A veritable goal-fest today at Cliftonhill with Darren's free scoring team of hot shots blasting themselves into the history books with a record breaking scoring performance. Okay not quite but, Prof, you were right, what can I say?!? From now on I'm predicting 1-1 for every game in the hope that I am as wrong as I was today!
Plenty at stake today for both clubs and it showed in the hunger both sides showed and in their determination to win. Darren rang the changes prior to kick off with first the choice of our yellow and red kit and secondly putting Willis back in the starting line up after his recent injury.
We had our now customary pre match huddle with this week's topic of conversation being chaired by Fish. Fish explained to the group how he is getting more in touch with his feminine side and to demonstrate same he was wearing the pinkest of pink boots today; my God they were bright.
Anyway onto the game itself. Forfar kicked off and played a long ball forward straight through to keeper Ross. It was a poor start and I thought to myself it would be a barometer for the rest of the match. How wrong was I! We played the ball forward and found Ally in some space just outside the box. He shaped as if to shoot but instead attempted to pass through the defence. The ball fell to a big Forfar defender and he hoofed a long clearance up to the Forfar number 9. To be fair to him, he took it down really well on his chest and then turned and played a cracker of a through ball to his fellow attacker. Another Forfar player was miles offside but as he walked back, we kind of stopped defending. Unfortunately another Forfar attacker ran on and as keeper Ross came out he coolly finished and that was 1-0! It was a quality strike and even our team of world class hot shots would have been proud to score it. There were plenty of shouts for offside but the guy was clearly onside and so the goal stood. We'd hardly played a minute of the match and we were a goal behind! It was a lesson to our strikers too in how to finish with some composure instead of just hitting the ball straight at the keeper!
After that we settled down and played some really nice football. Ross Davidson and Fish were sweeping up everything Forfar had going forward and it was Fish and his pink boots who set up the equaliser. From just inside the Forfar half, Fish played an inch perfect pass to McBride on the edge of the box. McBride played a great flick into the path of Ally and he did the rest, finishing well from close range. It was a goal straight off the PlayStation and Darren's team of goal hungry superstars were back on level terms at 1-1.
At this juncture I would like to point out that my pre match prediction of 1-1 was absolutely spot on, 100% correct and I was feeling just a little smug obviously. But it wasn't to last long - the 1-1 that is, I'll always be smug haha!
It was a fairly decent open game. Forfar obviously needed the 3 points and were on the front foot for a lot of the match. We played some really nice stuff at times too. There were many flicks and tricks today, as if we had been practising them all week in training. And our second goal when it came was a cracker as well, befitting our reputation as one of the highest scoring teams in the league, well for today anyway.
The ball got played forward to Ally wide on the left. Ally was only just inside the Forfar half and with his back to the goal. He turned the defender and then beat him in a sprint for the ball. By this stage he was inside the Forfar box and he twisted and turned the defender inside out before chipping a perfect ball to McBride at the far post. McBride still had it all to do but he placed his header well beyond the keeper and we were 2-1 up. So 2 goals for the Rovers before half time and we were expecting the usual avalanche of goals to follow. We weren't to be disappointed.
Into the second half and we were dominating possession. But then we started to sit a wee bit deeper and allowed Forfar to come into the game a bit more. We had a couple of chances but seemed to want too many passes in front of goal. Meanwhile at the other end Forfar had 3 decent chances in the space of a few minutes. But rank bad finishing and a cracking save by Ross at his near post kept the score at 2-1.
Then disaster for Kyle. We gave away a cheap free kick midway inside our own half. Forfar played a good ball into our box and once again we didn't cover ourselves in glory in attempting to clear it. Instead Kyle seemed to get held off by the Forfar player and ended up wrestling him to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and their number 9 did the rest. So 2-2 at that stage and I'm thinking, yeah I had this game down for a draw - 1-1, or 2-2; no difference really! On the balance of play we couldn't really argue with 2-2 at that stage but given our legendary scoring prowess it was only a matter of time before we scored again.
Actually in previous games we have been inclined to sit deeper and deeper the longer a game goes on. Today for some reason we actually kept going forward. We had plenty of pressure and a few chances and then we won a corner on the far side. The ball was swung in by McBride perfectly for Mick who had managed to shake off his marker, allowing him to power in a header at the far post. That was Mick's second goal in three games, a cracking return for our prolific defender and el capitano. And so it proved to be the winner.
Over the piece then we deserved to win this one. Forfar certainly went for it and should be congratulated on their efforts, but it's down, down, down for them. For the good guys though it was a really good team performance, followed by some great goals. That's the good news. The slightly less good news is that now means we have scored the goals we would have scored in the next two games today instead.
Referee and linesman were decent today I thought. The ref kept the game going well. He booked Mick for a quite enthusiastic tackle in the second half which was correct. If the tackle had been put in on a Rovers player we would have been calling for a red card but yellow was the right decision.
Ally won man of the match which was fair enough. McBride with his goal and 2 assists pushed him close. Ross Davidson and Fish did well breaking up play and their distribution was, on the whole, decent. Keeper Ross had a few good saves and looks to have grown in confidence as the season has progressed. Mick and brother Ross were solid in defence. Any of them could have been man of the match today.
Crowd was 352 which isn't the best. It would be 1 more every week if the guy in the hi-viz with the bike who stands up on the railway embankment would just pay to get in - miserable git. No sign of the dug today - other than the photo in the programme which was a nice touch - but I did hear a rumour he (she?) was seen at another League 1 clubs ground just a few miles away from Cliftonhill today and is alleged to have signed a pre contract there. Unconfirmed reports at this stage but remember where you read it first.
The players had another wee huddle at the end and then we had a bit of a love-in with the fans clapping the players off and the players clapping us out the stadium. Nice way to end a good day. Quick word about the pitch - I thought it looked great today. Not heavy despite the pummelling it has taken this year. And if the guy who maintains it really does do it in his own time and for no reward then I take my hat off to him - take a bow sir.
Stranraer getting beat was a bonus, Dunfermline chucking it against Airdrie is unforgivable really but sets everything up nicely for a thrilling final day of the season next week. Maybe not the final game right enough if my 3 wishes come true.........
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Great summing up of today's match d7. Bring on next week now - it's gonna be a rollercoaster day!!!