The Mantis

Thought you weren’t there, missed your usual updates and moans 😂 Should have come out to Bonnyrigg, decent game.

One of the few highlights of the season, beating that mob in their own midden.

Aye Lewis was wearing 3 but appeared to be playing as a wing back as you say. He's decent as I saw at the semi at Tynecastle, could be ready for some game time, maybe he'll get recalled in January...I see you've got the right spelling, I got the wrong one off the Elgin website.

Stayed local today and saw Elgin win at Hill of Beath in the Scottish Cup, featuring Ross Draper and Lewis Nicholson.

Great to see Dan getting half an hour.

For once I actually believe the BBC's version of events. We saw plenty of the second half standing behind the goals because we never got out our own half. Queens looked really good, I thought their movement off the ball was tremendous, but when we got the ball we just gave it back to them. It could have been a lot more. We were absolutely garbage. Disgraceful. Even a depleted side should show a bit of fight.

Actually saw him at the weekend. Stayed at home and watched Bonnyrigg v Elgin. He had a great first half, won 2 pens, led the line well and looked very pacy and nimble. That's against one of the worst defences in Lge 2 though.

Home to Livingston in the Scottish Cup 3rd round. Sunday Dec 4.

Ross Draper in action for Elgin at Bonnyrigg yesterday. Daniel Hoban in goals.

Enjoyed the latest pod in the car yesterday. Tokes is brilliant. I’m sure I heard him talking about a game with rain and torrential wind but I could have misheard him 😉

I think big Rossco will be at risk of a coronary and he’s a lot fatter than me from recent photos 😂 I remember playing in a one-off 5 a side game with a load of young teachers when I was that age. They were just running past you as if you weren’t there 🤢

I’ve had to cut down on sugar, so I’ve got an app that rustles instead.

You have to look at the defenders too. The taker Gillespie is always going to be favourite for any rebounds, but Muirhead is in the box sharpish, holding off Delaney. Meanwhile Duffy doesn't really burst a gut to get there either.

Positives - may as well make several weeks’ defensive howlers in the one game, same as Partick the other week. Negatives - unless Ram and Duffy, or some other pairing, develop an understanding quickly, we’ll be shipping four every week. Agree with the statement above, Billy and Oakley doesn’t work. Oakley is better as an impact sub - give Billy an hour first.

Accies give me the shivers. The first time we got relegated we could have stayed up with games to spare if we beat them, but we drew. The second time they beat us 3-0 on a January night in 2017, we missed a pen and everybody knew we were down.

I’m heading up to Ullapool on Thurs night, maybe you could get the game moved…

Still, a clean sheet, some nice beers, 100% record this season for me, 6/6 👍

That was a hard watch.

Aye, I remember hearing that now you mention it 😂

No. 3 or 3A bus to Cove Bay from city centre. If it says Mastrick on the front it’s the wrong bus. Get off at Altens roundabout. Trains from Edinburgh seem to be running ok but not the Sneckie ones?

A really significant win, with Samuels still to come back. No failures last night, a real team effort against the media darlings. Nice to see Allardice coming back to form and Cammy continues to grow in confidence, as does Delaney. Ridgers could have watched the game on the telly for all he had to do. Even as the clock ticked past the 70 minutes I felt the goal would come. Dan still pulling off the tricks he's done several times this season and panicking dumplings like McMillan into rash fouls. I was yelling at him to skin Akinola and skin him he did. It was like the old days of us telling Stewartie to lob Hutchison. Roddy is a real gem and I rated him higher than Dan before he left for Hibs. Just needs to follow Dan's example and bulk up a bit. Duffy was decent considering his lack of experience and who he was marking. Deas may well depart in the next window but what a rock, although running around like an angry Rambo makes him (apparently) the most booked player in the league. Still not sure about Boyd, we got stick from other fans for signing him. A tidy wee player but his decision making is poor. Likewise Shaw. never seen a more awkward looking footballer since Ally Scott appeared for Rangers back in the 70s. Still I suppose we've had other players who have proved everybody wrong. But finally a word for the legend that is Billy. His 33 year old legs covered every blade of grass on the pitch and given one sniff he took it as you knew he would. Maybe he'll catch Denzil yet. On to the Balmoral next Saturday then.

Train strikes, roadworks on the M8, what a nightmare. I gave Ayr a miss and watched my local team Bonnyrigg who lost 4-2 to Stenny featuring Nat Wedderburn. Looked a bit slimmer than I remember.

Yup, awful. Start with a strong team and get the game won first, then introduce the young players. That was too much responsibility for Hyde and Mackay to take on. Neither of them are ready, that’s if they ever will be. High point of the game was probably caley100 with his head in his hands as Robbie Deas came up for the last spot kick 😂 He didn’t half bury it though.