Relegation Play-offs; Cove v. Berwick

[roy of the rovers]

Went to the game as a neutral & thought Cove could have been even more emphatic winners missing a load of chances early in the second half, Berwick only ever threatened for about 10 minutes. Early in game the Berwick players were shouting encouragement to each other by the end they were shouting at each other , the bench & looked a well beaten side, difficult to see anyway back for them. First time at the ground & think for what Cove need it fits the bill ok with good modern facilities, yes its tucked away a bit & a bit of a walk from the bus & pubs but for a lot of folk with a wee bit of planning its ok. Terrific crowd today with over 1900 there, with league 2 crowds of probably 300/500 including the odd bus load of away supporters sure folk will get used to it.

Summed it up well and my prediction at 2.59 was 4-0. Having seen Berwick lose 3-0 at home to Rovers a fortnight ago I really didn’t give them a chance and was proved correct.

Have to say their pie shop set their prices at Hampden levels which isn’t cheap. Can certainly see Cove in the promotion play-offs next year.

[SFRool]

4 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Though Berwick had already confirmed they'd go in to Lowland League next season?

Shame for their fans but I'm all for a meritocracy in football, and that means more League 2 teams will probably go down over the next few years.

They would enter Lowland and they would play in some cups EoS teams are in. 

[Smokerson]

Actually disagree with some of the earlier posts about how well Cove will do next year. I think with a few additions they can do really well and even push for top 4. 

The Cowdenbeaths and the Albion rovers are in real trouble unless they get their acts together, there seems to be some very progressive teams in the lowland and highland league, can only see them following Berwick and east stirling.

[NE63 exile]

Actually disagree with some of the earlier posts about how well Cove will do next year. I think with a few additions they can do really well and even push for top 4. 
The Cowdenbeaths and the Albion rovers are in real trouble unless they get their acts together, there seems to be some very progressive teams in the lowland and highland league, can only see them following Berwick and east stirling.

I would agree I reckon Cove will definitely in the play off mix next season.
Definitely be a good addition to the league.

[BucksburnDandy]

A fantastic day for Cove, a long time in coming but a day that has really been coming over the last five years. While Berwick were nothing short of a shambles, had Cove been more clinical, they could have won that by six or seven.

Full credit to the Cove players who looked far more up for it than their opponents. A mature performance throughout, particularly in the middle of park where they controlled the game for the vast majority of it. Blair Yule was superb, Connor Scully beside him was well disciplined.

Duncan Little, the secretary, in particular deserves today for years of unseen hard work. A good man who has put his life into Cove.

Feel for Berwick fans. Travelled in decent numbers given the distance and never stopped singing all afternoon. The team on the park gave up without a whimper and quality wise were brutally exposed. Worryingly, spoke to a couple of nice guys who had came up from Duns who said the first half was one of the better recent performances. Provided there's no miracle turnaround next week, the Lowland League will be tough to get out of with EK, Spartans, possibly Bonnyrigg Rose and Kelty Hearts too. I imagine that Brora, Fraserburgh or Formartine would provide the HL champions should Cove see out the tie.

[HibeeJibee]

Just home.

Long day.

Sad day.

To misquote Captain Oates:

"Gentlemen, we are just going outside. We may be outside some time."

Edited May 11, 2019 by HibeeJibee

[Dead]

38 minutes ago, tescodave said:

RIP Berwick Rangers. We’ll be ground sharing with Spittal Rovers within 5 years.

Get a grip.

Bad as it's not diving off a cliff . The next day comes and the club goes on albeit at a different level and with different goals. I don't remember 1 Shire fan having this RIP attitude to our misfortune dropping put of the Scottish league 3 seasons ago.

I have huge time and affection for Berwick Rangers, no matters what happens next week the fans have to get behind the club next season. That's what fans are best at are they ? Life doesn't end for the club at the Scottish Leagues.

 

[Only coo in the village]

13 minutes ago, Smokerson said:

Actually disagree with some of the earlier posts about how well Cove will do next year. I think with a few additions they can do really well and even push for top 4. 

The Cowdenbeaths and the Albion rovers are in real trouble unless they get their acts together, there seems to be some very progressive teams in the lowland and highland league, can only see them following Berwick and east stirling.

Could be Arbroath facing relegations down to the LL  in a few seasons as well. Not long ago Cowden were playing Hibs,Rangers et al in the Championship . No team is safe and that's how it should be. 

