Skyline Drifter Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 46 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: I suppose that if they're due to receive the trophy that day it might provide the incentive of not having things fall flat. That would be the case irrespective of whether a Cup final was on the horizon though. They wont be presented with the trophy at Ayr. It will be the final home game. I agree with you about the motivation more or less. I think the cup final will be relatively neutral to their chances if tbe league game is meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Hibs have been "taking it easy" since November; no idea why they'd change tactics at this point tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 2 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said: They wont be presented with the trophy at Ayr. It will be the final home game. I agree with you about the motivation more or less. I think the cup final will be relatively neutral to their chances if tbe league game is meaningless. Ah right, I hadn't realised the Ayr match was an away one for Hibs. It really will be without significance for them then. If they have a Cup Final to look forward to, it won't even have the weight of being their last outing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 52 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: Ah right, I hadn't realised the Ayr match was an away one for Hibs. It really will be without significance for them then. If they have a Cup Final to look forward to, it won't even have the weight of being their last outing. Its not their last game anyway its their second last. They finish at home to St Mirren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 3 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said: Its not their last game anyway its their second last. They finish at home to St Mirren. I need to take an actual look at these fixtures people keep posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFC 1910 Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 It's all good and well talking about motivation etc, but we don't have a team capable of winning right now. The attitude from the players is as if they just want it all to be over.No winning mentality, no real leadership on the park and very little shown in ability, of which undoubtedly, there lies enough of, but no application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge of allan bairn Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I actually think a draw against a very decent and in form st mirren was an okay result for falkirk with Morton losing and United drawing to a poor Ayr. We have a tough game away at the pars next week who unfortunately still have an outside chance of the play offs wished they'd drawn today so would have nothing to play for. Houston will set us out not to lose again and I think we may well drop points. However I think United will drop points versus saint mirren too and with United and Morton still to play each other we might do enough for second Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 We can no longer get automatically relegated. I worked out a couple of ways we could end up 9th but they involve some utterly batshit results. We're safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted April 15, 2017 Author Share Posted April 15, 2017 Results from Saturday April 15th: Ayr United 0 - 0 Dundee United Dumbarton 0 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic Falkirk 2 - 2 St Mirren Hibernian 3 - 0 Queen of the South Raith Rovers 2 - 0 Morton Another few twists and turns today with much sorted out at the top end but closer than ever at the bottom end, and a Dumbarton side who looked best placed comfortably a week ago are now in the bottom two again! League Title It's done. Congratulations Hibs. Again completely dominated us at set pieces as they have all season and comfortably won the match, and with it the title thanks to St Mirren's draw at Falkirk. Promotion Playoffs A bad week for the playoff bound sides as none of them won. However, notwithstanding that, Queen of the South's loss at Hibs, combined with Dundee United's point at Ayr was enough for both Falkirk and Dundee United to clinch their playoff berths. Morton are taking a bit longer to sort that. They've had three chances in a week to win a game and make sure but just one point from 9 means they are still looking slightly over their shoulder. 8 points clear of both Dunfermline and Queens with three weeks to go. Their goal difference isn't better enough for one point to be enough either so they need two points or for both Dunfermline and Queens to not win a game somewhere. They should get there at home to Ayr next weekend but if they don't then away to Dunfermline and home to United isn't the easiest of finishes. Relegation Despite a creditable home draw with Dundee United, Ayr's position is worse now than it was this morning. They are 3 points adrift at the bottom and their goal difference effectively makes that 4. They MUST make up at least one point on Dumbarton and St Mirren, or 2 points on Raith in the next fortnight or they will be down before the final game. Queen of the South and Dunfermline are formally removed from contention for 10th but this is still very much a four horse race. However, with Morton and Hibs to play in their next two games, it's asking a lot for Ayr to close the gap on the teams above them to keep