ROUGH & CRUMBLE
Sammon relishes a good battle but reckons too many defenders would rather go down to win soft free-kicks
CONOR SAMMON is relishing an old school tussle with Steven Anderson today – because he reckons too many Scottish defenders have gone soft.
The Partick Thistle frontman boasts the scars as well as the goals record to show he has always been willing to give as good as he gets.
The Irishman is built like the brick wall on the Maryhill barracks but too often he’s coming up against players who go down easier than a pint of Guinness in the Viking Bar.
Sammon, 31, is in his second extended stint in the Scottish game he grew to love in his first three-year spell at Kilmarnock a decade ago.
He still has an affection for the rough and tumble of the Premiership but admits it’s getting tougher to win an even break from refs.
Ahead of the trip to Perth to face St Johnstone he said: “I always have a good battle with Steven Anderson who’s very experienced.
“St Johnstone never give up and always get stuck in. I absolutely love that. There’s no malice or nastiness but just honest, hard-working players fighting for every ball.
“These days it can be frustrating when you see some soft free-kicks awarded against strikers.
“You see centre-halves getting away with all sorts. If there is any sort of pressure they feel they can jump to the ground.
“It’s clever from their point of view because they end up being awarded a lot of free-kicks but I don’t want to see the physical element taken away from the game.
“I love that side of football. It’s not about being nasty, it’s about solid challenges, picking each other up and moving on to the next one.
“I enjoy Scottish football. It’s quite physical and it’s brilliant having loads of tussles and challenges and, ultimately, looking to bring a bit of quality as well. You can be labelled a certain type of player but you also want to be good technically.
“As I get older I love the challenge, especially seeing younger defenders coming in. I was up against Kris Ajer of Celtic the other night and I know him from his loan spell last season at Kilmarnock.
“Playing against someone like that, who’s also a strong athlete, is a great test.”
Sammon has netted four times in his last three games and is enjoying a vein of form he hasn’t experienced since he netted 18 goals for Killie in season 2010-11 and won a move to Wigan.
He added: “This run probably brings back memories of my first spell at Killie when I was playing regularly and scoring goals.
“It’s a good habit and I want to continue.”
The Jags sit in the relegation play-off spot but could move up the table and to within three points of Saints with their first away win of the season.
Sammon added: “There’s nothing between five or six teams. We’re beginning to get players back from injury and that can only push us on.”