Irn-bru SFL Weeked Review

IRN-BRU SFL First Division

With the lead at the top of the First Division at stake, both managers pledging to attack, nearly 5,000 fans in attendance and neither side having played in a goalless draw this season, the scene was set for the biggest game of the day in Scotland to deliver fantastic entertainment.

However at Dens Park on Saturday, it all went off rather tamely as Dundee and Queen of the South cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.

Colin Cameron fired in a couple of long range efforts to try and lift the game to no avail and neither goalkeeper was troubled until just before half time, when a Colin Forsyth corner struck a post, although this was more through good fortune as opposed to a deliberate act.

Willie McLaren had the visitor’s best chance of the afternoon only to fire in a tame shot from 15 yards and the second half petered out to leave both sides locked together on points, with the Dumfries men still leading courtesy of a six goal better off goal difference.

Dundee were without the services of Leigh Griffiths because of Scotland under-21 duty, although Dens Park manager Jocky Scott refused to use it as an excuse for his side saying, “The absence of Leigh was not a factor as we had enough good players on the pitch to win the game, we had plenty of possession and I am therefore disappointed. More disappointing to me is that we went from the performance against Airdrie last weekend where we created chance after chance to not creating any clear cut opportunities.” Scott finished by saying, “We should be winning any home game with the amount of possession that we had, but thankfully no harm has been done to our league position.”

Visiting manager Gordon Chisholm said, “We had planned to attack and set out to win the game but Dundee had so much of the ball that it did not turn out like that. I am happy with a point as a lot of teams will leave here with nothing this season.”

Ross County could have joined the Dark Blues and the Doonhamers at the summit on twenty seven points, however they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ayr United, who move off bottom spot as a result. County went ahead just before half time when defender Scott Boyd headed in a Richard Brittain corner and they looked even more on course for the three points when the home side’s Ryan Stevenson was shown a straight red-card for a challenge on Alex Keddie.

Stevenson’s dismissal seemed to galvanise an Ayr side, that included former St Mirren and Dunfermline striker Junior Mendes for the first time, and they drew level when Mark Roberts converted a penalty with 8 minutes to go after Keddie had toppled home substitute Alastair Woodburn.

County boss Derek Adams maintained his stance of not being interested in top spot saying, “Not being at the top does not bother me, it is all about gathering more points than we did last season and not being involved in the drop zone.”

Somerset Park boss Brain Reid was pleased with the fight that his players showed advising, “Last season we showed a never say die attitude and we were back to showing that again today. I am reasonably pleased to come back and get a point after being reduced to ten men.”

The chasing pack of four clubs have all bunched up to within a point of each other following Dunfermline’s 3-1 win over Partick Thistle, Inverness seeing off Airdrie United 2-0 and Raith Rovers’ spectacular 5-0 defeat at Morton.

The Pars are the form team with their win over the Glasgow side being their fourth in an unbeaten spell of seven games with winger Willie Gibson being the catalyst for their latest triumph with a two goal performance. Former Airdrie midfielder Steven McDougall opened the scoring when he forced the ball home after only four minutes with Gibson doubling the lead before half time with a fine strike from almost 30 yards out. Paul Cairney got Partick back into things when he shot home just after the interval and with Thistle pushing for a leveller Gibson fired in a decisive goal in injury time.

East End Park boss Jim McIntyre beamed, “Results breed confidence and we have achieved some results where we have played some great stuff and others where we have ground out wins.”

Jags boss Ian McCall fumed, “We made crazy errors at the beginning of the game and it was tough going after that. We got a goal back but Dunfermline shut things down after that.”

Inverness manager Terry Butcher was delighted that his side won for the third time in four games, especially when substitute Eric Odhiambo added to Danni Sanchez’s late first half goal to seal victory with a left foot volley from the edge of the box.

It was the former Leicester City player’s first appearance at home this season after a metatarsal problem and he may well have booked a starting place in next weekend’s ALBA Challenge Cup Final against Dundee with Butcher saying, “People do not really know Eric as a player yet. He is a special talent and he is hungry to do well here and people will soon realise what he is about.”

