Montrose v East Fife

[King Kebab]

Such is the apathy, I'm forced to start this a mere 19 hours before kickoff as nobody else can be arsed!!!

Shit or Bust time for the Fife, expect a surprise away win, but if Montrose can force a few corners they could win comfortably, we'd be as well kicking it in for them as well!!!

Montrose 0v0 East Fife

Dowds to score both!!!

[jd_mo]

A Montrose win and we'd be 8 points clear of bottom spot after only 5 games.

Here's hoping.

[Gogs Grog]

I don't have many happy memories watching us play East Fife. Last time we were ripped a new one down in Methil when EF were marching to the title. On the way back home we got off the bus at Markinch train station and an old boy with us took a bringe over a curb with hands in pockets. Face had blood all over and grazes, real messed up.
It was a shame we missed that his knuckle of his pinky was halfway up his hand. We could of got him sorted earlier than the Monday when he rang me and we ended up in Ninewells hospital.
Drink may of been involved.
It's about time we made some good memories other than a cup win in that year we had.
SP seems to like the loanees starting so I guess he will go for the front line that's started last couple of weeks.
Hoping for Redman/Masson starting and breaking forward. Not that I'll be there but hey ho.
2-0 The Mo

[MOFOREVER]

Just hope there are changes from the line up at Stranny last week. Matty Allan back, Masson and Redman to start. Maybe Foxy in as well.

Main thing is to be watertight at the back and try to nick it up front - that's why we need Masson, Redman and possibly Foxy in as they are well capable of scoring from midfield backing up.

Loan players are one thing but we must have experience out there as well. Our home record needs to be good because we can't rely on so many good away days this season.

Fingers crossed but whatever the line up they'll get my support.

[east fife for life]

Must win game for Darren Young imo! Can't even be arsed saying anymore! 2.1 Fife

[mo83]

A win today please don't care how or which way, just 3 points by teatime please lads.

[MOFOREVER]

Thought East Fife played well especially in midfield. Mo competed well but if you don't score you don't win. East Fife did and Mo didn't. Simple game.

SP made the changes I wanted by putting in Allan, Masson, Redman and Foxy and it did make it a more balanced side but it just wasn't our day as East Fife scored a great goal following a 50/50 challenge when the ball broke kindly for them and the second goal was well taken as their lad got to a loose ball first whilst we dilly-dallied. Mo did look a bit better (than the Stranny game) going forward but with Masson and Redman in I thought we should have pushed up more and sooner than we did. Martin Rennie toiled well but is finding it hard at this level and simply must have more support. He's young and has stepped up a few levels and is struggling to compete against big defenders. At the back we must get back to being watertight. The first goal yesterday was a great strike when the ball broke kindly for the lad so no problem with our defence there but the second goal was avoidable as we were too slow in reacting/clearing it. With our attacking frailties we can't keep conceding two goals a game. OK stating the obvious I know but there are stronger teams than Stranraer and East Fife coming along soon and we know we can do better when you look back at the Falkirk and St. Johnstone games. Better news is that Bolo expects to be back against Dumbarton next week, a cup game when SP can experiment again. What about moving a defender into an attacking role as an experiment? Daft idea maybe but it used to happen years ago and I can recall a few times it was a success  - Brian Third for example.

[smuggfifer]

Thought East Fife played well especially in midfield. Mo competed well but if you don't score you don't win. East Fife did and Mo didn't. Simple game.
SP made the changes I wanted by putting in Allan, Masson, Redman and Foxy and it did make it a more balanced side but it just wasn't our day as East Fife scored a great goal following a 50/50 challenge when the ball broke kindly for them and the second goal was well taken as their lad got to a loose ball first whilst we dilly-dallied. Mo did look a bit better (than the Stranny game) going forward but with Masson and Redman in I thought we should have pushed up more and sooner than we did. Martin Rennie toiled well but is finding it hard at this level and simply must have more support. He's young and has stepped up a few levels and is struggling to compete against big defenders. At the back we must get back to being watertight. The first goal yesterday was a great strike when the ball broke kindly for the lad so no problem with our defence there but the second goal was avoidable as we were too slow in reacting/clearing it. With our attacking frailties we can't keep conceding two goals a game. OK stating the obvious I know but there are stronger teams than Stranraer and East Fife coming along soon and we know we can do better when you look back at the Falkirk and St. Johnstone games. Better news is that Bolo expects to be back against Dumbarton next week, a cup game when SP can experiment again. What about moving a defender into an attacking role as an experiment? Daft idea maybe but it used to happen years ago and I can recall a few times it was a success  - Brian Third for example.

