SFL Div 2, Forthbank Stadium, 28/4/12.

So for the second year in a row our post-season destiny is settled with a game to spare. And we’re in the play-offs!

This is an outstanding end to a campaign where I’m sure most Sons fans would have been happy with survival in the Division. Very well done to Manager Alan Adamson, the backroom staff and the players.

The game itself wasn’t a classic. There was perhaps too much riding on it with Stirling hoping to avoid relegation. We had the better of the first half with Pat Walker coming close twice early on, Brian Prunty almost converting a Scott Agnew cross-come-shot and Stirling only the one really threatening effort on goal.

Their goal was well taken if a little out of the blue. Stirling hadn’t really looked threatening with too many wrong decisions on the ball and misplaced passes or shots.

Arlan Mptata came on and looked skillful, if perhaps too inclined to elaborate a bit – at this level players sometimes get in the way by accident rather than design – but he glided past his defender with ease a couple of times.

Our equaliser was bizarre. It’s the sort of goal you lose when you’re bottom of the Division, nothing is going for you and you’re doomed to relegation. A cross was headed into the air by Stirling’s no 2, it looped up and the keeper grabbed it as it came down but it had carried over. The lino flagged straight away. The keeper was maybe hampered by the injury he’d sustained earlier in the half but both should have dealt with it better.

After that Stirling threw the kitchen sink at it, playing men up. They had a four on two at one point where the attacker still managed to let one of the two get in a tackle. They also had what looked a penalty from where I was sitting up the other end but the ref blew for a dive and booked the attacker. A let-off I thought, but seeing the footage on Sons Player the ref got it spot on.

Then in stoppage time, at a corner, sub Craig Dargo was left totally unmarked to head the winner. Third in the Division sewn up – our highest finish in the SFL since 2004.

So there’s a nothing game next week against Brechin but the boys need to keep focused.

Then the play-off with Arbroath. Not a team we have an especially good record against.

SFL Div 2, The Rock, 21/4/12

I wasn’t at the game but this was a potentially important result. Had we lost we were in real danger of not finishing in a play-off spot. As it is one, more win from two remaining will secure third place. Possibly even a draw might do depending on results elsewhere.

Since our ten game unbeaten run we had hit a bit of a slump and only one of our players (Craig Dargo at Cowdenbeath) had scored for us in six games since the 3^rd of March! Our other two counters in that time were opposition own goals.

The result yesterday was all the more commendable since we fell behind early in the second half.

It is still possible for us to finish as low as sixth despite two of the teams in the next three playing each other next week (especially given our poor goal difference) but we would need to have a calamitous last two games.

We could relegate Stirling Albion next Saturday so they’ll be up for a scrap. Brechin (at home on 5^th May) ought to have nothing to play for, though.

We could even lose our last two games and still finish 3^rd.

In this Division, where anybody can beat anybody, you just never know.

Forthbank Stadium* is one of those modern identikit type constructions and a little soulless. But at least it has stands on two sides plus two bits of terracing, one behind each goal – though they are seldom used.

Saturday was a bit gloomy and so the photos are not as sharp as they might be.

This is from the access road, mainly showing the away supporters stand.

This is the home stand.

The terracings behind the goals are opened only when a big crowd is expected – so not for Dumbarton games.
This is the south end – to your left in the photo above.

And this the north.

This is a rather blurry view of the away stand from the north end.

*Edited to add:- I know it’s the Doubletree Dunblane Stadium now.

SFL Div 2, Forthbank Stadium*, 30/10/11

At half-time I feared the worst. We’d had a barrowload of chances, Pat Walker one-on-one with the goalie and the goalie saved it, Brian Prunty and Walker two on one defender where Prunty elected to shoot instead of playing Walker in, plus a few other efforts but nothing to show for it. Stirling had looked poor. That sort of thing usually leads to one ending.

Sure enough Striling came out more brightly in the second half and had more of the ball but didn’t fashion much by way of chances.

Then out of nothing Scott Agnew hit a shot which seemed to get a deflection on its way past their keeper and delight ensued.

