The verdict on Saints performance at the Ricoh.

Most people would have left the Ricoh feeling that draw would have been a fair result and to a degree they would be right, but this doesnt tell the true story of the game.

In truth there arent that mant Saints players that can hold their hands up and say that they played well and for long periods of the game we were inept and a better side would have walloped us.

George Burley put out an unchanged side for the third time in a row and there are many who will applaud this as the manager has too often tinkered with the side, but many Saints supporters wondered how Jason Euell could remain in the side whilst Jonh Viafar once again warmed the bench and up front the BWP/Stern John strike force looked off form from the start, indeed Jonh's work rate makes Gregorz Rasiak  look like the road runner in comparison.

But throughout the team too many players seemed to be having off days, Jermaine Wright was ripped too pieces on numerous occasions in a first half where Coventry should have and could have really scored more than the once they did.

When Saints did go forward hey didnt seem to do so with much conviction and both Surman and Saffri seemed unable to get their passing game going, mind you up front the two strikers offered nothing for them to pass to, in short too many players didnt look like they wanted to know.

What held the side together was the centre back pairing, Davies is starting to find his feet and looks comfortable at this level, whilst Bennett, who in truth is still raw, makes up for whatever he lacks in determination, if some of his colleagues on Saturday had half of this, then we would have won at a canter.

Second half Saints looked better and deserved the equaliser, but there were many who felt that the goal papered over the cracks with Burley and only delayed what should have been an change, when Viafara coame on the surprise was that it was Hammill who came off, although he wasnt playing well, he was starting to get the ball and cause problems and in the centre Euell was once again inneffective and seemed to slip up more times than he should have.

The two strikers didnt look to be firing on all cylinders, BWP really should have won the game on 78 minutes when Surman put him clean through, but he didnt look confident, seemed to be looking for the chasing defender to bring him down and shot too early and was well wide, the arrival of Saganowski five minutes later was a case of too little too late, the change should have been at least 10 minutes earlier probably more.

But its another unbeaten game and we have now taken 8 points out of the last twelve, good in anyones books, but a better guage would be to compare the games from last season like for like and back then we only manged four out of twelve against the same opposition.

The result keeps us on the tails of the promotion pack and there is a feeling that if Saints can get some of their injurred players back and find the right formation, then they could be the side to watch, but they need to start winning more games, a play off spot is well within sight, but nine points to the automatic spots is a big gap.        

Photo: Action Images

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