SPFL Tier 3, Firhill Stadium, 8/2/22.

Well. This was disappointing. Even if Carsy did manage to put away our (and his) fifth penalty of the season.

I know Queen’s have already beaten us 3-0 twice this season but given our recent improvement and the fact that they are the division’s draw specialists I had hoped for something more. Getting too greedy I suppose.

A draw would have put us level on points with Peterhead, and a win two places up the table, above Alloa.

Not to be, sadly.

We really must get something from Saturday’s game at Broadwood now.

SPFL Tier 2 Play-off, Semi-Final, Second Leg, The Rock*, 5/5/18.

This was excruciating. We made it much harder than we ought to have done.

We came out of the blocks well and took the lead with Dougie Hill’s header from a Tom Walsh corner. We kept up the pressure and had several efforts, the best of which probably fell to Andy Stirling but he blazed it over the bar.

We weren’t in any danger till Liam Dick made a poor defensive header and put Andy Dowie in trouble. His short pass back went to their player who had the easiest finish imaginable.

After that we simply fell apart, every effort at the ball rushed, every clearance sclaffed, every second ball not gained.

Despite that we had some efforts on goal in the second half with Tom Walsh beating the keeper and having the ball cleared off the line, Danny Handling through on his own but lacking the pace to beat the defender and finally in injury time Liam Burt chipping the keeper on a one-on-one but missing the goal.

Scott Gallagher did have a few saves to make but was never really troubled.

Referee Craig Charletson was his usual arrogant self. Several times their players went through one of ours and not a free-kick to be had. The only one we got anywhere near their goal was given by the linesman. The man seems to hate us for some reason.

So. We have to go through all this again on Wednesday and Sunday against Alloa. I don’t think my nerves will stand it.

*Now The C&G Systems Stadium after our new, local, sponsors.

SPFL Tier 2, Easter Road Stadium, 26/4/16.

Not a surprising outcome given the balance of incentives.

I wonder if manager Stevie Aitken would have “rested” those he did had we needed a result. As it is our outside chance of finishing in 7^th place has vanished. But 8^th was the target and we’re there.

It’s even more annoying that we didn’t get anything from Rangers this season now that Livingston have beaten them. Unfortunately we played them when they had something to play for.

Party time for the away fans at Alloa on Sunday I should think. (Its traditional for Sons fans to turn up in fancy dress gear for the last away game.)

SPFL Tier 2, Almondvale Stadium, 5/3/16.

Opportunity missed. Big time.

Livingston started nervously, seeming to be lacking in confidence. Apart from a brief foray or two we dominated the early exchanges. Several chances went abegging – mostly through Livingston losing the ball in dangerous areas but first Calum Waters delayed his cross too long, then Tom Walsh at least tested the keeper. A magnificent through ball from Waters to Christian Nade ought at least to have produced a shot but he checked back and the chance was lost. At least six Sons corners came and went without any rewal threat to Livi’s goal appearing.

It only takes a goal to boost confidence, though. Unfortunately it wasn’t us who got it. Tom Walsh lost the ball in our attacking third and we were too stretched. There were still chances to block the cross or the attackers but Frazer Wright seemed to slip in the box and despite Jamie Ewings blocking an almost point blank shot he could do nothing about the rebound. A few minutes later Jamie saved us when Gregor Buchanan tried to play football just outside our penalty area, lost the ball and their player was one-on-one. Jamie Lindsay was prominent in midfield first half but faded in the second.

Midway through the second half our 4-1-4-1 changed to 4-4-2 when Garry Fleming came on. Later still in a vain attempt to get something from the game it was 4-3-3 as Donald McCallum was added up front. Jamie Ewings made another good stop, this time from a long range effort. A Jamie Lindsay free kick more or less straight at the keeper was about all we had to show though.

The goal that killed it also ought to have been prevented. Frazer Wright failed to deal with the long ball and again lost his footing, leaving the player with an easy side foot in.

Late on sub Jordan Kirkpatrick beat his man in the box and was caught on the way past: a stonewaller but the ref didn’t give it. Not that it mattered by then as it would have been too late. Perhaps this was karma for all those games at Livi where we’ve gone behind and went on to win.

Christian Nade was fouled throughout the game but got little protection (or support from midfield come to that.) Tom Walsh has some good control and can drift past players but can’t cross; Donald McCallum is eager and quick but lacks strength as yet; he’s not really one to come on when we’re chasing something. The game could be our penance for having Frazer Wright in the side – not that the first goal was entirely down to him. Let’s hope all his mishaps were reserved for this one.

At season’s end this could turn out to have been a pivotal game. In which case it will have tipped against us.

Tuesday’s match against Alloa assumes great importance now.

So, Livingston have sacked manager Mark Burchill.

That’s three opponents in a row whose managers Sons have seen off.

First Alloa, then St Mirren and now Livingston.

Can we dare hope to polish off the next two as well? Falkirk’s Peter Houston and Rangers’s Mark Warburton?

No; me neither.

Well, maybe Warburton.

SPFL Tier 2, Almondvale Stadium,* 19/12/15.

It was important not to lose this to keep the differential between us and them at two wins especially since St Mirren were all but guaranteed a win at Alloa so I was disappointed to hear we’d gone one down early on.

Contrariwise (now there’s a good word) I was delighted when I heard the final score. Is it my imagination or are we scoring quite a few late goals this season?

Looks like it may be a difficult day at Falkirk on the 26^th though….

*Call it the Tony Macaroni Arena if you wish

SPFL Tier 2, Recreation Park,* 5/12/15.

Yay! Three points.

Most welcome. More, please.

I wasn’t at the game. The weather was foul – both wind and rain – and the away section at Alloa isn’t well protected from the elements. I also had the feeling that the closure of the Forth Road Bridge would mean heavy traffic on the approach to Alloa. (It’s also put me off going to Livingston on the 19^th and Falkirk on Boxing Day.)

I felt irrationally cheered by the result. I confess I don’t much care about the Cup game on Tuesday night. The next two league games are more important.

*Call it the Indodrill Stadium if you wish.

SPFL Tier 2, Ibrox Stadium, 1/12/15

Well it ended up as the humping that’s only to be expected but could have done without before meeting Alloa on Saturday.

I had hoped at half time with it still 0-0 that we might steal a point, but it wasn’t to be.

It’s been pretty grim since the second league game. A win would be nice, wouldn’t it?

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 21/11/15

I must admit to feeling despondent when I heard the result, on the radio in the car coming home.(We were in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.) The only consolations were that we had at last scored goals – only the second time this season we’d notched more than twice – that we’d not lost ground on the other two clubs on the same points as us before the weekend and that we’d put two wins between us and the automatic relegation spot.

It wasn’t till I got home and accessed the club website that I understood that we’d been 3-0 down with ten minutes to go and somehow got a draw out of it; which puts a different compexion entirely on the point gained. With a bit of luck that’ll give the team confidence.

Mind you, we’re not on league business next week as we entertain Alloa in the Cup. I don’t know what to think about that. After our great run of not losing against them for fourteen games they’ve won the last two, but we don’t want to give them encouragement before the league game at their place the week after. A Cup run would be nice but I’d rather have three points right now.

Then there’s the small matter of a trip to Ibrox between the two Alloa games. Not ideal from our point of view.

The full list has been posted on the club’s website.

Those first four look awkward; though maybe Queen of the South will not be as good as the past two seasons. But our home record against them is mince. I believe they haven’t ever lost to us at the Rock.

The run-in’s not too bad, the away game at Ibrox perhaps excepted. Will the last game – at Alloa – be crucial?