them alive going into the last week. Relegation Playoff Wow! There are more twists and turns in this than the B road to Moffat I ended up taking home from Edinburgh tonight ! A week ago I said Queens were safe from this but they aren't quite yet (and neither are Dunfermline). A week ago I said Dumbarton may not have enough points yet to avoid 9th but were probably safe from 10th. Tonight they already sit second bottom. A week ago Raith looked in massive trouble. Tonight they are 7th! Dumbarton and St Mirren are split by just two goals (St Mirren's big win over Morton in midweek has them out of the bottom two right now. Raith are a further point ahead after a surprise win over Morton too. There is a combination of results whereby Dumbarton win their three remaining matches (Queens, Dundee United & Falkirk) to get to 44 points. and St Mirren and Raith either both take 7 points, drawing with one another, or St Mirren get 9 including a win over Rovers but Rovers take their other six. That would leave 9th place as being 42 points so neither QoS nor Dunfermline are safe yet (though if it was Raith on 42 points, Dunfermline being 13 goals better off would probably be ok). However, Queens and Dunfermline each need one point to be officially safe or for Dumbarton to lose a game, or Raith or St Mirren to drop a point to anyone other than each other. In reality though, this is looking like a three horse race unless Ayr can pull off something astonishing in the next fortnight. Raith finish with Hibs (A), St Mirren (A), Ayr (H). St Mirren finish with Dundee United (A), Raith (H), Hibs (A). Dumbarton finish QoS (A), Dundee United (A), Falkirk (H). They all look difficult especially if Falkirk and United are involved in a fight to the last week for 2nd. Dumbarton have both of them to play so it could be their best hope is at Palmerston this week. However, if Falkirk get themselves secure in 2nd by the final week they may effectively field a reserve side in the last game so who knows at this stage? The winners of the St Mirren v Raith game will probably be ok but if it's a draw they both may need more. Raith might fancy their chances against Ayr on the final week if Ayr are already down but if Ayr can keep themselves in the hunt somehow that one could see anything happen. St Mirren are unlikely to get anything in Leith on trophy day but if they could beat Raith at Paisley they probably won't need to. It's so tight down there. Fixtures for Saturday 22nd April: Dundee United v St Mirren Dunfermline Athletic v Falkirk Morton v Ayr United Queen of the South v Dumbarton No game for Hibs or Raith due to the Scottish Cup semi final though they do play the following midweek it's an opportunity for Dumbarton and St Mirren to jump back above Raith and put the pressure back on them. Falkirk and United continue to battle out 2nd spot and Morton need 2 points to ensure the playoffs whilst Ayr really need to get points to keep any pressure on the sides above them. There's nothing meaningless in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Excellent as always, but that date for upcoming fixtures could use an edit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted April 15, 2017 Author Share Posted April 15, 2017 2 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: Excellent as always, but that date for upcoming fixtures could use an edit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted April 22, 2017 Author Share Posted April 22, 2017 Results from Saturday April 22nd: Dundee United 3 - 2 St Mirren Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 2 Falkirk Morton 1 - 1 Ayr United Queen of the South 1 - 2 Dumbarton A few things sorted out today but still the fight for 2nd and the relegation stuff is all to play for with a fortnight to go. League Title Despite today's Scottish Cup semi final heartbreak Hibernian are still champions and will consider their season's mission accomplished. Promotion Playoffs Falkirk and Dundee United clinched playoff spots last week. Despite failing to beat Ayr today, Morton joined them thanks to both Queen of the South and Dunfermline losing at home. The three playoff teams are now known but the order remains up for grabs. Morton certainly look likely to be 4th now. 5 points behind Falkirk and 4 behind Dundee United with two weeks to go. Although they do finish at home to Dundee United so could get 3rd yet if they can close up on United by a point next week. It does however look likely at this point that United and Morton will be meeting three straight games as they will meet in the playoffs unless United can get above Falkirk. Falkirk remain 1 point and comfortably goal difference ahead of United with two games to go against QoS at home and Dumbarton away. United have Dumbarton at home and Morton away. Relegation A second successive creditable draw for Ayr but at this stage a win would be crucial for them. It's out of their hands now. They are two points behind St Mirren and both have Raith and Hibs to play. If Raith could somehow win on Wednesday at Hibs they'd be safe from automatic relegation but they will be anyway if Ayr don't get something from Hibs next weekend. Dumbarton are unlikely to be automatically relegated now as it could only happen if Ayr win twice, Raith take at least 2 points from their other 2 games and St Mirren get 3 from their two games. Relegation Playoff Another week of twists! Dumbarton looked safe a fortnight ago, dropped back into the