Caley Stan

Austin's been decent in the two games I've seen him start in recent months (at Falkirk and Ayr). He did a lot of running in those games. No signs of laziness.

There's a good reason for that though - we're just much more suited to playing against proactive teams. Today was a case in point. Ayr started out stuffy, White had 3 men surrounding him every time we hit a long ball, Polly and Chalmers couldn't find any space to play a forward pass from beyond the halfway line. Once we scored (against the run of play), Ayr had to open up and suddenly White was winning every ball and laying it off to midfield runners in space. We're a really well drilled side with great spirit, but the quality is not quite high enough to break (even bad) teams down. It's only once the space opens up that we start to create good chances. This was a huge game and when I saw the line-up I feared the worst. In the end, McHattie was comfortable at centre-half and Rooney didn't have any disasters - still very worrying to think we might start next week with the back 4 that finished today. Polly and Chalmers in the centre of a midfield 4 - lots of fans have been calling for it for a while, and Robbo didn't have much choice today. It worries me, there's a real lack physical presence there, and it's surely no coincidence that Ayr had an awful lot of territorial domination, but once the game opened up it looked good - it's great to have Polly back there to receive the ball deep and it was even better once MacDonald came on for Walsh (who had had a quiet game) and looked really dangerous cutting inside from the right. Hopefully he can be a big player for us in the play-offs. Doran played well again, Austin was decent, and White, after a poor first half had a spell in the second half where everything he touched came off. He deserved it, he puts in a helluva shift. Somerset is great, can't wait to go back next month.

****. So was that.

That was beautiful.

Walsh for Trafford please.

Robbo said before that the QoS game that he expected Walsh and MacDonald back the following week so I assume they're both ready. That leaves him with proper selection dilemmas. Chalmers and Trafford have done really well in the past couple of games so it would be difficult to drop them, but if everyone's fit then I think this our best team: Ridgers McKay Donaldson McCart Tremarco Welsh MacDonald Walsh Polworth Doran White

**** the SFA.

Are you the "fat baldy guy" or the one who's "well into his 50's"?

That was very comfortable in the end, a strange feeling. We came flying out of the blocks and maintained a really high intensity for the whole of the first half - Queens had chances on the break but but we could easily have put the game to bed before half time. They had a period of pressure after half-time, Dobbie got a few shots away and Ridgers made a number of decent saves. Then came the most pleasing aspect of the performance, the thing that's been missing from our season - we kept the head saw the game out calmly. Some more positives: - Doran, Polworth and Welsh really trust each other with the ball, they're happy to play it to each other in difficult areas and we're so much more creative as a result. - Trafford and White, two of our most maligned players, are looking increasingly comfortable in their roles, they're playing out of their skins and the fans are responding. Trafford actually looks alright next to Welsh's calming influence. - Rooney came on and played where Chalmers was - it's clear that he's an option up there. Walsh and MacDonald are back next week but surely neither can go straight back into the team. We'll have competition for places for the first time this season.

He's the new Graham Bayne.

I'd go with Doran, White, Polly as well. McCart was also very good, and where did that Trafford performace come from? His pressing was immense and when when he had the ball he moved it on sensibly. Robbo deserves massive credit for turning this group of players into a team capable of producing that kind of performance. Best away day for almost 4 years - absolutely fantastic support. Despite everything we've just gone through, we've still got that thing about us that makes us capable of producing big results. Onwards. These boys have have showed up in the big games now - you'd have to fancy us in the play-offs.

What a day. Even when we're on our knees this is our competition. Still 2 hours to wait for the highlights and only 2 beers left.

If all defenders are fit then I'd expect to see McKay at right-back ahead of Rooney as in the replay. If Walsh and MacDonald are still out then that's where Robbo has a decision to make, with McCauley, Austin and Trafford the only realistic starters and the latter 2 necessitating a change from the 4-2-3-1 that he would surely prefer to play. Personally, I'd be tempted to play Rooney in midfield rather than sacrifice the shape or risk McCauley.

He scores a cracking goal then runs off to celebrate in front of the fans only to find that there aren't any. He missed us at that moment.

Ridgers Rooney McKay McCart McHattie McKay Trafford Chalmers McCauley White Austin Robbo chucked the Dunfermline game in order to seize the opportunity the cup offered to change the negative atmosphere around the club. It was a masterstroke. One more push and we're in the semi, everyone's excited, and we cruise into the play-offs on that high. Tuesday needs to be a day of rest.