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We were standing near linesman and couldnt believe him putting up his flag. Glad to see I wasnt going mad. Tbf though I wish Spartans well. Theur goalie was amazing and they had the confidence at the pens. I do think us having pens on Tuesday maybe didnt help. On a wider thought though I dont think SK knows his best 1st team. Is having a big squad this season causing unintended consequences? I think we need to put yesterday behind us and concentrate on the 2 important league games coming up.

There it is. A good start to the season and the mindset that we are better than we are sets in. After the first round of games every team does their homework on us while we just expect the results to arrive... This team and the players have to earn the right to be a championship team and some of the players have a fair bit more to do to prove their worth, because on a weekly basis the consistency just isn't there. Stenhousemuir beat a championship side today, and 3 out of the 4 goals were set plays. Basic but effective.

Yesterday just wasn’t our day. Yes, we could have been better; nonetheless, they were well organised and surprisingly fit and the goalie made some outstanding saves. And yes we’ve had some poor performances/results recently, but this management team and players have also provided us with many great performances/results so please hold off on excoriating them.

Could it have been Scot Gardiner. 😁

Same story Kell. Hear this story again and again, missed chances need to be more clinincal, blah blah. Do we blame the players? Is it tactics? Feck knows but we should expect better.

On another day after another poor result every other comment includes the line 'we need to take more shots' As illustrated yesterday, this tactic serves only to enhance the keepers reputation, along with giving up possession. It's a fine balance between keeping the ball for possessions sake or shooting on sight. It's the tempo of the play which dictates the good shooting chances, moving it quickly, creating space for a pass or a shot. When we're faced with packed defences we need to play the guys who can operate at speed, move& think fast. This is the case in nearly every game now and will be for the rest of the season, we should be getting to grips with this by now.

Literally the man for the job!!

Our first 2 penalties were saved, with both Wetherspoon and Zimba putting them to the same place they did on Tuesday. Spartans keeper confirmed afterwards that they had watched that shootout and taken notes, unsurprisingly.

The BBC stats yesterday suggested that the great majority of our goal attempts were from outside the box. If true, that's a worrying lack of penetration, before you even consider 18 corners.

This day was coming in my mind and its timing is fortuitous. It’s not a disaster loosing a Cup tie to a lower league team (that’s what the SC is all about), but it does asks some valid questions. Whilst the past five games has yielded only one victory (KDM cup), to two losses & one draw in the league and yesterday’s SC exit, the signs were there earlier IMO, that whilst the results were mostly achieved, the team was not performing at the levels expected. Is this shortcoming (to my mind) down to the players or management, or both, it’s fortuitous that it’s occurred now when there is still the opportunity to seriously assess the situation and make the required adjustments to reach our potential (which hopefully is promotion this season). In respect to the players, their is a strong argument to say this pool of players (brought in at decent cost), is talented and large enough to be able to comfortably win promotion outright in this league of mostly part time clubs. If the above view is accurate, then the question should be put that the players are failing to meet the levels expected. Is this down to individual or collective attitude or effort of the players? If so then why and what is required to correct this situation for the rest of the season. Management - The past 5 matches have brought focus to both Kells and Billy’s ability to deliver results (team selection, substitutions, training & motivation). Whilst a dip in results is always going to happen for all teams there is question whether additional experienced support would assist Kells and Billy in their tasks. Is it down to both the players and managers? Ultimately I believe it is! The Spartans result allows the club to just step back and see what is needed to make a success of the remainder of the season, which for me is to gain promotion (directly or via the play offs). I personally don't believe we are too of the level needed to achieve this objective. The players and management are capable of raising there game IMO. Now is the time for them to take stock and demonstrate in the remaining weeks that have what is required. Of course there is always the alternative view everything is just fine. To steal a P&B line ‘it’s just a blimp’! 🎈 bc

John Hughes arrived at the ground just after me and had a jovial reunion with Kellacher.

On a lighter note, while the players were trudging off the park and we were trudging out of the ground, I glanced upwards to see a lone figure on the cafe/bar balcony in deep thought leaning against the railings. With a bit of blue and red scarf protruding from under his jacket. I thought with my old duffers eyesight “ that’s, no it can’t be, I think it is, no don’t think so, yes it is” Put me out of my misery, was that you TM4TJ.

Pretty poor performance : got what we deserved.....

That looks a very bad decision by the officials to rule Alonge’s goal off for offside.

Well I have to come clean..... It wisnae me. I was under my floorboards looking for a leak in my central heating pipes. And, unlike the Caley Jags I was victorious. Some little rat had chewed through a plastic HEP connector. The rat never fancied the length of plastic pipe, instead he chose the delicacy that was the connector that took it onto the copper pipe. It still feels uneasy not having to top up the pressure in my boiler every few hours. I suppose I will get over it in due course. Time is a great healer. The wee bas☆☆☆☆

Just my take on it, but last season when Kellacher got the gig we were minus 15 points and we had no option but to get the ball up the park asap and deliver crosses into the box. Draws were no use to us, 3 points were needed. Quite good to watch it was. This season we are playing more “ intricate passing football ” trying to score the perfect goal. The same sort of football that big Dunc got ridiculed for playing. Today Chalmers was firing howitser cross field passes to sole. He gets it, controls it and then does a fancy dance and just about every cross hit the defender in front of him. Today was a “ championship “ team with the “best players in league 1 “ playing a part time league 2 team. Not good enough. Not another bump on the road.

Prepare for glory! 😄