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El Disastrico; Albion Rovers v. Berwick Rangers


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A fixture that will no doubt garner more interest than under normal circumstances due to the precarious positions of both clubs in the current standings, this Saturday will see Albion Rovers play host to Berwick Rangers at the Reigart Demolitions Stadium (formerly Cliftonhill).

Albion come into this game having lost 8 straight games, conceding 20 and scoring 1 (five matches ago against Edinburgh City). Their last (and indeed only) league win dates back to September, with their most recent match (last Saturday v. Annan) being a 4-0 spanking. The wee Rovers sit tenth in the standings with 7 points and a goal difference of minus 44

Rangers have lost 7 games on the spin, conceding 21 and scoring 3. Their most recent match was a reasonably close fought 1-2 at home against Annan yesterday, but it did little to dispell the memories of a shambolic 7-1 at Hampden earlier this month. The Dream Team have garnered 14 points so far, thanks in no small part to two wins over Albion Rovers, with a goal difference of minus 42.

A win for Berwick will give them a ten point lead over Rovers with 8 games left to play for the latter, whilst the Coatbridge side will close the gap to safety to just four points with a win. With Cove or East Kilbride very able and willing to operate the Trapdoor at the end of the season, this is a match neither team can afford to lose.

albion_rovers_2018-2019-1st.gifcovered-terrace.jpgberwick_rangers_2018-2019-2nd.gif

Edited by DutchBorderer
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I've taken the OCD-induced liberty to have a look back at all tenth-placed teams over the years;

Spoiler

Season 10th-placed team, total points, distance from 9th-placed team

 

2017/2018 Cowdenbeath 22 (8 behind Edinburgh City, beat Cove Rangers)

2016/2017 Cowdenbeath 35 (3 behind Clyde, beat East Kilbride)

2015/2016 East Stirlingshire 32 (7 behind Arbroath, lost to Edinburgh City)

2014/2015 Montrose 33 (10 behind East Stirlingshire, beat Brora)

2013/2014 Queen’s Park 24 (12 behind Elgin City)

2012/2013 East Stirlingshire 29 (11 behind Clyde)

2011/2012 East Stirlingshire 24 (11 behind Clyde)

2010/2011 Clyde 32 (2 behind East Stirlingshire)

2009/2010 Montrose 24 (10 behind Elgin City)

2008/2009 Elgin City 26 (11 behind Berwick Rangers)

2007/2008 Forfar Athletic 33 (1 behind East Stirlingshire)

2006/2007 East Stirlingshire 21 (8 behind Elgin City)

2005/2006 East Stirlingshire 23 (5 behind Montrose)

2004/2005 East Stirlingshire 22 (12 behind Albion Rovers)

2003/2004 East Stirlingshire 8 (17 behind Elgin City)

2002/2003 East Stirlingshire 13 (15 behind Elgin City

2001/2002 Queen’s Park 35 (2 behind Stirling Albion)

2000/2001 Elgin City 22 (4 behind Montrose)

1999/2000 Albion Rovers 22 (15 behind Montrose

1998/1999 Montrose 30 (3 behind Cowdenbeath)

1997/1998 Dumbarton 31 (7 behind Montrose)

1996/1997 Arbroath 31 (2 behind East Stirlingshire)

1995/1996 Albion Rovers 29 (-5 goals behind Alloa)

1994/1995 Albion Rovers 18 (22 behind Cowden)

 

Albion Rovers finished in tenth no fewer than three times, although the most recent of those occasions was in 2000; they also suffered the ignominy of being furthest off from 9th, lagging 22 points behind Cowden in 1995. To avoid further embarrassment, they will need to pick up one point from their remaining 10 matches so as to at least equal the current worst team ever; the 2004 Shire side that only managed 8 points from 36 games.

Berwick appear only once in this list, as 9th-placed team ahead of Elgin in 2009. They are, however, on track to become the single-worst side to finish 9th, as current record holders Elgin picked up 25 in 2004. The Dream Team need 11 points from their remaining 12 games to at least equal that achievement, making victory in the two remaining games against Albion Rovers a must.

Edited by DutchBorderer
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Seems really odd to say that this is a must win for Berwick, purely because since 1st December we've been well beaten in every single game. Even in the 2 draws since then, we were very much the poorer team. 

In 2019, we have never deserved a point, never mind 3, so the notion of us beating someone just feels weird. 

There have been glimmers in the last 2 games that we have at least remembered where the opposition goal is, but we are still an easy team to beat. 

Johnny Harvey. Your job appraisal is scheduled for Saturday at 10 to 5.

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7 hours ago, Jack Burton said:

Two of the poorest sides that I've seen in the bottom league. The fact that Albion Rovers could still finish 9th despite having only 7 points going into March is staggering.

Aye when you consider 2 years ago we finished bottom with 35 points and last season 22 shows how bad the 2 of them have been. Even when the Shire went down they made a fist of it and had 32 points.

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1 minute ago, Clyde01 said:

Albion rovers to win and really get Berwick arses twitching ahead of the return leg of el disastrico.

I'll take name suggestions for that game's thread, although it may very well be a dead rubber by then (I HOPE).

Current options include

  • El Disastrico 2; Lowland Boogaloo
  • Catastrophe Bowl
  • The 'Who gets bummed by East Kilbride next month'-final
  • Next year's trapdoor victim vs. this year's trapdoor victim
  • And many more....
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