But there was still trepidation to come. Stirling had two good efforts one inches (if that) past. From where I sat the header looked goal bound but it edged past the post and Stephen Grindlay made a great save on a one-on-one.

Then a great move saw Prunty played in but his shot went just wide.

A welcome three points even if Stirling were the poorest side I have seen for some time.

The referee by the way was atrocious. He gave us four fouls all game (two more were given by the assistants.) He failed to see a challenge on James Creaney it was so late (the assistant did) but didn’t book the guy. He yellow-carded Kevin Nicoll for a challenge but two minutes later didn’t even give a foul for an exact copy tackle on Scott Agnew.

As I recall this was the ref who gave Andy Rodgers an utterly ridiculous penalty for The Shire against us way back when. Maybe he doesn’t like us for some reason.

*Apparently its now the Doubletree Dunblane Stadium but who could be bothered?

SFL Div 2, The Rock, 13/8/11

I was only going to write this season about matches I actually attended but this result requires comment.

I don’t want to talk about it.

Nor the 4-0 defeat to Dundee in the League Cup.

Nor last week’s humping at Airdrie.

You spot the theme, don’t you?

Played 2. Won 0. Drawn 0. Lost 2. For 1. Against 8.

Forthbank Stadium, 12/4/10

So: this result means Arbroath cannot better our points total. We have a ten goal advantage over them but if they were to beat us by say two on the 24^th it would make things tight. But Stenny and East Fife also play each other that day making it highly unlikely all three can get past us.

Still, we can make it arithmetically secure tonight by our own efforts against Clyde.

Why do I have a sinking feeling?

Forthbank Stadium, 4/4/10

Get out of jail free card played. Yet one more illustration that my crystal ball is defective.

Yes, we made their keeper make two good saves in the first half; once from a close-in Wyness header and once when Kieran Brannan was through but I couldn’t see this coming when we went one down.

We rode our luck more than once when defending corners. We have eleven men back and they still manage to get efforts in; plus we don’t then have an out ball. Just after they scored Ross Clark saved on the post at a corner.

Ross Clark at right back? Not the disaster it could have been but he’s more effective in midfield, surely? He was as exposed as Chissie there btw.

A route one ball gave us the equaliser. Dennis Wyness’s “powerful shot into the bottom corner” was a lob over the keeper into the middle of the goal and was so slow in coming down I thought he’d missed the goal completely.

The second was an exploitation of Carcary’s pace; he then squared the ball to an unmarked Wyness who looked to scuff it a bit, but who’s complaining?

Kieran Brannan started but seemed to lack enough pace to get past a man and a bit of confidence. He probably needs more development time. White was solid between the posts and had no chance with their goal.

The midfield was totally lacking in imagination and ideas. How we scored twice is a mystery to me but three points gratefully accepted

Two more points and Clyde can’t overtake us.

The Rock, 17/2/10

Oh dear.

Much as I don’t want us to get promotion this season – it’s too big a step – I don’t like us being humped at home.

Stirling, though, will probably be in and around the championship come May.

Goals continue to leak like there’s nothing in front of Dr Jan.

It’s been a better season away from home for some reason.

Forthbank Stadium, 15/12/09

So we got the good result, then. And only three goals would have won it for us.

I’d have taken it before the game but going into the lead twice and losing it both times, the last with two minutes to go, is a bit of a kicker.

I couldn’t face the drive to Stirling so I started “watching” this on the BBC website when it was 1-1 and was immediately apprehensive. Our second goal was a nice bonus. Downer at the second equaliser, though.

But an away draw against the joint leaders can’t be bad. And up to fifth again.

The Rock, 3/10/09

Well, yesterday for the first time this season we scored first. But we lost three again. Twice in the lead, at home, we should be winning it.

I suppose in other circumstances this might have been not too bad; Stirling are the league leaders, after all. But we’re in pretty dire straits.

I’ll reserve final judgement till I’ve seen the game on Sons TV.

However, that’s only two points out of a possible fifteen at home, which is nowhere near good enough.

I’ll be at Methil on Saturday, though, masochist that I am.