Championship
My match of the day at Falkirk provided no fewer than 4 goals with Rory Loy proving what a handful at this level he is. He got 2 to add to the one Jay Fulton got whilst Dundee had to settle for a consolation from Ryan Conroy. Top of the table Hamilton Accies got back to winning ways as they saw off Cowdenbeath thanks to a Ziggy Gordon goal. Raith Rovers find themselves in 2nd place thanks to Joe Cardle bagging a couple and then Callum Elliot and Grant Anderson completing the Kirkcaldy side’s scoring. In reply Alloa had a Kevin Cawley strike and a Ryan McCord penalty which made the score respectable but didn’t tell the story of how well they actually played. Elsewhere it was the tale of two managers as John McGlynn got his first win as Marc McNulty scored twice for Livingston in reply to Dumbarton’s Mitch Megginson’s opener. Across the Clyde at Cappielow Allan Moore was incandescent following his team’s utter capitulation to Queen of the South. It would not have helped his mood knowing that Ian Russell and Derek Lyle who scored for the Doonhamers were ex players.
We still have Hamilton 5 points ahead at the top and Raith are heading the pack with Falkirk 1 point behind them. Dundee sit in 4th on goal difference as Queen of the South, Alloa Athletic and Dumbarton are all poised behind them. As there is just 3 points between 4th and 10th the league just got very tight and that will comfort Allan Moore, John McGlynn and Colin Cameron for seconds as they know climbing is therefore just as easy as falling.
League One
My match of the weekend had a Pars win at home thanks to Andy Geggan who added to Stephen Husband’s opener to counter Liam Coogan’s equaliser for Airdrieonians. League leaders Rangers had Andy Little to thank for getting them past Forfar on the Sunday whilst Arbroath and Stenhousemuir fought out a 7 goal thriller. Bryan Hodge put the Warriors ahead only for Lee Erwin to equalise. Sean Higgins, John Gemmell and then Sean Dickson put Stenhousemuir 4-1 up in 16 minutes in the 2nd half. Colin Hamilton and Alan Cook got the Red Lichties back in it and it was a nervy end but one that saw the Warriors depart with all 3 points. Ayr United drew once again and this time they were 2-0 up and Brechin City were down to 10 men. Michael Moffat and Michael McGowan had Ayr 2-0 up whilst Graham Hay was off in the 33rd minute. In the 2nd half Alan Trouten and Paul McLean got the Hedgemen a well deserved draw. Finally Martin Grehan and Jamie Longworth made it Stranraer 2 East Fife 0 to get the South West team off the foot of the table.
It all means that Rangers are 5 points ahead with Dunfermline and Stenhousemuir looking the likeliest for play off spots. The last spot is being fought over by Ayr, Brechin and Arbroath whilst a wee gap could be forming mid table. It might mean relegation could involve East Fife, Stranraer, Forfar and possibly Airdrie.
League Two
I had the clash that ended 1-1 between Berwick Rangers and Stirling Albion as my game of the day. David Weatherson had the Binos ahead before Darren Lavery squared it. East Stirlingshire returned to bizarre form and lost another 4 goals as they dropped to a 4-1 defeat at home to Albion Rovers. Chris Dallas got 2 whilst Mick Dunlop and Mark McGuigan got the others; Paul Quinn got a penalty for East Stirlingshire before being sent off. Bryan Deasley for Montrose cancelled out Rory McAllister’s opener for Peterhead whilst Clyde won thanks to John Sweeney’s penalty and a Ryan Frances goal against Peter Weatherson’s reply for Annan Athletic. Finally Queen’s Park got their first point in a 6 goal epic. Dennis Wyness, Craig Gunn and Paul Harkins got the Elgin City goals whilst Tony Quinn got 2 and Joao Vitoria got the equaliser for the Spiders.
It means that East Stirlingshire are still top but now they lead by only 1 point. There are 5 points between 2nd and 9th and a further 5 between 9th and 10th so it is a very tight league as long as you don’t play out of Hampden Park… Sitting in the play off spots at present are Berwick Rangers, Albion Rovers and Stirling Albion but that could all change in a matter of weeks.