Diamonds boss Kenny Black barked, “That was unacceptable for the fans that travelled here to watch us. We had seven or eight players below their best and you are only going to get one result when that is the case.”

Recently appointed Morton boss James Grady was saying all last week that his side, that were on a run of five straight defeats, were close to winning a game and that if they converted their chances they would win well. Grady was proven to be correct as they hit a high five against Raith Rovers to give Kirkcaldy boss John McGlynn the biggest defeat he has endured in his three year spell at the club.

Australian Eric Paartalu fired the Greenock men ahead after 14 minutes and the floodgates were opened when visiting defender Grant Murray was dismissed, after he picked up his second yellow card for a foul on trialist Alan Reid 8 minutes into the second period.

Brian Wake used the extra space in the Raith box to great effect on 55 minutes to net and he made it three on the hour mark when he flicked in from close range. Peter Weatherson shot home a fourth before heading in the fifth as Morton made good Grady’s words about how fine their recent play has been.

Grady’s assistant Allan McManus said, “It was great to see the strikers sticking the ball away after a disappointing run. We remained very professional when they went down to ten men and it was a fantastic performance.”

McGlynn said, “Losing Grant Murray and then a goal so quickly put us right up against things. Defensively we have been good so far this season so it was disappointing and I have never lost 5-0 before.”

IRN-BRU SFL Second Division

Second Division leaders Cowdenbeath defeated Dumbarton 2-1 at Central Park on Saturday to put their seven game unbeaten run on the line next weekend, in what is shaping up as a tasty encounter at Forthbank, against the last side to defeat them, second placed Stirling Albion

Danny Lennon’s Blue Brazil had to come from behind after the Sons went ahead in 5 minutes when Andy Geggan curled home from the edge of the box. Paul McQuade levelled from the penalty spot 13 minutes later, when Stevie Murray was harshly judged to have tripped John Armstrong, and it was McQuade that struck the winner when he flicked home a Scott Linton cross with only 8 minutes left.

Lennon said afterwards, “We are enjoying our fine run and will be going to Stirling next week for a win. This victory was really important as it was the first time in a couple of months that we have had to come from being behind. Winning the game tells me that the players here have a lot of character.”

Visiting manager Jim Chapman complained afterwards, “Our centre half was fouled in the build up to their winning goal but nothing was awarded. We had played well and deserved something from this game.”

Stirling Albion won for the first time in 5 outings with Martin Grehan’s late close in strike, after Mark Ridgers had made a fine stop in the home goal, seeing off East Fife 2-1. Paul McManus tapped in to put the Fifers ahead, midway through the first half, with David O’Brien levelling 5 minutes into the second period after a Grehan header had struck the bar.

Forthbank boss Allan Moore is looking to add more firepower to his attack ahead of the visit from Cowdenbeath advising, “Our strikers are not working hard enough and I will be looking to bring someone in to bolster the ranks over the next week. We badly needed this win and now have the chance to reclaim top spot next weekend.”

New Bayview boss Steve Crawford is also unhappy with his goal-grabbers complaining, “We had six or seven chances to score and did not take them so I am far from pleased.”

Four draws in a row are hampering Brechin’s promotion push, although their point in the 2-2 draw with Clyde on Saturday may well feel like a point gained and not two lost as they hit back very late in the game to equalise.

The Bully Wee were winning at half-time through a Willie Sawyers goal, however Rory McAllister headed in an equaliser in 68 minutes. Paul McLeod put Clyde ahead again when he netted from close range with just two minutes left, only for Charlie King to level with a fine strike right at the death from 20 yards out.

Glebe Park boss Jim Duffy said, “I am pleased with our performance especially in the second half when we were excellent and creating chances again.”

Clyde have the chance of moving away from the bottom of the table next week if they defeat East Fife at home, and their manager John Brown is looking for his side to take the form they showed in this encounter into next week’s crucial game and beyond. Brown beamed, “If we can perform like that every week I am sure that we will soon be moving up the table.”

