SPFL Tier 3 Play-off, Semi-Final, First Leg, Ainslie Park, 03/05/22.

Calamity.

Shambles.

Disgrace.

Choose your own noun.

Whichever, this was a come-uppance that has been coming all season.

We weren’t the worse team in the first half; indeed we had several opportunities to put in good crosses, notably from Ross MacLean, but the delivery was never acceptable enough except when Conner Duthie put one over for Josh Oyinsan to head. Josh’s angle was slightly wrong and the ball just cleared the bar. That would have made it 1-1 and might have changed the game.

But our perennial ability to shoot ourselves in the foot manifested itself when George Stanger underhit a back-pass and Kieran Wright couldn’t prevent the forward getting past him to be presented with an open goal.

Their second was also an abject disaster, a corner somehow not being cleared and the ball going in off Gregor Buchanan. At that point any thought of winning this tie all but disappeared.

Mind you, if we had approached the start of the first half the way we did the second things might have been different. For the first twenty minutes we were all over them, creating space down the flanks and getting crosses in. It was two odd substitutions though with Kris Syvertsen who had looked as if he might create something and big Josh (who admittedly wasn’t at his best) being replaced by Kalvin Orsi and Callum Wilson. At this point Paul Paton was bossing the game from the base of midfield and it was his cross that was looped over the keeper from the edge of the box for our goal. Young Callum did his best, twisting and turning past defenders several times, but nobody was able to be calm enough to finish off his work.

Their third killed it. Another defensive mix-up and a reasonable save from Keiran Wright was followed by a failure to clear the ball which fell to a guy who couldn’t miss.

At 2-1 and with us on top there was the possibility of getting an equaliser but that goal knocked us back. 3-1 was always going to be a different prospect.

The final nail in the coffin with minutes to go – another short pass back latched on to by the home attack – just completed the humiliation.

The thought of watching the second leg was by then almost unbearable.

So; unless some sort of miracle happens on Saturday we now know where we’ll be playing next season; Tier 4.

Who knows where we’ll be the season after that?

The club is in deep trouble on and off the park. It’s its 150^th anniversary later this year. What a sorry state it’s in to greet that.

Profound change is required.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 11/12/21.

This all started quite well. We had the better of the first part of the game, even if Montrose looked tidy on the ball they didn’t threaten our goal. Eoghan Stokes put a header against the post from a narrow angle, Conner Duthie latched onto an exquisite pass from Andy Geggan, rounded the keeper and slotted it. The retreating defender could only put it in the net. Callum Wilson hit the bar from a corner.

Then the roof fell in. Paddy Boyle misjudged the bounce of the ball and his attempt to recover caught their attacker who tumbled to the ground. Penalty. No question. Then two minutes later they pulled our defence out of shape and had a man over on the left. Goal. Eoghan Stokes was through one on one just before half-time but the keeper narrowed the angle well and saved with his legs.

Again at the start of the second half we looked as if we might get back into it but the third goal killed it. Failure to challenge properly allowed the attacker to manœuvre the ball into a striking position. Game over.

It’s especially disappointing as we looked bright enough going forward when we passed the ball. We can only hope that a Ryan McGeever return might improve our defence (and provide an extra attacking threat on set pieces.)

Down to second bottom. Next Saturday’s game against Peterhead looks like a six pointer even this early. Lose it and I reckon we’re stuffed.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock,6/11/21.

It was a mustn’t lose – and we didn’t lose.

However we ought to have won.

There were enough dangerous crosses etc for us to have got on the end of one of them and then there were two sitters; Paul Paton scooped one high and wide when he ought to have buried it, then he was through one on one but failed to get the ball past the keeper and Eoghan Stokes skied the rebound. That was really the only save their keeper had to make.

I had the fear when I realised how bad the wind was – I’m still traumatised by that game up at Peterhead – and for a long time this resembled those dreadful games we witnessed last season. We barely made an effort at shooting from range (Sam Ramsbottom had to make a good save from a wind-assisted one of theirs first half.)

Still a change of tack at a corner when Callum Wilson came on saw his driven cross deflected on and saw Eoghan Stokes burying it. That was on the cusp of injury time we ought to have held out.

So what happened?

They strolled up the park, got in a unopposed cross and two of them were queuing up to put it in. Two points dropped.

With not taking the chances we create and defending like that we’re in a relegation fight again.

All September’s optimism has gone.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock,* 25/9/21.

This was a strange, scrappy game. I thought we played too many long balls first half, which their defence tended to gobble up. Alloa on the other hand looked more purposeful going forward without really threatening at all, though Sam Ramsbottam had to make a save from a well hit effort. It all livened up just before half-time. Conner Duthie scuffed an effort straight at the keeper and in Alloa’s next attack Gregor Buchanan’s back headed clearance fell to one of theirs on the edge of the box and it was despatched behind Ramsbottam.

We’re quite easy on the eye going forward, young Callum Wilson looking very assured in possession. They tended to sit back and soak up our pressure though, and I lost count of the times they broke up play with niggly fouls so we didn’t really create many chances but Gregor Buchanan miscued a header from a set piece when he would usually score.

The equaliser came from a set piece, Callum Wilson’s corner well met by Paddy Boyle and put away.

There were chances at both ends after that, Sam Ramsbottam got down well to thwart Niang after his mazy run and sub Ross MacLean had two efforts which weren’t clinical enough – one screwed horribly over the bar.

An opportunity for three points not taken, then. However at half-time I’d have taken the draw.

On this evidence Callum Wilson is definitely a talent and Edin Lynch is evolving into a fine attacking force from right back.

First quarter ends next Saturday with ua away at Peterhead. More of a chance to assess where we are after that.

*I’m not calling it the Moreroom.com Stadium.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 11/9/21.

Wow!

What a contrast to the last few seasons.

This was our biggest league win for ten years. (Curiously that one was also against East Fife, 6-0 at their place in our last promotion season.)

Mind you there wasn’t much sign of it in the early stages where both teams didn’t threaten much. But then we got a free-kick which was flighted in by Connor Duthie and headed towards goal by Ryan McGeever. It looked to be going wide but ex-Son Scott Gallacher in the Fife goal palmed it out straight to Ross MacLean who gleefully stuck it away.

For a spell towards the end of the half East Fife had a lot of possession but their best – their only – chance came from a free-kick. Sam Ramsbottam looked beaten but the ball crashed off the bar and out.

Just before half-time a Callum Wilson corner saw Gregor Buchanan get a free header yards out. 2-0.

Things meandered round for a bit second half but we put the game to bed when another Callum Wilson delivery was met by Buchanan again despite the attentions of the defence.

Two more goals from set-pieces gave the result a welcome gloss, Ryan McGeever was left all alone in the box to put away Kalvin Orsi’s knock-back from a long corner before Eoghan Stokes headed in from a beautiful delivery from fellow sub Joe McKee following a short corner to him.

If you can be churlish about a five-nil victory here comes the churl. We didn’t score from open play. Indeed we didn’t create a chance from open play except for Ross MacLean’s dribble and shot from a narrow angle which hit the post.

That’s curmudgeonly though. It was such a delight to watch a Sons second half performance with absolutely no trepidation.

They won’t all be like this though.

Falkirk away next week. I never thought we’d be heading there next Saturday above them in the table. (Even if it is only on goal difference.)