[farflung lichtie]

Let's have some show of interest. After all, after poorish starts by both it is a 2nd versus 3rd game to complete the first round of games.

Stranraer seem strong at home so a result may be beyond us. There should be goals in this but our shaky defence could be seriously tested.

Don't think I'm going along - too far

[venga1]

Heading down and expecting a tough game. Expect both sides to be in the top 4 at the end of the season. We've looked good going forward with Tade, Gibson and Mullen lately but still dodgy at the back, particularly from cross balls. If we eradicate the defensive errors I can see us winning but that's quite a big IF given some of the goals we've shipped this season. Wouldn't expect a 0-0 though so if you can get odds on +2.5 goals I'd be tempted to speculate. Looks like Pat Keogh and Scott Black are major doubts still so could well be an unchanged XI with perhaps the only possible change being if Cashmore is omitted as Mullen's partner upfront.

[Mel Hutchwright]

Not too confident to be honest. Despite the 4 league wins on the trot we've not really looked as if we've clicked into gear yet and I think it will take a hell of an improvement on recent weeks performances to get something.

Cutting out the dreadful slacknesss in both defence and midfield that we've been guilty of is a must though. Far too many needless goals have been conceded already this season.

farflung lichtie, on Oct 5 2007, 16:32, said:

Don't think I'm going along - too far

Was intending going down but I appear to have contracted the plague and it now looks touch and go. Really wanted to make every Saturday league game this season (mid week ones are a problem), as I've been close a couple of times without ever quite managing it, but looks like I'm going to blow it early on. Actually quite enjoy the long rail journey, and insane length of time you have to kill in the town before you can get a train back out, as long as I've got a good book. Perhaps even The Good Book.

[Lichtielegend]

I'm going, but arguably not for the football.

The time will give me a good chance to catch up with homework

[farflung lichtie]

What a literate bunch. Hope John McG has done his homework but "ve a feeling the Good Book will be needed before the afternoon, or the season, are out

[b ross]

Should be an interesting game the morn. Not holding out much hope for the points but one never knows.

I canae go to the game, not enough hours in the day Thinkin about heading to tinks park though for a football( ) fix!

[Lichtielegend]

b ross, on Oct 5 2007, 23:32, said:

Should be an interesting game the morn. Not holding out much hope for the points but one never knows.

I canae go to the game, not enough hours in the day Thinkin about heading to tinks park though for a football( ) fix!

Wouldn't Bayview be a better place to get a fix?

[farflung lichtie]

b ross, on Oct 5 2007, 23:32, said:

Thinkin about heading to tinks park though for a football( ) fix!

With two fine junior teams in town surely there's no need to go these lengths. Prefer Ogilvie park myself but I think ASC are at home in the Scottish Junior Cup

[Mel Hutchwright]

Happy with a point.

Bryan Scottt with a 90th minute equaliser and sending off. What's that crazy damned enigma been up to now?

Armchair fandom is rubbish.

[Clayhole Blue]

We lost two points through naivety. With 92 minutes having been played Banjo failed to do the simple thing and keep possession deep in the Arbroath half. He wasn't the only one as, deep in injury-time, players like Mullen still seemed to feel they had to go for a second goal. It was clear that the referee was about to end the game, but we just gifted possession back to Arbroath and they broke clear to score a scarcely deserved equaliser.

As well as Mullen's goal we were denied by the woodwork twice. Looked as if Mullen had scored in the second half when his effort hit the underside of the bar and looked to have dropped into the net. Ref thought otherwise and waved play on. After that Marc McCusker headed against the post from an Alex White corner.

What a sickener right at the end!

[Clayhole Blue]

Mel Hutchwright, on Oct 6 2007, 16:55, said:

Happy with a point.

Bryan Scottt with a 90th minute equaliser and sending off. What's that crazy damned enigma been up to now?

Armchair fandom is rubbish.

Over-celebrating Mel! He left the pitch to join the fans' celebrations, having already been booked earlier in the game.

[Mel Hutchwright]

Clayhole Blue, on Oct 6 2007, 17:58, said:

Over-celebrating Mel! He left the pitch to join the fans' celebrations, having already been booked earlier in the game.

With any other player I'd assume that's what would have happened, but thought I'd best check what with it being Scott. He's no stranger to red cards for asks of stupidity, Dumbarton earlier this season being a case in point, but it sounds like we can forgive him this one.

[Angusfifer]

Mel Hutchwright, on Oct 6 2007, 18:26, said:

With any other player I'd assume that's what would have happened, but thought I'd best check what with it being Scott. He's no stranger to red cards for asks of stupidity, Dumbarton earlier this season being a case in point, but it sounds like we can forgive him this one.

Nice one Brian Scott! His equaliser got a cheer in the lounge after the game when it came through. It might have also been for the full-time whistle at Ibrox right enough...

