By Justin Chadwick
July 13th 2009 @ 1:00am
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Saints unconvincing but do enough to keep winning
It was far from St Kilda’s best performance of the season but coach Ross Lyon was chuffed nonetheless after watching his side grind out a 20-point AFL win over West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
The Saints were uncharacteristically sloppy and looked off their game for the opening three quarters following last week’s bruising epic against Geelong.
Scores were level at the final change but St Kilda, inspired by elusive forward Stephen Milne and Michael Gardiner’s excellent tap work around the stoppages, booted five unanswered goals in a blitzing start to the last quarter to secure the 13.12 (90) to 11.4 (70) win.
“It was always going to be about … grinding out a win,” Lyon said.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game coming over here … they’re a six-goal better team at home, we know that.
“To our group’s credit the contested ball, the surge, and the poise under pressure — we felt we came over here and improved today under real pressure.
“That’s six in a row interstate now.
“We talk about that, what good teams do and we feel we’re a good team so it’s important we won interstate.
“A lot of people were trying to set expectations that we would be tired, we would be flat, there would be a let down (after the big game against Geelong).
“It certainly wasn’t part of our reality but we can’t control outside expectations … it wasn’t an issue for us.”
While Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball were restricted to just 22 possessions between them, Leigh Montagna (43 possessions, 10 clearances, nine tackles, 12 inside 50s) and Nick Dal Santo (28 possessions, three goals) picked up the slack in the midfield.
Milne booted four goals, including two in the final quarter, to spark the Saints and Gardiner easily won his ruck duel against Dean Cox, whose niggling groin injury flared again and kept him out of the game after three-quarter time.
West Coast’s defence stood tall for much of the match, with Nick Riewoldt booting just one goal and Eric Mackenzie keeping Justin Koschitzke goalless.
Eagles midfielder Chris Masten (27 possessions) provided plenty of grunt and Quinten Lynch (24 touches, 24 hit-outs) battled valiantly in his makeshift ruck role but it was to no avail as the Saints shot to life when it mattered most.
St Kilda’s 15th straight victory lifts Lyon’s charges two games clear of second-placed Geelong, who suffered a shock loss to Brisbane on Saturday night.
Cox, playing his first game since round 12, is almost certain to miss Sunday’s clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, while Daniel Kerr (abdominal strain) is no certainty to return.
West Coast coach John Worsfold admitted his team made crucial mistakes under pressure in the final quarter.
“They (St Kilda) are on top and they’re undefeated for a reason,” Worsfold said.
“They’re a very talented side and they don’t ease up, and when those little chances came they pounced.
“I think their first two or three goals of the last quarter came from our mistakes rather than from St Kilda winning the ball cleanly and getting it away.
“I was pretty pleased with the way the guys are attacking and taking the game on.
“The one thing we don’t want them to do is to go into the shell and not want to take hard options.”
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