Saints not so tricky
Coach wants more creativity
Hannah Clark tries her luck from the edge of the box Saints’captain Jade McDonald looks to create an opening. Pictures by Stuart Cowper St Johnstone Women’s head coach Jason McCrindle admits his side need to be more creative in order to consistently pick up three points.
The Perth side suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Hearts at McDiarmid Park in the Scottish Women’s Premier League 2 on Sunday afternoon.
Little separated the teams for the majority of the contest but the visitors nudged into the lead at the beginning of the second half through Ashley Carse.
Pamela Liddell wrapped up the win for the Jambos in the closing stages but Saints remain in fourth spot in the current standings.
Boss McCrindle said: “I thought there was nothing really in the game. I thought it was two teams who were cancelling each other out for long spells.
“I said to the girls at half-time that it might be a case of being a moment of brilliance or a lapse of concentration.
“And I think on our part it was a lapse of concentration that cost us the first goal. I don’t think we recovered fully from that.
“We started chasing the game and left ourselves a wee bit exposed. Then we got done by the second goal.
“There was a wee bit of frustration because we asked them to do certain things in the game – and they never really did it.
“We’ll go away and watch the game and figure out what we could have done better for us to get that moment of brilliance to win the game.
“Going into the game they hadn’t beaten us. So we were fairly confident and looking to get that win. But we didn’t create enough.
“The game is done and finished with. What we’ll do is train and prepare the best we can for the Motherwell game.”
Saints, whose starting line-up included winger Rebecca McGowan back from international duty with Scotland under19s, started the game brightly.
Hannah Clark had an early sight of goal but, after engineering space at the edge of the box, could only guide a powerful strike over the cross bar.
Few clear-cut opportunities were on offer for either set of supporters as the midfield players attempted to gain the upper hand in the game.
Rachel Todd did line up two first-half free-kicks, the first hit fizzing wide of the post before the second went straight at the Hearts goalkeeper.
The visitors, who sit one place above Saints in the league, threatened twice as the half-time whistle approached.
Perth goalkeeper Becky Cameron’s net remained intact but there was little she could do to prevent Hearts opening the scoring in the 51st minute.
Carse’s low, guided shot nestled into the bottom corner.
Saints battled to get back into the game but the Edinburgh side would add a second in the 89th minute to secure the three points.
When the ball broke to the edge of the box, Liddell made no mistake in sending a first time volley into the back of the net.
It was a disappointing afternoon for McCrindle and Co but there is a Scottish Cup quarter-final against Motherwell to look forward to this weekend.
“For me it’s a perfect game to try and get a reaction,” McCrindle said. “The players shouldn’t need any motivation to reach a Scottish Cup semi-final.
“They should be self-motivated with the desire and attitude both there this week in training.
“As coaches we shouldn’t really have to do much this week in terms of motivating them.
“We did well against Motherwell in the league and got done by a wonder goal.
“They had a really good result on Sunday. But we know their strengths and also where we can try and hurt them.
“We need to try and get better quality than what we got at the weekend.”
St Johnstone Women ...... 0 Hearts Women ............... 2
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