St Andrews United 3–4 Jeanfield Swifts

East of Scotland Premier Division
Clayton Holiday Park Recreation Ground
Sponsored by Westport Print and Design

St Andrews United were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at the Clayton Holiday Park Recreation Ground on Saturday, going down 4–3 to Jeanfield Swifts in a game that had chances, controversy, late drama and, unfortunately for Saints, rather too many reasons to wonder what might have been.

It was the third meeting between the sides this season, with Saints having come out on top in both previous encounters, a cup tie and a league meeting in Perth. A third victory was on the cards for long spells, but Jeanfield proved more clinical when it mattered and eventually took the points.

Saints started brightly and looked the more threatening side in the opening exchanges. Sneddon tested the Jeanfield goalkeeper from the edge of the box before a dangerous Cunningham free-kick caused problems, with the ball eventually worked back into the danger area. Lumsden, however, could only blaze over.

The visitors’ first real opportunity came through former Saint  Lewis Payne, whose effort was comfortably dealt with, but Jeanfield would soon have something rather more substantial to celebrate.

After 16 minutes, the Saints goalkeeper came racing out of his box in an attempt to deal with a ball over the top, only to be beaten to it by the Jeanfield striker. With the goal unguarded, the finish was about as difficult as finding the back of the net during a warm-up.

It was a calamitous way to fall behind, but Saints responded well and continued to play their football.

And when the equaliser arrived, it was worth the wait.

With half an hour played, Regan Lumsden picked up the ball around 25 yards from goal and produced a superb strike which flew into the top corner, giving the Jeanfield goalkeeper absolutely no chance. A goal worthy of cancelling out the previous one, at least from an aesthetic point of view.

The game then settled into an entertaining end-to-end spell. Jeanfield threatened when a Swifts forward broke through the Saints defence, only for Robertson to produce an excellent save. At the other end, Saints felt they had a strong claim for a penalty, although the referee was unmoved, apparently deciding that one incident involving an unguarded goal was quite enough excitement for the afternoon.

Wright was booked as Jeanfield broke following the appeals, with Thomson also going into the referee’s notebook shortly afterwards.

Saints finished the half strongly. Lumsden went close again before Simpson saw a late effort tipped over the bar, leaving the sides level at the interval.

Jeanfield regained the lead shortly after the restart.

A floated cross into the Saints box was met by a Swifts striker, whose header found the net to make it 2–1. Saints were immediately back on the front foot, and Simpson produced one of the moments of the afternoon when he skipped past four Jeanfield players before finding Cunningham. His resulting cross just evaded the Saints strikers.

There was plenty of Saints possession, but the final ball repeatedly let them down. Lumsden then tried his luck with a snapshot which, rather optimistically, appeared to be heading for the goal before taking a slightly different route and ending up somewhere in the Kinnessburn.

Jeanfield thought they had extended their advantage in the 65th minute, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. Saints continued to press, but for all their possession they were struggling to find the final pass or finish that would turn pressure into goals.

Sawers was introduced for Kavanagh with 15 minutes remaining, but it was Jeanfield who struck next.

A soft effort in the 76th minute somehow found its way beyond the Saints goalkeeper to make it 3–1. It was another frustrating moment for Saints, who had spent much of the second half asking questions at one end only to find themselves punished at the other.

To their credit, they responded almost immediately.

A free-kick was delivered into the box and Mark Smith rose highest, sending a looping header into the net to reduce the deficit to 3–2. Suddenly, Saints had a game on their hands again.

Jeanfield had another goal ruled out for offside before Cunningham was replaced by Berry, as Saints continued to push for an equaliser.

Instead, Jeanfield found a fourth.

A free-kick into the Saints box eventually fell to a Swifts player on the edge of the area, and he made no mistake, firing past the Saints goalkeeper to restore the two-goal advantage with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

That might have finished lesser teams off, but Saints were not quite finished yet.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Jeanfield failed to clear their lines and Alex McCreadie reacted quickest, pulling another goal back to make it 4–3.

Suddenly, what had looked like a comfortable Jeanfield victory was anything but.

Berry saw a late effort saved before a corner in the fifth minute of added time fell invitingly to Saints. The resulting effort, however, drifted wide, bringing an end to Saints’ hopes of completing an unlikely comeback.

The final whistle confirmed a 4–3 defeat, and while the scoreline suggests a close contest, Saints will know they were some way short of their best.

FT St Andrews Utd 3-4 Jeanfield Swifts

Special thanks to WESTPORT PRINT & DESIGN for sponsoring today’s game