We rode our luck the whole second half. Some brilliant goal keeping, and some poor finishing were 5 only things to deny Montrose a point. We don't have midfield winners to control a 451 formation and always end up looking like 9 1 formation with 40 yards between the 2. That second half yesterday was shocking , and with all due respect to Montrose, a top end team would have put 4 or 5 past us. 10/10 to Montrose though, they kept at it right to the whistle.

[Gordon EF]

I saw a few Montrose fans mention their terrible record against us. Didn't actually realise the record over our last last 9 league games against Montrose is is 7-2-0. It's nice to be someone else's bogey team for once.

[1320Lichtie]

I saw a few Montrose fans mention their terrible record against us. Didn't actually realise the record over our last last 9 league games against Montrose is is 7-2-0. It's nice to be someone else's bogey team for once.

Moved over to Montrose after having the jinx over us. How very kind of you guys. [emoji4]

[LiamA]

We rode our luck the whole second half. Some brilliant goal keeping, and some poor finishing were 5 only things to deny Montrose a point. We don't have midfield winners to control a 451 formation and always end up looking like 9 1 formation with 40 yards between the 2. That second half yesterday was shocking , and with all due respect to Montrose, a top end team would have put 4 or 5 past us. 10/10 to Montrose though, they kept at it right to the whistle.

I normally stay out of these debates but I’m sorry SF your analysis of yesterday’s game is way off the mark. Yes we sat back too much in the second half but up to the last 10 mins comfortably dealt with anything Montrose could muster. Of course the last 10 mins were nervous, but when you’re trying to get your first win of the season how else do you think the players are going to be. Yes Brett was outstanding but what about Flem’s unbelievable save from Pat (it’s even better in video than it looked live) & his late save from Davo?
After the first 10 mins we were outstanding in the first half with Anton & Jonny linking up really well & Davo running the game, we could & probably should have scored more!
I’m not claiming everything is rosey but Jees that’s a monkey off our back & we may be able to kick on. We’ve played the two relegated teams, last years runners up & the best team in the second half of last season in our first four games & with the exception of the Brechin game we’ve actually played quite well. However I would take 3 points every time with fighting performances like yesterday than lose playing well.
Like every management team our’s will judge where we are after the first quarter once we have played everyone.
Even our most negative fans on Twitter & Fb were delighted last night, let’s enjoy a nice weekend for the first time this season

[Gordon EF]

19 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

 

Moved over to Montrose after having the jinx over us. How very kind of you guys.

 

Our jinx is like a player for an Angus club, it'll move around but only within Angus.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Was a poor first half yesterday and although we upped the tempo in the second half our attacking play currently is laboured, and lacking in confidence. We were also totally over-run in midfield for much of the game.

We upped the pressure in the last quarter and I hope that the manager has noticed that we were *much* more assured when young Euan Henderson came on. He could be a perfect foil for Rennie who has been asked to make the jump from exciting new player from the juniors in League Two, to main striker in League One, in the space of a couple of months. It's not really fair on him.

The window is shut now so we have to make the best of the squad until December. It's still early days and we have shown we can play well in flashes, but the last couple of home performances have been a little alarming. I'd resist the urge to "experiment" in the cup next week and start with the same team that finished this week's game, other than Bolo maybe coming in for Ian Campbell from the start. Can't really see that we would be able to field a stronger team at this stage. Cohesion and consistency is important for this group of players to shake off the gremlins and get back to hoe they were performing at the tail end of last season.

