SFL Div 2, Station Park, 14/2/12

I said we’d have to be sharper; but we weren’t.

Instead, we were more profligate.

Stephen Grindlay had a great save early on then four gilt-edged chances for us elapsed before Forfar scored. Over-elaboration, failing to shoot first time, too many touches, passing instead of taking responsibility for a shot, every possible failing in front of goal was in evidence. Their keeper did OK but should have been beaten: more than once.

Midway through the half play became rather scrappy.* (*Thank you Ian McMillan – those of a certain age will remember his summations of games for BBC TV in the long ago. Wiki says he is the grandfather of former son Iain Russell.)

In the end at half time I was grateful for the equaliser. Brian Prunty seemed to have taken the ball on too far but finally got a shot away into the corner of the net.

Our formation was puzzling for a time. I hadn’t really noticed among the mayhem on Saturday at Ochilview but we are playing three at the back. Onebrow was of the opinion that the two full backs aren’t pushed on enough to make it work, though, and our midfield can get overrun with this system.

The second half more or less followed the pattern of the first, both teams having chances – one shocking miss by a Forfar player who blazed wide when he should have placed it, a good save by Grindlay after a headed back pass fell short – our failure to shoot early enough enormously frustrating. Their keeper had a great save from the only one Scott Agnew really got hold of all night and scrambled a Mark Gilhaney effort away late on.

Gilhaney nearly always takes the wrong option. The system may be employed to free him up but too often he flatters to deceive. When wide he wanders infield instead of taking on the man on the outside and trying to get a cross in. Typically he ends up losing the ball. I can’t remember when I last saw him really play well. When Mark Lamont came on for James Creaney he became predictable very quickly.

We kept threatening to score up till the end but never convinced that we would.

Still; a point’s a point and we’re now third. How on Earth did that happen? Our goal difference is still to hit positive numbers.

When I got home I discovered the reason why our winning run had come to an end.