ALSY

Garry Wood equalises for County. Here's hoping for extra time, penalties, tired legs and a bad reaction on Saturday.

What a goal from Queens! Come on...

3-0 Munro. Very good news for the goal difference. From Charlie B's half time report it sounds like Foran has made the difference. He's the sort of player that could really make the difference in the run in. He clearly believes that he should be playing at a higher level and playing in front of a crowd that is really starting to believe we might see the very best of him: earlier in the season you somtimes got the impression he was getting frustrated. Have got the Dundee-Queens game on Zatoo. Dundee look nothing special at the moment.

Partick 1 up at EEP. That's also good news for us. Not all that confident about our own chances against Partick, mind you.

Foran 2-0.

Exactly the start that Chisolm needed. If Dundee somehow manage to f*** this up from there then they're not going up. Can't see it though.

Rooney! Come on Queens...

I like that team. If it's not working, would be happy to see Eagle get another chance from the bench after his second half against County.

Decent result that keeps us right in it, but I worry that if the team allows itself to be dominated for such long spells and doesn't get a bit more variety and imagination into its moves, then the title challenge will flounder. We were the better team for about twenty minutes of the second half, but overall County were more composed on the ball and more creative with it. They might be a bit toothless up front (Barrowman ) but in every other area of the park they look like serious title contenders. In contrast, against all our potential title rivals this season, we have had some spells of really dangerous football but haven't been able to control games for long enough to kill them off. I think in our best teams in the past we had players with arrogance and the absolute belief that they were capable of playing at a higher level - Mann, Christie, Sheerin, Robson, Bingham - and we perhaps lack a bit of that just now. Foran's the closest we have to that sort of player, certainly in an attacking sense, and there's no doubt we missed him yesterday: his strength on the ball, his seeing of passes that open up the game and his ability to win the ball at the back post from deep crosses and corners. The attackers we did have yesterday struggled to get into the game: Eric was largely anonymous, Hayes was kept very quiet and although Rooney worked his socks off as usual, he too rarely had enough support and service to make an impact. Eagle looked our most dangerous player when he came on (good, bold substiution from Butcher) and I was really impressed by the quickness of his feet with the ball and the way he was able to nick the ball away from opponents and change the direction of play. The defence was generally farily solid, although we were let off the hook a couple times towards the end and Duncan, as many people have already mentioned, was immense, as he has been for a few weeks now. Hopefully a good away point and the Dundee result will boost the team's self belief and confidence and the return of Foran will add a bit more strength and creativity to the attacking play. After yesterday's result we've got to acknowledge that Airdrie might be a tricky game, but I think next Saturday is the bigger challenge: we've got a poor record against Partick this season and despite their league position they have some dangerous players. That game will be a real test of our title credentials.

Maybe everyone's too nervous to speak... you're right, though, it's been as quiet as I can remember it on here this week. Hopefully it'll be noiser tonight, in a positive way. Off to get the train soon. Why did I feel the need to get drunk last night with a full day of stupid excess ahead of me?

FAO Johnboy and Rene - you're both suggesting Lionel could come into the side in a more attacking role. Fair enough. I've seen him have some good games and some bad games this season, and I've certainly felt he looked dangerous going forward at times. Don't you think it might be a bit too much of a gamble pitching him straight in there against County, though? I didn't see the County game where he apparently had a complete nightmare, but I seem to remember a lot of people suggesting he looked really nervous, like a rabbit in headlights most of the time. Was this purely because he was being played at left back, in your opinons the wrong position? Or was it perhaps a case of his temperament and if so, might it not be likely to happen again in what is an even more important game?

Dundee. If they're still in the first division next season they're bound to strengthen again with the money available from Calum Melville and they will start as favourites again. Can County be as good again next season? Also, Dundee are undoubtedly the biggest team in this divison and from the point of view of Scottish football it's probaly healthier if they rather than County are in the SPL - crowds are dire enough as it is. And finally, I just hate the idea of County being in a league higher than us.

:angry:

Great post Harry - but after reading you saying you'd only seen us win once this season and that you'd been to both previous County games, maybe it's for the best you aren't coming... I'm a wee bit concerned about Foran being out, but I do think Butcher has done a very good job in the past few months. If you're looking for a more positive statistic, Victoria Park is the only away ground I haven't been to this season, and I've seen us a get at least a point at all the others apart from Firhill (where I did see us win in the Challenge Cup, and where I'll see us get three points on the 27th!) Can't wait for Saturday.

Myself and Arbroathawayday are making the round trip from Glasgow on the train. God knows what state we'll be in by ten pm. God knows what state we'll be in by three pm, come to that.

We'll be going into the Highland derby in second unless County win by 11 in midweek. Great to hear that Duncan has added defence-splitting passes to his repetoire...

Nick Ross. Fantastic. Genuis selection from Mr Butcher.

I've just realised this is a cup game. What a fool...

Raith one up on Dundee! Come on, Caley.

Fantastic result. Decent crowd for a tuesday night too - 3,003. Really looking forward to Dingwall now and hope we go into it in second place: no f***-ups on Saturday, please. It's going to be interesting to see whether the people at the game felt the revised defensive formation made any difference: I didn't think Bully had a bad game on Saturday.

:D County 2-1 down.

Oh God, please don't say that. My companion at Dens on Saturday made the mistake of doing the old Danny Baker "Nothing could possibly go wrong now" after Eric scored on Saturday. Cue Brian Kerr... Glad Rooney is one of our players under contract. His goal tally is really going to start attracting attention now.

Rooney again. Please, please no repeat of Saturday...

Robbo's HT report suggests we can't afford to be complacent (not that we would be after Saturday) - sounds very even - but it's good to hear that Rooney is getting so many chances.

Yaas. Rooney. Get in.