[venga1]

Game Stranraer should have won comfortably with 2-0 probably a fair score. However we missed our chances to add to Mullen's well worked opener and contibuted to Arbroath's late leveller through really naive and silly play from an experienced player. If Banjo had just played the ball to the corner the ref would have blown for ft but he tried to be fancy and pick out a short pass and they broke and scored within a few seconds. Bad result as Arbroath were very ordinary at best. From what I have seen Stranraer are the only team capable of challenging East Fife but if we dont cut out basic errors then they'll run away with it, especially now they have Linn added to an already potent forward line at this level.

After 1/4 of the season, its a case of 7/10 from us - certainly some promise but areas to work on, especially at the back when defending cross balls and upfront alongside Mullen where IMO Keogh must be given the position when fit as McCusker and Cashmore dont look up to the job.

[Lichtielegend]

nothing beats a totally undeserved point.

We were so poor it was embarrassing.

[Links_Park_Dynamo]

Lichtielegend, on Oct 6 2007, 07:56, said:

Wouldn't Bayview be a better place to get a fix?

In all fairness he did say football fix so god knows why you would want to head off to watch East Fife.

[the_russian]

Links_Park_Dynamo, on Oct 6 2007, 21:30, said:

In all fairness he did say football fix so god knows why you would want to head off to watch East Fife.

Not because we are pissing on this league from a great height?

[Lichtielegend]

the_russian, on Oct 6 2007, 22:28, said:

Not because we are pissing on this league from a great height?

Has a narcotic test been performed on this piss?

[b ross]

Links_Park_Dynamo, on Oct 6 2007, 21:30, said:

In all fairness he did say football fix so god knows why you would want to head off to watch East Fife.

Well it looks like I made the wrong decision because there was precious little football played at Links this afternoon.

Didnt have Montrose down as a 2nd half punt team!

[b ross]

the_russian, on Oct 6 2007, 22:28, said:

Not because we are pissing on this league from a great height?

The only way was up to be fair!

[SimonLichtie]

If we're gonna be top 4 and challenging further at the top, we need to pick up points at places like Stranraer, and we did that yesterday.

Slightly undeserved, but didn't think Stranraer looked THAT impressive, but saying that we were a total mess at times, very poor.

Six games unbeaten, and we've yet to hit form. Hopefully we can keep our run going in the coming weeks and get some better performances.

This post has been edited by SimonLichtie: 07 October 2007 - 11:24

[Clayhole Blue]

SimonLichtie, on Oct 7 2007, 12:24, said:

Slightly undeserved, but didn't think Stranraer looked THAT impressive, but saying that we were a total mess at times, very poor.

Can't argue much Simon. But, having played all of the teams now, nobody in the division looks THAT impressive. It's still all to play for!

[Lichtielegend]

Stranraer worked their goal well, but they probably would have had more success attacking us through our midfield. Instead they chose to bypass the midfield, often slinging long balls to Tade (who won everything in the air) and the strikers (who won a lot in the air). They continued to do this, despite making their best chances (and their goal) when they got it out to the wingers feet.

The positives to take from the game is that we've played poorly in what will be one of our hardest trips of the season, and come away with a point. We've already dropped points we shouldn't have against Stenny, Montrose and, at a push, Dumbarton so to make a few of them back in the last 2 games has been pleasing.

For the quarter season as a whole, the only positive can really be that while playing poorly, we're in contention for a playoff place which has to be our minimum expectation. 7 games undefeated in the league is another nice run too.

[farflung lichtie]

the_russian, on Oct 6 2007, 22:28, said:

Not because we are pissing on this league from a great height?

One-sided foregone conclusions masquerading as football let alone a football `league' are less interesting to the neutral than coke er sorry paint drying - see the SPL (previous seasons only). With East Fife having bought it, sorry sewn it up already, the real interest will be the challenge for the play-off spots

As I recall we had 18 points from our first quarter last season so we're trailing that. But good to deny better opponents, such as Stranraer on Saturday, all three points - that may be useful later if we can hit some form.

Incidentally, I noticed both Arbroath junior teams lost at the weekend so maybe that wasn't much of an alternative football fix

[Gordon EF]

farflung lichtie, on Oct 8 2007, 10:58, said:

One-sided foregone conclusions masquerading as football let alone a football `league' are less interesting to the neutral than coke er sorry paint drying - see the SPL (previous seasons only). With East Fife having bought it, sorry sewn it up already, the real interest will be the challenge for the play-off spots

As I recall we had 18 points from our first quarter last season so we're trailing that. But good to deny better opponents, such as Stranraer on Saturday, all three points - that may be useful later if we can hit some form.

Incidentally, I noticed both Arbroath junior teams lost at the weekend so maybe that wasn't much of an alternative football fix

Good job none of us are neutrals then.

By the time we hit the half way point, I expect us to have pulled further ahead and Stranrae, Montrose and Arbroath to comfortabley occupy the play-off spots so I don't see any real interest for the neutrals if all goes to plan.

Also, everybody else in this league would swap places with us if they could.