DutchBorderer Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 (edited) Current Standings With the end of the 2018/2019 season looming and some League 2 teams having already booked their holiday tickets, Berwick Rangers and Albion Rovers will meet on Saturday the 27th of April for what may prove to be the deciding match in the relegation battle this year. As can be seen, the Wee Rovers hold a five point advantage over the Wee 'Gers, with a significantly better goal difference to boot. Albion Rovers Having experienced what for all intents and purposes is a footballing resurrection since John Brogan was kicked to the curb earlier in the season, Albion Rovers are fresh off the back of a creditable 3-2 win over Edinburgh City and a hard-fought last minute draw versus table toppers Peterhead. These results coupled with a string of three wins in March have seen the club once thought dead and buried return to the land of the living, much to the delight (and surprise) of their fans and well-wishers from the larger football community. A draw versus Berwick Rangers will seal Rovers' safety and the completion of what the club's Twitter has coined #thegreatestescape. Gaffer Kevin Harper will look to secure a bronze statue of himself standing outside Coatbridge by clinching this final point needed to preserve Albion Rovers' League membership. Berwick Rangers On the other side of the Border, Berwick Rangers are finishing the season in the same way Albion Rovers started theirs; slumping to heavy defeats while conceding for fun and failing to convert any chances on the opposition's side of the field. The Black and Gold haven't scored a single goal since their coupon-busting 2-0 win over Peterhead on the 19th of March, recording five straight defeats with 17 goals scored by the opposition. The win over Peterhead was Berwick's only victory over the past 21(!) games, which included just four draws; the mathematicians among us will tell you that this means the Dream Team have taken 7 points from a possible 63. Nothing short of a win will be enough to keep Berwick's hopes of 9th place alive - which will be the target with previously injured Ousman 'Ouzy' See and Jordan Orru returning to the fold. They join a squad of which more than a dozen members were recruited by current manager Johnny Harvey. Final Day of the Season & Play-Offs Berwick and Rovers will meet Elgin and Annan respectively on the final day of the season; a draw or Rovers victory will render those matches dead rubbers as Berwick will be unable to overturn a 5/8 point deficit in just a single match. Even in the event of a win for the home side on the 27th, Berwick will need to beat Elgin and cross their fingers promotion-play-off bound Annan don't take their foot off the gas pedal versus Albion Rovers (who would only need a point to secure League status due to their far superior goal difference). Berwick Rangers will feel themselves to be an occupant of the last chance saloon, staring down the barrel of a face-off with East Kilbride or Cove Rangers should they lose, whereas Albion Rovers need just one final draw to book that flight to Ibiza. With all ingredients in place for an absolute classic bottom-of-the-table scrap, a bumper crowd is expected for what may well end up being the undoing of one of the involved clubs. Expect Albion Rovers to wear their red away tops on the day, in lieu of their yellow home and black third strips clashing with Berwick's home colours; Edited April 21, 2019 by DutchBorderer 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitbaw enthusiast Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 Albion to win 2-0 big Smart to score both scenes in the Albion end as we somehow preserve our league status after the disastrous start to the season Berwick to lose in the playoffs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UsedToGoToCentralPark Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 Pity I'm on call this weekend or I'd be making the trip to watch this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberdeen Cowden Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 For the last two seasons, most folk were predicting Cowden to be relegated. So you never know. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ferguson's Hat Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 Still hoping it's Cowden that go down. Dunno how possible that is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Hero Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 Really looking forward to this game, just have to struggle through a full week of work first! I remember when the Rovers were 2-0 down against Clyde and came back to win 3-2 to take the League 2 title a couple of seasons ago. This has potentially all the hallmarks to be bigger than that result. Rovers were dead and buried in the first half of the season. No-one gave them a chance of surviving. Then Kevin Harper came in and a few new signings and things turned around. Clyde helped them out again and now they are 1 point away from a miraculous season. I seriously thought their chances of league survival were gone when Berwick scored a late equaliser against them in Coatbridge at the start of March. However, there have been a fair few decent results since then. Should be a decent crowd and hopefully a good game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Patterson Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 It's a game I'd love to go to. Should be on BBC ALBA imho. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_the_rover Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 It's a game I'd love to go to. Should be on BBC ALBA imho.They never like showing important games or derbies, bbc prefer to show big games like Airdrie V Stenhousemuir..... Nothing wrong with showing the game they chose but there are better choices out there. They dont look very hard previously they have had airdrie v peterhead and dunfermline v airdrie amongst others.Should be a cracker of a game wouldn't put it past us for berwick to win 3-0 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Aloysius Snuffleupagus Posted April 22, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2019 4 minutes ago, Chris_the_rover said: Should be a cracker of a game wouldn't put it past us for berwick to win 3-0 That's the worry, and we shouldn't lose sight of what QP did to us a fortnight ago. However, we didn't have Smart that day, and the Hardie carry-on couldn't have helped (where's our captain, Boss? No' sure, he's not answering his phone ). I suspect we'll be very conservative in our outlook on Saturday, let Berwick have the majority of the play, and get out as quickly as we can through Smart and Byrne when Berwick attacks break down. This game is very much about Berwick winning; any other outcome and they're fcuked, so it's their challenge to rise to. I'm buzzing for this game, and the day out before and after, in a way that I haven't since the league title season. However, one thing that I hope we don't do as a support is rub it round Berwick if we do gain at least a point. It really could have been us (some would say should) and there's never been any enmity between the two supports (we've never indulged in the Scotland v England nonsense that some do). The Berwick fans on here are a good bunch as well and will be sick as parrots without any of us making it worse. