty spot. The penalty was ruthlessly dispatched into the roof of the net giving Maitland no chance.
   

There was however to be no grandstand finish from the hosts as Saints regained their composure to see out the remaining minutes in relative comfort
   

Manager MacLeod said: ’’I was always going to be difficult. The narrow park was quite heavy and bumpy and not conducive to playing the way we normally play so we got the ball forward a lot quicker. We were never in any real danger, although credit to Plean they never gave up and we had to defend well at times, but we could and probably should have scored another two or three goals.’’
   

Due to this Saturday’s scheduled opponents FC Pather’s continued involvement in the Scottish Amateur Cup, the D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored Saints have no fixture.

Steven MacLeod’s men return to action on Saturday March 21 when they travel to Carrick Park, Glenboig, to face fellow Scottish Premier AFA
Premiership title hopefuls AFC Chryston.
   

The Cinema Cup game,at home to Pather, postponed from this weekend has been rescheduled to take place in Oban on Saturday March 28.