SPFL Team of the Week

Craig Fowler selects his latest SPFL Team of the Week in a 4-4-2 formation, with St Mirren’s Stevie Mallan the star man.

Goalkeeper – Zander Clark (Queen of the South)
Rangers’ inability to build on their first-leg lead and make the play-off with Queens a more comfortable affair ensured a nervy afternoon for their supporters. In truth, the home side didn't play that badly, they just failed to convert some of their chances, especially in the first half. A large reason for that was Zander Clark. The young shot-stopper, on loan from St Johnstone, has been excellent in his two seasons with the Dumfries club, and on Sunday he got to showcase his talents on the national stage. His superb reflex stop from Kenny Miller was a particular highlight.

Right-back – David Wotherspoon (St Johnstone)
Right-backs are always the most difficult players to select for this team. Rarely will fans rave about a right-back. They are traditionally more dependable than exciting. That's why a player from another position is often shoe-horned into the role in this select XI, like right now. In fairness, at least David Wotherspoon played in that position this past weekend. He would have earned serious consideration for a Team of the Week honour even before he was shifted to full-back following an injury to Gary Miller. Having shown good skills and work ethic in midfield to help St Johnstone go toe-to-toe with the champions in a rip-roaring match, he then deputised expertly in the back four, staying solid in his defensive duties while providing a calming influence on the ball.

Central defence – Marcus Fraser (Ross County)
Another who is featuring in this squad in an unnatural role, though Fraser did play the full 90 minutes at centre-back in Ross County's survival-clinching win over Hamilton Accies. The 20-year-old full-back played a very intelligent match and used his awareness to cover up for his deficiencies – namely a lack of height and strength. He continually made vital interceptions and swept up play in behind the rearguard when Hamilton tried to break through. In a game of such magnitude, it was an impressively mature performance.

Central defence – Steven Anderson (St Johnstone)
Anderson is one of Scottish football's most under-rated players and has been for years. That he's flown under the radar has been great for St Johnstone as it's meant they have managed to keep hold of the defender despite him continually finishing the season as one of the best three players in a top-six side. Against Celtic on Friday night, not only did he show incredible poise on the ball, which helped St Johnstone enjoy as much possession as they did, he also defended his position excellently to help Saints record a clean sheet against such a lethal attacking unit. Only St Johnstone and Inter Milan have stopped Celtic scoring in an away match since August.

Left-back – Daryll Meggatt (Alloa Athletic)
What a parting gift! On Sunday, Meggatt played his final game for Alloa before his upcoming move to Dundee. With the pre-contract signed, and Meggatt carrying a slight injury, it might have been easy for the left-back to sit out the match, preserving his health for the upcoming top-flight challenge. Instead, he put in a gutsy performance to help Alloa turn around a 3-1 first-leg deficit with a famous 3-0 victory that preserved their Scottish Championship status. Not only did he execute a vital sliding challenge on Omar Kader just when it looked like the Forfar midfielder was sure to score, he also headed in the winning goal.

Defensive midfield – Dean Shiels (Rangers)
We usually think of Shiels as a dynamic attacking player, who brings a chaos factor to the final third. In Sunday's play-off second leg, Stuart McCall got him to channel that energy into performing very well in a much deeper role. The Rangers boss opted for a narrow diamond to try and dominate the centre of the park against Queens' 3-5-2. Helping execute the plan was Shiels, who always looked to get himself involved in the action, with and without the ball. Even when nerves started to creep in following Derek Lyle's goal, Shiels never shied from possession and encouraged his midfield partners to do likewise.

Right midfield – Paul McMullan (Stenhousemuir)
This selection is based on an accumulation of both legs of the League 1 play-off final. In the first match, McMullan was the best player on the park as he helped his side gain a 1-0 advantage thanks to a perfectly whipped-in free-kick for Jamie McCormack to head home. His performance in the home leg didn't quite hit those tremendously high standards, but again he provided the assist for Stenhousemuir's goal and was instrumental in the few threatening attacks the home side managed to carve out as they held on to their status in the face of severe pressure from Queen’s Park.

Left midfield –Stephen Mallan (St Mirren)
It's been a horrible season for St Mirren and their fans to endure. Nevertheless, 2015/16 is a new campaign and in Stevie Mallan they have a real reason to be hopeful for the future. In Saturday's 2-1 victory over Motherwell he demonstrated all the tools at his disposal – his skill, endeavour, and ability to unleash an absolute thunderbolt of a shot. The 97th-minute effort gave Motherwell's George Long absolutely no chance and capped a terrific display from 'Malladona'. In Kenny McLean and John McGinn, St Mirren have produced a couple of great young central midfielders over the past few years. Steven Mallan might be even better. He is this week's star man.

Attacking midfield – Alexei Eremenko (Kilmarnock)
There are some games where Eremenko's passing, crossing and vision is just out of this world. Saturday was one of those games. Kilmarnock netted four goals - three of them came directly from Eremenko assists. The only reason he didn't have four assists is because his perfectly-flighted ball in behind for Greg Kiltie to run on to before winning a penalty doesn't count. That hardly seems fair. Semantics aside, in such a crucial game for Kilmarnock, Eremenko stepped up big time and created four goals.

Forward – Garry Wood (Montrose)
Vitally-important goals needn't be aesthetically pleasing. In the end, nobody cares if the strike that wins a World Cup Final or a Premier League crown, or even an inaugural League 2 play-off final, is scored with any great skill or power, but it's always nicer when it is. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, but winning 2-1 on the day, Montrose were heading to extra time and the possibility of penalties against Brora Rangers when Garry Wood drew back his right foot and unleashed a rocket from 30 yards that left keeper Joe Malin with no chance.

Forward – Michael Chopra (Alloa Athletic)
There's no doubt many people scoffed at the Chopra signing when Alloa persuaded the former English Premier League hitman to help the Wasps in their fight against relegation. His performances, unsurprisingly for someone who joined the side so late in the season, have been a little hit and miss, but there's no doubt he came through when it counted most. Forfar were the better side in Sunday's Championship play-off final and looked on course to cruise to a comfortable victory behind their 3-1 lead from the first leg. Then Chopra struck. Suddenly the dynamic of the game changed and the pendulum swung mightily in Alloa's favour when the same player forced an error from Rab Douglas, allowing Liam Buchanan to level the tie. That set up Daryll Meggatt's grandstand finish.