Stenhousemuir stunned hosts Alloa 4-1 at Recreation Park to earn their second league win of the season over their neighbours and move up to seventh place in the table. Craig Malloy, Kevin Motion and Scott Dalziel all scored in the first half with Scott Buist’s second half goal giving Alloa hope of a comeback, only for former Wasp Pat Scullion to kill the game off when he added a fourth.

Stenhousemuir manager John Coughlin added, “That was probably our most disciplined performance of the season. I am hoping that is us bouncing back up the way after a false dawn at Arbroath a couple of weeks ago.”

Alloa boss Allan Maitland said afterwards, “We started really well and forced their goalkeeper into a number of excellent saves in the first 20 minutes. If we had scored then, it would have changed the game as Stenhousemuir would have had to change their tactics. We didn’t and then they scored the first three times they went up the park.”

Recently appointed Jim Weir earned his first win as Arbroath manager with a 2-1 triumph against a Peterhead side who had been unbeaten in five games. Barry Sellars shot the Gayfield men ahead just on half time with Martin Bavidge equalising on the hour mark from close range. Substitute Steven Doris hooked home the winner with 11 minutes left to lift Arbroath to eighth place in the table.

Weir said afterwards, “The players set a good standard and gave their all throughout the game so I am sure everyone associated with Arbroath will be happy with that.”

Balmoor boss Neale Cooper appears to be taking lessons from his former Aberdeen team-mate Willie Miller saying, “The biggest issue today was the referee, who I thought was poor, but I had better be careful not to say too much more or I will end up in trouble.”

IRN-BRU SFL Third Division

With leaders Livingston’s game against Albion Rovers rained off, Berwick Rangers were presented with the opportunity to go to the top of the Third Division, however the Shielfield side failed to take it as they were held 1-1 by visiting Queen’s Park.

The Glasgow side went ahead after only 7 minutes when full back Robert Walker’s cross was turned into his own net by Berwick defender Graham Guy. The visitor’s advantage was short lived as Berwick centre back Andy McLean ghosted in to meet a Stuart Callaghan free kick and head home a leveller just 5 minutes later.

Both sides missed opportunities to snatch three points with Berwick boss Jimmy Crease lamenting afterwards, “I am disappointed that we did not go top of the league. We had chance after chance near the end of the game but showed a lack of composure or were over anxious. It was a below par performance.”

Hampden Head Coach Gardner Speirs added, “We could have won and so could have Berwick but I have to praise the work rate of my players.”

East Stirling’s mini-slump of three defeats in a row ended when they saw off Forfar 2-1 to jump into third place thanks to first half goals from Andy Rodgers and Simon Lynch. Substitute Kevin Gordon pulled a goal back with 16 minutes left, however it was too little, too late for Dick Campbell’s men.

‘Shire coach Jim McInally said afterwards, “We were dominant in the first half but were pinned back in the second. Forfar are a big side, we struggled with their height and were under pressure as a result.”

Station Park boss Campbell said, “Our defending is still poor and that helped East Stirling to get ahead and in the end they deserved to win.”

Elgin defeated Annan Athletic 2-0 at Galabank where David Niven headed in just after half time, and Kyle McAulay wrapped things up after the home side’s Peter Watson was dismissed for picking up a second yellow card.

After being thumped 6-1 by Livingston last time out, Borough Briggs boss Ross Jack was pleased saying, “We were well beaten last weekend and had lost four goals the last time we were here, so I am delighted that we are going home with a win.”

Annan manager Harry Cairney was in the opposite frame of mind advising, “We were poor in the second half and paid a heavy price for it.”

Montrose’s long wait for a win continues as they drew 1-1 at Links Park with Stranraer with player/ manager Steven Tweed almost winning the game with a late chance that he flashed over the bar. Midfielder Sean Anderson opened the scoring for Tweed’s men on 55 minutes, when he headed in via a post only for Michael Moore to level 8 minutes later with a well struck shot.

Tweed said afterwards, “We had enough chances to win three games although I can not be too critical of anyone that missed as I had a chance myself. We have now picked up more points in four games of this quarter than we did in the opening nine games so there is progress on the pitch.”

Stair Park boss Keith Knox added, “Both sides had chances so I would say a draw was the right result and I am pleased with how our boys came back.”