Felt Andy Steeves, and Henderson did well yesterday.

[smuggfifer]

I normally stay out of these debates but I’m sorry SF your analysis of yesterday’s game is way off the mark. Yes we sat back too much in the second half but up to the last 10 mins comfortably dealt with anything Montrose could muster. Of course the last 10 mins were nervous, but when you’re trying to get your first win of the season how else do you think the players are going to be. Yes Brett was outstanding but what about Flem’s unbelievable save from Pat (it’s even better in video than it looked live) & his late save from Davo?
After the first 10 mins we were outstanding in the first half with Anton & Jonny linking up really well & Davo running the game, we could & probably should have scored more!
I’m not claiming everything is rosey but Jees that’s a monkey off our back & we may be able to kick on. We’ve played the two relegated teams, last years runners up & the best team in the second half of last season in our first four games & with the exception of the Brechin game we’ve actually played quite well. However I would take 3 points every time with fighting performances like yesterday than lose playing well.
Like every management team our’s will judge where we are after the first quarter once we have played everyone.
Even our most negative fans on Twitter & Fb were delighted last night, let’s enjoy a nice weekend for the first time this season

As I said Liam, I have not jumped on the bandwagon until yesterday, I agree , we had a tough opening month, and as said previously, I don't think the scorelines reflected the performances. We deserved more from these games, however, in the world of honesty, I can equally critical when the outcome was positive, but in reality should have been a draw. Ok, we did have a couple of attempts in the second half, but, to invite a team on top of us for most of the period was crazy. We have proved time and time again that we can't defend that way. As the manager admitted, we rode our Luck. And In fairness , that may be payback for the hard work and bad luck in the previous 4 games. But, we can't rely on luck. Staying positive in every game is the way we will succeed, trying to hold on will on result in the inevitable. Sorry, but I left Links Park feeling deflated after thinking we had really turned the corner .

[LauraEFFC]

[Cosmic Joe]

Re the criticism of throwing on an extra defender and changing your formation, I'm going to back the gaffer up on this one. 

Your team is on the back foot defending a 2-0 lead, hopefully to secure your first league win of the season. Do you stick or twist? Throw on a fresh pair of legs up top when you are losing the midfield battle anyway or shore things up at the back by taking off a forward?

Damned if you do and damned if you don't in my opinion. Bring on an extra forward and end up doing an Arbroath v Brechin and shipping a two goal lead (which they can probably afford given their start to the campaign) or acknowledge that the defence needs tightening up, change the game plan and hit them on the counter attack.

Imagine the scenes on here if we had blown that two goal lead by bringing on another striker. It's an incredibly tight league and I'd be very surprised if there are more than 10 points between the team that finishes 4th and the team that finishes 9th come May...     

[King Kebab]

DY's Post-Match interview!!!

 

[sirscottyoung]

We won 2-0.
Darren’s substitutions obviously worked as Montrose failed to get anything from it. To complain about how we played to get that is crazy.
Buzzing to finally get a win off the mark and now time to kick on!

[jd_mo]

Agree with Ivo above. Looked far more assured and confident / able going forward with the young lads Antoniazzi and Henderson second half. If Cavanagh is back I'd slot him in as well as he's been positive and full of running the games I've seen him this season.

 

Excellent first for EF, and we will play better sides than them this season, and I was under no illusion this would be an easy season, but those sorts of games you have to be tighter at the back and put chances away.

 

Still, it's early doors yet and well done East Fife.

[Mon_The_Fife]

Some cracking saves from Long and Fleming there, especially that stop from Slattery.

Going by those highlights we certainly caused Montrose problems and Court and Dowds looked full of confidence and linking up well. Throw a fully fit Kevin Smith into that mix and it’s a pretty decent front line.

2-0 is a dangerous score line as strange as it seems as you either stick or twist but we saw it out and claimed a clean sheet too.

Good to get the first win on the board and hopefully can get a bit of momentum going now.