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disc Potato Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 9 minutes ago, Aloysius Snuffleupagus said: That's the worry, and we shouldn't lose sight of what QP did to us a fortnight ago. However, we didn't have Smart that day, and the Hardie carry-on couldn't have helped (where's our captain, Boss? No' sure, he's not answering his phone ). I suspect we'll be very conservative in our outlook on Saturday, let Berwick have the majority of the play, and get out as quickly as we can through Smart and Byrne when Berwick attacks break down. This game is very much about Berwick winning; any other outcome and they're fcuked, so it's their challenge to rise to. I'm buzzing for this game, and the day out before and after, in a way that I haven't since the league title season. However, one thing that I hope we don't do as a support is rub it round Berwick if we do gain at least a point. It really could have been us (some would say should) and there's never been any enmity between the two supports (we've never indulged in the Scotland v England nonsense that some do). The Berwick fans on here are a good bunch as well and will be sick as parrots without any of us making it worse. Nice words. I hope you enjoy your day in Berwick and you have every right to celebrate a brilliant recovery. Last Saturday’s results will reduce the numbers of the home support IMO. I’m thinking of taking in EK v Cove unless something changes at Shielfield this week. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodka Vic Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 4 hours ago, Aloysius Snuffleupagus said: That's the worry, and we shouldn't lose sight of what QP did to us a fortnight ago. However, we didn't have Smart that day, and the Hardie carry-on couldn't have helped (where's our captain, Boss? No' sure, he's not answering his phone ). I suspect we'll be very conservative in our outlook on Saturday, let Berwick have the majority of the play, and get out as quickly as we can through Smart and Byrne when Berwick attacks break down. This game is very much about Berwick winning; any other outcome and they're fcuked, so it's their challenge to rise to. I'm buzzing for this game, and the day out before and after, in a way that I haven't since the league title season. However, one thing that I hope we don't do as a support is rub it round Berwick if we do gain at least a point. It really could have been us (some would say should) and there's never been any enmity between the two supports (we've never indulged in the Scotland v England nonsense that some do). The Berwick fans on here are a good bunch as well and will be sick as parrots without any of us making it worse. I'm fairly cold when it comes to these things. We have our boot at Berwick's throat , now time to push down. Any sentiment or sympathy will be spared for after the game. Have lots of good memories at Berwick - a good old fashioned ground with immaculate playing surface- the choice of food second to none and a lot if decent fans.Not that I'll be celebrating if we pull safety off well only in the sense of relief than any sense of achievement. It's been a dire season where we have only turned up for the last quarter. The club did a huge diservice to the fans earlier in the season by that absolutely bonkers..totally bonkers appointment. From what I hear ( footy fans are like wee knitting bees with their gossip) the players don't want Hardie back so that may settle the situation at least to the end of the season. We had the lifeline of the 3 points from the Clyde game along with the sudden passing of Michael Dukes which seems to have galvanised the players albeit a huge misfortune to his family. I think saturday was the first time this season we have gone down but come back win. Was impressed that after we equalised we cut short the celebrations to grab the ball out of the net to get back up to the centre. Me and other Rovers fans were screaming to calm down as a draw was fine by us. The players had other ideas. As for Berwick the word on the street prior to Harvey's appointment was he was widely despised in the East of Scotland league. Huge error getting the 90 year old fan in the dressing room after the Annan game- hugely symbollic that was - taking no responsibility for the players. Worse though was having a go at the fans after the QP game- you just don't do that. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwick-the-unbeatable Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Snuffleupagus Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Vodka Vic said: From what I hear ( footy fans are like wee knitting bees with their gossip) the players don't want Hardie back so that may settle the situation at least to the end of the season. We're clearly in a different knitting circle. The story I was given is that he's been invited in to discuss the matter at least twice as part of a formal disciplinary process and hasn't bothered attending. Back to Drumchapel Amateurs next year, methinks. It's a shame as he has talent but the club are right in how they're handling it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodka Vic Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 10 minutes ago, Aloysius Snuffleupagus said: We're clearly in a different knitting circle. The story I was given is that he's been invited in to discuss the matter at least twice as part of a formal disciplinary process and hasn't bothered attending. Back to Drumchapel Amateurs next year, methinks. It's a shame as he has talent but the club are right in how they're handling it. That is so disappointing what a talent he is all to be poured down the drain. Either way from said knitting bees it looks like his Rovers career is over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pastmaster Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 `Poured down the drain`........more like pissed against the wall........................... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heedthebaa Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 8 hours ago, Disc Potato said: I’m thinking of taking in EK v Cove unless something changes at Shielfield this week. Take a pen and some paper, do it for Johnny 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 36 minutes ago, heedthebaa said: Take a pen and some paper, do it for Johnny A dossier. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers programme boy Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Got to be a Rovers win Berwick will come and attack us obviously because they need to win and we will do what we’ve been doing for weeks and catch them on the break or from a set piece 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowden loyal brethern Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 On 21/04/2019 at 20:37, Barry Ferguson's Hat said: Still hoping it's Cowden that go down. Dunno how possible that is. Na luck this time pal #!$@!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marty_j Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I have a suspicion Berwick might nick this. Giving us false hope. I have had several pints though 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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