Cowdenbeath fought for their existence in two relegation play-offs in two consequetive  seasons  and won  their survival,  at least for a while. Quite a few Berwick posters were crowing about us going down over the last few seasons  and now they are about to be relegated into the LL  themselves. Fear what you think can only happen to other teams. 

In the meantime remain smug.

[Cyclizine]

2 minutes ago, Only coo in the village said:

Could be Arbroath facing relegations down to the LL  in a few seasons as well.

Nope. As it stands it's impossible for Arbroath to be relegated to the Lowland League.

[The_Judge]

52 minutes ago, Fergie1 said:

 @A Believer you should have a long hard think about you have probably contributed to what has happened today.

 

[1320Lichtie]

Could be Arbroath facing relegations down to the LL  in a few seasons as well. Not long ago Cowden were playing Hibs,Rangers et al in the Championship . No team is safe and that's how it should be. 

Cowdenbeath fought for their existence in two relegation play-offs in two consequetive  seasons  and won  their survival,  at least for a while. Quite a few Berwick posters were crowing about us going down over the last few seasons  and now they are about to be relegated into the LL  themselves. Fear what you think can only happen to other teams. 

In the meantime remain smug.

 

We'll never finish near them again IMO. Giving Lumsden that job was a blessing in disguise. In all my years watching us I hadn't seen us finish lower than 4th in League 2, from the early 2000s. The scare he gave us gave us a right kick up the arse and here we are 2 titles later. We should always be as s club minimum League 1 in my opinion and if we are in League 2 we should be looking to win it.

[Disc Potato]

Bunch of heartless, gutless b*****ds.

Great support today that never turned on the players yet apart from Jack Cook and Lewy Barr bolted down the tunnel at the end. A few turned on Barr and he then challenged somebody to fight. A sad sight. 

We were getting pushed off the ball, out fought, out played and lacked bottle and quality.

Ross Brown the only player looking comfortable on the ball had little option when trying to pick out a forward pass.  Healy won his aerial battles but the closest player in black and gold was in a different third of the pitch. 

The last 35 years has been great fun but it’s over for us now. No point demanding mass resignations, let this lot carry the baby and see what happens when the money runs out. We’ll be fifth best if we are lucky in the Lowland League. 

[Disc Potato]

13 minutes ago, Only coo in the village said:

Could be Arbroath facing relegations down to the LL  in a few seasons as well. Not long ago Cowden were playing Hibs,Rangers et al in the Championship . No team is safe and that's how it should be. 

Cowdenbeath fought for their existence in two relegation play-offs in two consequetive  seasons  and won  their survival,  at least for a while. Quite a few Berwick posters were crowing about us going down over the last few seasons  and now they are about to be relegated into the LL  themselves. Fear what you think can only happen to other teams. 

In the meantime remain smug.

Next year the losses will wipe out the rainy day fund.

The following season we’ll have a budget of about 60k for a squad and management team. Yes we’ll still be around but in the bottom half of the Lowland League with no ambition other than to survive.

 

[Only coo in the village]

14 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

Nope. As it stands it's impossible for Arbroath to be relegated to the Lowland League.

I was wrong to say in a few seasons but I was speaking in general terms. Cowden almost dropped from the Championship down to the LL within 3 seasons.  I think most people would have bet on Cowden or Albion going down before the start of the season  rather than Berwick Rangers.  There aren't many teams, who are usually in the bottom two leagues of senior football, who can be utterly complacent.

 

[HibeeJibee]

Not really got a lot to say about the game. It stands as an appropriate metaphor for a calamitous, catastrophic, tragic, disastrous season.

Cove were simply better in every department and it could as easily have finished 6-0 or 8-0 than 4-0... They hit the bar twice, forced a couple of desperate saves from our 'keeper, missed a pair of sitters, were unlucky not to see a few goal-line scrambles go in, and produced a number of other chances. We had a couple of flying headers and forced one save. It could have been an utter rout. It was by my no means our worst performance of recent months, either.

