SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 5/3/22.

This was grim. We were barely in the game, couldn’t string any passes together worth the name. I’d be tempted to blame the pitch but Queen’s Park managed it quite easily it seemed.

Those two red cards last week potentially cost us but Queen’s were so much better overall that perhaps they didn’t. Big Josh missing up front through injury has been a big loss in the last few weeks.

Their first two were due to defensive errors. In both cases the bounce of the ball (or lack of it) deceived Stephen Bronsky and Gregor Buchanan respectively allowing a Queen’s player through on goal. Kieran Wright made a save at the second but couldn’t prevent the rebound reaching the attcker following up.

The only time we vaguely threatened was in the first five minutes after the restart. First Joe Mckee was free in the box but he took a touch which allowed their keeper to position himself for the save. A natural striker would have hit it first time. Then Carlo Pignatiello worked a bit of space for himself with a good take and turn in the box but the keeper made himself too big.

Their third was a joke with them exploiting too much space down our left and the cross finding a man completely unmarked.

I’m just about resigned to relegation now.

Wake me up when it’s over.

SPFL TIer 3, Links Park, 5/2/22.

Another welcome point. That’s two from two games against teams in the top three. Last month we would probably have lost them both.

Big Josh Oyinsan got his second for us too and the club website says new loanee keeper Kieran Wright (in his first game for us) was a major factor in us getting a draw.

It’s a big week for us with a game away to Queen’s Park (in fourth) on Tuesday and Clyde (in fifth) away next Saturday. Points from those would be much appreciated, but we’ve lost 3-0 to Queen’s Park twice already this season.

Scottish Cup, Round Four, The Rock, 22/1/22.

What to make of this?

Against a top division side we looked reasonably comfortable and even with ten men for 46 minutes – I don’t know what Ross MacLean did to get sent off, the Pixellot camera had done its usual panning away thing when nothing’s happening at a free kick, but he’s an idiot for doing it – were in the game. And they only scored from a penalty. It struck Joe McKee’s arm but he couldn’t have got out of the way.

In fact our best chance came late on. Stuart Carswell blazed over after a couple of headers from a free kick opened up the chance for him but he rarely scores from open play. (He rarely scores at all.)

It was a pretty nondescript game all round. Dundee hardly threatened us, a couple of close range headers in the first half – one sent wide the other easily into Sam Ramsbottom’s arms – and a long range effort Sam tipped over. Second half I can only think of a Leigh Griffiths shot dragged wide and another straight at Sam.

First half Dundee did look sharper and quicker thinking, especially at loose/second balls, but as the game wore on the difference seemed to lessen.

We can’t be judged on this. Dundee were fairly toothless and we didn’t lay a glove on them either. (Ross MacLean possibly apart.) Big Josh up front did okay but wasn’t given enough service. Defenders know he’s there, though.

Cove Rangers next Saturday is a bigger test of our league chances.

I hope the display gives the team confidence, though.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 15/1/22.

What Ho, Jeeves!

A win! And a clean sheet!

Mind you. It was only East Fife.

The first half was odd. Both teams had chances – twice there was pinball in their penalty area and it seemed impossible we wouldn’t score; but we didn’t. It could have been 3-3 at half-time instead of 0-0. Sam Ramsbottom (in because our new loan keeper Kieran Wright injured himself in the warm-up, that’s how our season has gone) had a couple of good saves.

In the second half it was kind of the same except new striker Joshua Oyinsan put in a centre forward’s header from the six-yard line (I thought the keeper should have done better, as they say) from a great cross by our other official debutant Gregg Wylde, who actuallly played last week for us as a trialist. I had forgotten what a centre forward looked like! Oyinsan won headers and held the ball up, put himself about and got on the end of a cross; what’s not to like?

That goal, aesthetically pleasing as it was – there’s always something delightful about a headed goal from a cross – was surpassed by the second; a great hit by Gregg Wylde from thirty-five yards, hitting the post and rebounding back across the goal, crossing the line as it did so. What a belter! In those stakes probably only beaten by Lee Sharp’s at Livingston and Big Roy’s at Love Street on Christmas Day 1971.

Even so East Fife had two great chances themselves but both times failed to test Ramsbottom in our goal.

Still I’m not objecting to being eight points clear of automatic relegation and only two (realistically because of the goal difference difference) shy of the staying up spot at this stage of the season.

We’ll need to keep it up though.

A respite from league business next week with Dundee coming for a Scottish Cup visit.

But the next two league games are fiercesome. League leaders Cove at home and third-placed Montrose away.