tm4tj

Poor game really. Apart from scoring two goals in the first half we were inept. Perth played some neat footie but most of it petered out before it got near Esson. He looked slow to clear from foot, and on numerous occasions today he was almost shut down by the Perth strikers. He did make one tremendous save from a stinging twenty five yarder, but he threw himself high to his right to tip the ball over and from the resultant corner he showed a safe pair of hands to collect the dangerous cross. Other than the dodgy kicking, he played pretty well. McGuire looked poor and Duncan matched him. Hastings did get forward and delivered a deep ball which found it's way to Cowie who rifled the ball home first time for the opener. Black appeared to react quickest to a loose ball to poke home number two from close range. Suspect defending by Saints for both goals as the first cross looked as though it bounced across the box before Don Cowie smacked it home. Well, they did have Caff in the middle of their defence. Second half we started poorly and got worse when McGuire let a high ball bounce and put the defence under pressure for Milne to stab home. At this point Saints looked likely to catch up and maybe take control of the game. The North Stand hardly saw the ball in the opening stages of the second half as Saints held the upper hand. The introduction of Wilson changed our fortunes and he set the ball rolling for number three, with Imrie eventually setting Barrowman up for a tap in from three yards, even yer granny would have scored that one. Credit to Perth for opening us up again with ease as Milne took a through ball early and lifted the ball over a stranded Esson, Andy Murray take note, well executed finish. Rory came on for the last few minutes and did better. He cruised through a couple of tackles in the box but would have been better advised to cut the ball across the box, however the keeper smothered his shot from an acute angle. Wilson was now stretching the Perth defence and we scored a good goal right at the death, with Bazza again instrumental in the build up. He released Zander who looked up then played a slide rule ball into the box where the arriving Rory tucked the ball behind the keeper. Excellent goal all round. Overall, a lack lustre display with many fans preferring to watch paint dry or even worse contemplate some retail therapy. Denmark next, maybe that was on their minds, but we will need to sort out the defending and play more ball to the feet of Barrowman. Still his confidence will have had a wee boost with another goal, albeit a tap in. I thought Black was once again the shining light for us before being subbed. Maybe a flattering scoreline, but nevertheless, still a scoreline in our favour

Barrowman was gash. Imrie and Cowie did ok, the rest were already on their holidays.

Good lad. Be a good chap and tell us all the score instead of just telling us it was a good game :029: Let us know who played and scored and try and do it without txt spk as it is frowned upon on this site. Txt spk is 4 bebo. I won't be there unfortunately.

'Batting' the ball back into play seems to be a fairly modern trend. In years gone by the keepers invariably held the ball or tipped it over. It appears to be fairly common for them to fist the ball back from whence it came from nowadays. The German chappie at Rangers was great for that style of play. It seems to me that the European style has filtered through to Scotland. I beleve the newer balls are responsible in part for this type of defending as they are lighter and move a lot more in the air thus deceiving the keeper and making it easier to bat the ball back than try to catch it. I don't think he is much of a slouch either. He does have a fairly cool approach to his gait, maybe that gives the impression he is slow. Mike received plenty of praise from BBC radio commentators last season, something like "he seems to get better and better everytime we see him play" and "he can fairly kick the ball" spring to mind. Mike will only get better and with the right coaching, could go very far in this game. He has alreay displayed his aerobatics and I look forward to seeing him keep Esson on the bench, but good choice back up keeper to push him all the way. Goalkeeper can be a pretty lonely position, you are on your own there, one mistake and game up. Nobody can help you save the ball although the defenders can assist by defending further forward and keeping opportunities to a minimum. But once the striker is through, only one person can prevent the inevitable, and that person for us at the moment is Mike Fraser. Defenders have the luxury of someone else to help out, midfield the same and strkers also get help, someone else will score if he does not, but keepers are flying solo. Very few keepers are brilliant at coming for crosses, and Mike falls into that category at the moment. He does ok but that is an area that can be improved. Mark Brown was abysmal at crosses but we all thought he was special because he was such a good shot stopper.......don't mention the penalties. Remember Broonie also had a better defence in front of him, despite repeated lack of communication with some of them costing us dear. I think your criticism of him is unjustified and unfair. We all cringe when the ball comes into our box, it's the nature of the game, but Mike has done OK and will be better every season. Also just an opinion, but one shared by people better placed to judge him than me.

Me.............bottom line is he could offer no more than what we already have.

Well, I'll say it if no one else will. Well done Rory for scoring goals, no matter the opposition, you still have to stick them away. Maybe, just maybe the confidence boost you need............but you still have to get stuck in loon. Did Brewster help you out?

Tut tut ccc, we did films starting on page for of this thread, in fairness, they were called movies..........pay attention.

Wow, the conditions look horrendous, wind and driving rain :029: Should make low scoring almost impossible today.

Correct answer, and should Mike's confidence falter, I am sure Mr Esson will be an adequate replacement. :021:

Scarlet Pimple is an acquired taste.

whoever gets the last one (Z) should select the new one :symbol_idea:

don't try these at home children :018:

:029: To do what?