playoffs last week and are back in 7th tonight! St Mirren looked to have held on to 8th with a draw at United until undone by a last minute goal and for all their excellent run they are back in 9th tonight. Bad day for Raith overall without playing. Firstly, despite defeats today, both QoS and Dunfermline are now formally safe and can't be relegated. St Mirren can only make 41 points now and Ayr 39. So 42 will keep anyone up. Unless Raith beat Hibs in midweek then 40 will keep anyone up. Dumbarton can therefore get safe by winning either of their last two games. With St Mirren playing Raith and Raith playing Ayr, plus all three of them having Hibs to play then if the Edinburgh side don't chuck it with their season now over, Dumbarton will probably be ok with 1 more point. Fixture for Wednesday 24th April: Hibernian v Raith Rovers Fixtures for Saturday 29th April: Ayr United v Hibernian Dunfermline Athletic v Morton Falkirk v QoS St Mirren v Raith Rovers Dundee United v Dumbarton On Wednesday, a Raith win would move them back above Dumbarton into 7th and confirm they couldn't be automatically relegated. A draw would keep them 8th but could yet be crucial in the next fortnight. The other three teams at the bottom will all be looking to HIbs to do them a favour. As for Saturday, although all games in theory still have something up for grabs, there's no doubt the game of the day will be in Paisley where the St Mirren v Raith game will go a long way to deciding which team is going into the last week of the season looking over their shoulder more. Hibernian are the only team playing for truly nothing though in reality Dunfermline and QoS aren't really squabbling over much other than a pretty meaningless 5th / 6th battle. Morton probably don't seriously expect to catch 2nd and 3rd now either so Dunfermline v Morton is particularly low key. Falkirk are looking for a win to aid their campaign for a bye and Dundee United are too so two home wins should be expected there albeit Dumbarton fighting for their lives may have something more to say about that as they did today. Ayr probably need to get something from Hibs or they go down (unless Raith beat St Mirren and then lose to Ayr the week after). Still an interesting final fortnight ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALDERON Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Wouldnt say was an overly bad day for us. Would have been nice if Dumbarton dropped points, but with the other two dropping points, it could have been a whole lot worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 All very well but really everyone wants to know how the race for 5th will pan out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted April 23, 2017 Author Share Posted April 23, 2017 13 hours ago, CALDERON said: Wouldnt say was an overly bad day for us. Would have been nice if Dumbarton dropped points, but with the other two dropping points, it could have been a whole lot worse. Fair point. Perhaps "mixed day" would have been a better description. I was looking at it as if Dumbarton had still been behind you going into the last fortnight they appear to have more difficult fixtures than facing the bottom two (notwithstanding St Mirren's decent form). Now even if they get nothing from those you need to win one of your games to get ahead of them. And if you win one of your games (other than HIbs) then you'll finish ahead of whichever team you beat anyway so in a way it's removed one of your "outs". Prior to Dumbarton's win it was possible (potentially even likely) for you to simply draw your last game with Ayr and finish 8th as long as Dumbarton didn't produce a surprise win in their last two. That's gone now. However, St Mirren losing and Ayr only drawing were certainly good for you and come what may in the next 7 days, you'll have your fate in your own hands at worst on the final day. Unless St Mirren or Ayr actually beat Hibernian then a draw next week in Paisley will ensure safety so it certainly isn't all bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Have some faith in Magic Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Looks like a lot will be determined by the attitude of Hibs players over their final 3 games. St Mirren probably have the worst of the Hibs games as they will surely want to put on a show on their trophy day. Doubt they will get 3 wins on the spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Prince Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 As long as Dumbarton say up I'm not really arsed about the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 8 minutes ago, King Dom's Moustache said: As long as Dumbarton say up I'm not really arsed about the rest. If Hibs win their next 3 the chances of that are increased. It would be a fitting farewell, KDM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Thank God for playoffs. 4 teams can be relegated 4 teams can finish 9th 3 teams have to decide between 2, 3, 4 2 games to go (except for Raith) Saturday April 29 will be a big weekend for this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers1992/1993 Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 If Hibs win their next 3 the chances of that are increased. It would be a fitting farewell, KDM. If Hibs lose all 3 though. The chances of Dumbarton finishing bottom have increased drastically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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