aet 1-0. Scottish Challenge Cup, Hampden Park, 18/8/15.

Any triumphalism is now put firmly on hold.

Again we faced a lower league team packing the defence – Queen’s had six across the back at times* – again we failed to break them down.

OK, we did get a penalty right at the end of normal time but Garry Fleming blasted it over the bar.

I never at any time felt that we would lose a goal but then in the first half of extra time we did. Andy Graham dwelled too long on the ball near our penalty area and ended up losing it, leaving us undermanned at the back. The free attacker stroked the cross in.** After that we were a bit more open as we pushed up and there were a couple of close things. Our best efforts were a Willie Gibson free kick their goalie saved and a Garry Fleming effort with his right foot when his left might have been a better bet. He’s not really convincing as a centre forward.

Were the players perhaps not too bothered about this game? The league is probably more important. If so I hope they’re more focused when the Scottish Cup comes round. I wouldn’t like to see us exit that this way.

This was my first view of the revamped Hampden; a vast bowl of a stadium. A weird sight indeed with its serried ranks of empty seats. The attendance was apparently 587. I had meant to take my camera but left home in a bit of a rush and forgot it. Next time we play Queen’s? (I can’t see us being back at Hampden any other way.)

*Queen’s had a player with number 10 on his back playing at centre back. This is a defilement of the spirit of football. A no 10 shirt rightly belongs to a fantasista.

**Edited to add:- The linesman put up his flag for an attacker offside (who looked to be on the bye-line from where we were) in the run-up to Andy Graham losing the ball. For some reason the ref overruled the flag.

No. It’s not an unwonted indulgence in excessive enthusiasm.

Just a second round Challenge Cup game. (That’s sufficiently rare in itself to be worth a celebration.)

Queen’s Park away on 18^th or 19^th August.

Scottish Challenge Cup,* Round 1, Cappielow Park, 25/7/2105.

And so it begins again. Only nine months to go.

But with an unusual result. I believe this is only our fifth win in this competition in its 25 year history. Two of those were in the same season.

Looking at the team sheet there were only two starters who were at the club last season. Life in part-time football.

While it’s a bit disturbing to have a three goal lead eaten into it’s still refreshing to kick-off a season with a win.

*It’s officially the Petrofac Training Cup but that’s just too much of a mouthful.

Petrofac Training Cup, Round 1, Stair Park, 26/7/14.

And so it goes.

Again.

Our traditional first round exit in the – now renamed – Challenge Cup (its new name is the Petrofac Training Cup) will be to the same opponents who did for us last year, Stranraer.

How bizarre it is to see the names of Hearts and Hibs along with Rangers in this context.