Here is the initial report from the Official Website It was a young team including Manager Craig Brewster that made the journey up the A9 to take on Highland League Brora Rangers at Dungeon Park. In an impressive showing the boys rattled in seven goals without reply with Rory McAllister netting four and Brewster, Shane Sutherland and Zander Sutherland with one apiece. The back line were well marshalled by Jamie Duff and Guy Kerr in the centre of defence with Under 19 full backs Sean Porter and Graeme Shinnie gaining some good experience in the full back positions against a dogged Brora side. ICT Team McNulty Porter, Duff, Kerr, Shinnie Leslie, Gillespie, Morrison, Z.Sutherland Brewster, McAllister Subs: S.Sutherland for Brewster, Brewster for McAllister, Scott-Woodhouse for Porter, Ross for Morrison

No, we have a perfectly good up and coming keeper now, his name is Mike Fraser. :021:

You are too kind to us mad. Was that pretty much the County first choice team for this season? Our defence will change until we find the correct blend. Probably starting with where we left off I would imagine, so that would be Tokely--McGuire/Proctor--Munro--Hastings/Lionel. Not sure if Lionel & Hastings would play in the same team at the same time, we will have to wait and see. I thought Daal was rubbish to be honest, just gangly and out of control, but the number 8 fellow put himself about a bit, fiery but also fairly nippy. County could do reasonably well this season, but it is a tough league to get out of, some teams go for broke to get out of the first division and fail badly so you may have to bide your time, Dundee have bought wisely this season and could be the ones, with Perth always a threat and Dunfermline smarting from their demise will be looking to bounce back. Watch out for Airdrie, Partick Queens, Livi.................like I said, tough league with only one place up for grabs. Enjoy.

Absolutely, it's a fantastic comment, comment of the year in fact :015:

Go on then, sup to you ross.

I can, I would dispute giving Evans three points, one would suffice, simply not good enough. :007: Niculae looked as though he was still on honeymoon, two points. :003: :003: Roy did ok, certainly not worse than Evans, three points, study him during games, he does a lot of tireless work. :003: :003: :003: The rest seem about right, although as much as we all want to see Zander teasing defenders down the flanks, he never really got going in the opposition half, one point deducted. :003: :003: Vigurs would appear to be the one most likely to make the grade from the younger ones, great strike for his goal, super left foot.

Not sure why we are having an Evans love fest, but to be honest he was just less than ordinary. Nothing to get excited about. He is probably a very nice chap, and I am sure his dad is too, but it's footballers we are after and I don't think he fits the bill. Unable to beat Clach or County defenders yet a Welsh U21 international and recommended by Sir Alex. No point taking him up here just because he was on Uniteds books. We have players of similar ability and don't need another one. He was trying...........very trying.

Yep, County did deserve to win, looks like we need to dip into their squad again. The ginger number five had a solid game at the back, Wood never got a look in the whole first half. Disagree about having a longer look at Evans, he did absolutely nothing of note, other than play poorly like a few others albeit second game back for most. For me, Evans is no better than a Highland league player, we don't need one of these, we already have Rory and there are plenty more up here without asking Fergie for one. Bin him I say. Marius did his best to look unimpressive...........?500k, we are havin a laff, he could not get the better of Counties defence, what chance of him cutting it in major European leagues. Black was our standout class act again, Barry willing to take the ball, Barrowman looks like he will do OK, Lionel, well he does everything, consistency will be his aim this season but I believe he will come good. Not wishing to take anything away from County, but would their starting eleven have been pretty much their first choice? I ask this question as we had Cowie, Imrie, Barowman, Hastings (some may say thats an improvement), Duncan nowhere, and Vigurs who scored a teriffic goal not starting. McGuire was another missing, although the jury is still out on him. Not an excuse, just wondering if they played first choice players or not. Whichever way you spin it, they still deserved to sneak it at the end. Yes it was a friendly, still hard to take though. Zander had a couple of quick breaks from deep in his own half, but nothing doing where we need him, in the opposition area. Imrie did liven things up a bit but I'm afraid Rory has learned nothing during his holidays and needs to be released or loaned out. Toughen up son or you better look for a career elsewhere. Jumping, if you can call it that, without looking at the ball, pulling out of challenges, you name it, he can do it. One half hit shot onto the post from six yards and a run into the box which produced a corner and that was about it. Sorry Rory you look scared to get hurt, it is a big boys game and we need big boys. Well done Richie Hart, the good form you displayed in the reserves has carried on and you will have a good season in the first division, good luck to you and a cracking goal last night. Oh, Tom and 12th man, that was no dream, not even a nightmare..............it is reality. Oatsy, what upset most people, especially the first half was our toothless display, we looked inept. It did liven up a bit in the second half, and we should have gone on to win after Vigurs superb goal, but sadly within twenty seconds, Fraser kept us ahead with a super save, but we still caved in to County, yes County...........not Rangers or Celtic or Aberdeen, but County, now that is a bit disconcerting.

Most irritating thing for me is this just provides ammunition for the growing band of rebels in our midst.

They came, they saw, they fekkin won. :010:

Oh dear, very poor first half from us, Marius and Wood were poor, Marius had one shot blocked by Bullock and Bazza had a penalty saved low down to Bullocks right. In between, Hart hit a pretty decent twenty yarder into Frasers top right, good strike and well done Harty. Must have been the wind mee that added ten yards. Evans was as I thought a waste of space. Still, we had five or six guys on the bench who might be first choice players. Barrowman looked sharp again, but this time he got the goal he deserved. Beating Bullock to a ball on the edge of the box and prodding it past him before calmly slotting it home from fifteen yards. Vigurs strode on to a ball twentyfive yards from goal and hit a sweet daisy cutter into Bullocks left side net. Goal as soon as it left his foot. It all then happened at the other end of the park. Fraser saved a certain goal a minute later, then from a suspicious position, County scored, much to the bemusement of most people in the stadium, but goal it was. We flattered to deceive and County stole it at the death. Long free kick from the left knocked in at the far post. We had the bulk of the possession but County looked just as likely in their counter attacking role and just about deserved their cup win, Tokely also blocked one on the line near the end. Well, thats what it looked like from the far end. Oops, forgot Rory sclaffed a shot onto the post in a goalmouth melee, but that was about his contribution.

Grassa and DJS are going up for a game :010: