Saints have learnt lesson

The Saints must win to avoid what would be an embarrassing straight-sets exit from the finals after being the benchmark of the competition, going through the home and away season undefeated but losing the second semi last week to the Thistles by two points.

"We learnt a lot from last week, especially late in the game when it mattered," St Pats coach Jake Lowe said.

"It was a tough contest all day and we are quite aware that if they had of kicked accurately in the first quarter the margin would have been a lot closer.

"They are a great side, with four or five top quality players and we always knew that.

"Late we went away from a few things, I know only playing one game before that in the past month didn't help us as we had a bench down to two with several people cramping and no rotations and it showed in the last quarter.

"But it was five or six direct mistakes we made that were costly and, on review, they resulted in Scotch kicking 4 goals 2, which good sides will always do.

"We've learnt from those mistakes, and those incidentals won't happen again."

Lowe said they had to make the most of their double chance but would lose one key player to injury with Todd Rattray or David Rodman likely replacements.

"I watched Evandale last week and they have a very potent forward line and moved the ball well," he said.

"It should be a very competitive and fierce game of football and we will look to get it on our terms early, be accountable all day and increase our work rate to contests.

"The extra game will be good for us given the limited games and soft run we had running into finals."

EVANDALE coach James Conroy said his side had been able to stick with St Pats for a half to three quarters in their previous encounters this season but would have to be at their best to have a shot of knocking of them off on Saturday.

"We are coming in off our best game of the year played last week so we couldn't be in any better form," he said.

"We have to be courageous with the ball when we've got it in hand but they have a very gifted line-up so we will need to worry about beating our own opponent and going from there.

"I think their midfield is very strong and they have two big ruckman, but we have played on Youngtown the past couple of weeks which will help favour us and we just have to be positive with the footy when we've got it in our hands."

Conroy said they had a few tricks up their sleeve but were concentrating on playing their best football first and foremost, and despite going in as "massive underdogs", could not wait for the opportunity.

The country Eagles are injury-free with the coach contemplating making just one change to the side that beat Uni-Mowbray.