Basically the players aren't good enough, didn't try enough or don't care enough, in various combinations. Some are genuinely just out of their depths and doing all they can - others a disgrace to the shirt. It was telling the "big hopes" cited among the support before kick-off were Brydon and See... both fringe men returning from injury. Dougie is a capable player, at non-league level, but has spent a couple of years playing with Greenlaw in the Border Amateur League and has allegedly already signed a pre-contract to return there with Duns next season. Ouzy - who never got on today anyway - has been crocked for nearly a year. It's clearly impossible for such players to obtain a level of performance, fitness and match sharpness to make any difference in a side otherwise full of sub-standard quality and effort. You can't build a fighting force out of amateurs, cripples and passengers. We'd have been beaten by at least half the teams in HL or LL today.

Despite the distance, the depression of recent months and the near inevitability of the outcome, there was a good Berwick following up. Singing throughout, positive and supportive, and only when it went 3-0 did the gloom set in and a quiet fall over the scene. Even then the young lads rallied with gallows humour. There was no pride, passion or performance on the park - but there was plenty around it, and dignity. I felt proud to be among them.

Others are to blame: our fans have taken far more than their due, and backed the team to this... the bitterest of bitter ends.

Edited May 11, 2019 by HibeeJibee

[Cyclizine]

7 minutes ago, Only coo in the village said:

I was wrong to say in a few seasons but I was speaking in general terms. Cowden almost dropped from the Championship down to the LL within 3 seasons.  I think most people would have bet on Cowden or Albion going down before the start of the season  rather than Berwick Rangers.  There aren't many teams, who are usually in the bottom two leagues of senior football, who can be utterly complacent.

 

Still impossible for Arbroath to end up in the Lowland League. The Highland League, however, is a different matter...

[marty_j]

Not really got a lot to say about the game. It stands as an appropriate metaphor for a calamitous, catastrophic, tragic, disastrous season.

Cove were simply better in every department and it could as easily have finished 6-0 or 8-0 than 4-0... They hit the bar twice, forced a couple of desperate saves from our 'keeper, missed a pair of sitters, were unlucky not to see a few goal-line scrambles go in, and produced a number of other chances. We had a couple of flying headers and forced one save. It could have been an utter rout. It was bo my no means our worst performance of recent months, either.

Basically the players aren't good enough, didn't try enough or don't care enough, in various combinations. Some are genuinely just out of their depths and doing all they can - others a disgrace to the shirt. It was telling the "big hopes" cited among the support before kick-off were Brydon and See... both fringe men returning from injury. Dougie is a capable player, at non-league level, but has spent a couple of years playing with Greenlaw in the Border Amateur League and has allegedly already signed a pre-contract to return there with Duns next season. Ouzy - who never got on today anyway - has been crocked for nearly a year. It's clearly impossible for such players to obtain a level of performance, fitness and match sharpness to make any difference in a side otherwise full of sub-standard quality and effort. You can't build a fighting force out of amateurs, cripples and passengers. We'd have been beaten by at least half the teams in HL or LL today.

Despite the distance, the depression of recent months and the near inevitability of the outcome, there was a good Berwick following up. Singing throughout, positive and supportive, and only when it went 3-0 did the gloom set in and a quiet fall over the scene. Even then the young lads rallied with gallows humour. There was no pride, passion or performance on the park - but there was plenty around it, and dignity. I felt proud to be among them.

Others are to blame: our fans have taken far more than their due, and backed the team to this... the bitterest of bitter ends.

Top top post

[A Believer]

Guys like [mention=30956]A Believer[/mention] and such, who backed Harvey for some time, yet come on here and want to have a go at others have a lot to answer for. Don’t think it’s crazy to suggest the board pay attention to this site and gauge how fans are feeling based on posts on it. You guys are the ones who probably kept him in a jobs so long. Anyone who tries to say differently, I have private messages on this site from the chairman himself asking me to come along to shielfield and share my concerns with him and the manager and they can discuss there plans with me. [mention=30956]A Believer[/mention] you should have a long hard think about you have probably contributed to what has happened today. There are others aswell but you are the obvious one.

You're right. It was me. It's my fault. All of it. I have my black and gold sackcloth on, and liberally sprinkled with ashes. I fact, I'm now off to 'have a long hard think about I have probably contributed to what has happened today, and with the others aswell bit I am the obvious one....' I'm running it through my Fergie1 Enigma machine, but when I crack it, I'm all over it.

Now, will you stop peeking over my hedge, you're scaring the cat.

[tamthebam]

My spy tells me the pies at Cove are nice, so that's the important things taken care of. 

 

[MAC THE KNIFE]

SACK THE MANAGERS !