Fife Taught A Harsh Lesson...

2nd Aug 2008: East Fife 0, Peterhead 2 (Barrs Scottish League Division Two)

Oh, how we laughed as he trundled onto the park. It's truly hard to believe that someone the size of Bobby Mann can write 'Professional Footballer' on his passport application form. The Blue Tooners don't have any dead ball specialists; at a free kick they just hoof the ball towards Mann and let his gravitational pull do the swervy bit.... Sadly, this afternoon, the beefy one and his team-mates showed everyone that they're well established in the second division and have no plans of going anywhere... other than up.

It was a tough baptism for our heroes today in the first league match of the season. Spirits were high as we watched a black and gold league flag rise for the first time in sixty years. Honouring us all, we welcomed the two surviving members of that 1948 team to help get the celebrations started.

Alas, as we could no doubt all have predicted, in another first for sixty years, there was hardly a breeze coming off the North Sea. It picked up enough eventually to set the flag fluttering but perhaps we should have viewed the unseasonably pleasant weather with the foreboding it deserved. At the time, however, we wouldn't entertain such thoughts; nine hundred of us settled down in anticipation of another glorious season cheering on our team. Hmmm, maybe we'll get better odds at the bookies now...

But we had few worries as the lads ran out onto the park just before three. We were finally getting a look at the new kit and, it has to be said, in the bright conditions the team really did look the part. We kicked off and were soon moving forward with some control. Our visitors took some time to settle and already Stevie Crawford and the Wonderhorse looked like they'd be able to create some mayhem in the Blues' box. In the opening minutes their back four just about held it together and ensured that any chances we made were thwarted. As it was, it took until the quarter hour mark until we really stretched their keeper, Crawford frustrated to see Kula make a straightforward save.

And then Neile Cooper's men got their act together and began to show us all that, mebbe, it was no fluke that they were there or thereabouts until just a few games from the end of last season. They're not the best team in the land but they're well organsised, confident in each other and play well as a team. And sad as it makes me to admit it, Fat Boy Mann appeared to steal a march of Templeman early on and had little difficulty thereafter in stubbing out any threat from the big forward.

At the other end they were starting to cause a little mayhem of their own, the home side thanking their lucky stars on more than one occasion when they gratefully saw the standside linescheat hoist his flag for offside. The fifty Blues' fans (good tae see that you get a few more away fans in the second division) made their thoughts evident by whooping all sorts of abuse but didn't have to wait long for their disdain to turn to ecstasy.

On the half hour mark we learned another tough lesson - namely, to recognise that the teams in this division are a shit load better than the ones in the lowest level. We'd been awarded a free kick thirty yards from goal and moved 'all the big guns' forward to challenge for the header. Unfortunately, that man Mann was first to the ball, his clearance soon finding a team-mate. Within seconds we were left with two at the back facing up to four Peterhead players whose toughest job was deciding which of them was gonna score.

Craig Gunn was happy enough to make young Nugent look silly (no' his fault, he was the only defender in sight...) and then slide the ball across goal for Graeme Sharp (surely not the Graeme Sharp???) who drilled the ball past the hapless McCulloch and into the net. Fuckin' stinker to concede but proof positive, if we ever needed it, that we're no' longer the big fish in the wee rubbishy pool; now we're just the newbies tryin' tae fit in wi the better big boys...

Sad to say, we continued as before, with our two forwards working their socks off (as always) but struggling to get anywhere. Unfortunately, we were also labouring in the middle of the park with the normally irrepressible Bobby Linn failing to get any foothold in the game at all. Stanic too looked off colour and failed to make much headway down the left, more times than not being forced into making a harmless pass infield to a team-mate. But still we persisted, trying to force the issue through the middle and leaving the flanks untouched. That tactic kept the game tight but only helped our visitors who appeared happy to mop balls up in front of their keeper until midnight if need be.

The sucker punch, however, wasn't down to tactics; just an old fashioned mistake. I can't recall Bobby Linn doing anything wrong since he signed for the club so seeing the distress etched on his face as the players slumped off at half time was almost unbearable. Three minutes into injury time he'd picked up the ball at half way only to lose control and let Peterhead's Neil McVittie grab possession and slide a neat pass through to Craig Gunn (the bastard was everywhere today!!!). The forward found himself in plenty of space and from twenty five yards fired a screamer high into the net. It was a fuckin' cracker of a goal that would have beaten any keeper in the land - little consolation though for Linn who looked inconsolable as he trudged off.

For once, Baikie's half time pep talk had little effect; if anything it was the Blues who looked more likely to increase their lead. We continued to hussle and bustle and work hard but, with a lack of real tactical wherewithal, it proved to be just as easy for the Peterhead defence to deal with the infrequent forays we made forward. It looked nailed on for Paul McManus to get the call (the fans, at least, appeared united in that opinion) but Baikie had other ideas and, just on the hour mark Paul Stewart and Rob Campbell came on to replace Stanic and the Wonderhorse.

To be fair to the gaffer, their introduction at least halted the Blues' forward runs and we started to look a bit more accomplished in the middle of the park. Slowly we started to fight our way back into it and we finally realised that maybe there'd be some mileage heading up the sides and trying to hit the byeline. It's aye great to see Lloydie, Paul Stewart and Campbell tearing up the flanks but, as often as not it was Linn and Crawford who headed out wide - great tae see their commitment and effort but surely no' where they should be pickin' up the balls; Stevie won't score many from the corner flag, Dave...

We continued to turn up the pressure and fired in a number of good crosses (amazing the transformation when we change the way we're playing....) with Nugent, Rob Campbell, Crawford and Smart all coming close with headed efforts, Jay's, in particular, really testing their keeper who was happy to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner. With a little more room in midfield, Fozzie also had time to move forward and was able to unleash a couple of long range efforts that at least stung the keeper's fingers if never really troubling him.

Fifteen minutes from time Shagger made a belated appearance and from his first step on the pitch we looked like a different side. His pace and control were outstanding and his free range allowed him to attack from all over the park. The Peterhead defence looked far more vulnerable than it had throughout the game; it's hoped that the management team's recognised that, in this division, there's maybe more than one way to skin a cat. McManus' forceful runs pulled defenders all over the place, allowing Stewart, Fozzie and Crawford far more rome in and around the box. Altogether more encouraging than the same old, same old that we'd been trying all afternoon.

Unfortunately, it was all a little too late and, despite continuing right until the death, we were to see no reward for our efforts. The ref blew the final whistle and Peterhead marched off triumphantly, an unexpected bonus for their first day trip to Fife. Our lads trooped off, disappointed and frustrated that our second half performace had come to nothing. They've got nothing to be ashamed of, mind. Every one of the team put in a shift - granted there were one or two a bit off form but you'll always get that. The important thing for me was the effort and commitment that they all displayed. Sure, they'll be hurting but they don't have time to be upset too long - we've only got three days to recover before we're at it again...

For the management team. however, it's important that they make sure we learn from today's lessons. Peterhead played well and were organised and strong. However, they really only created a couple of chances and were ruthless and focused enough to make both count. We worked hard and might argue that we deserved a wee bit more out of the game. But them's the breaks. If anybody thought that Division Two was going to be easy, they've had that idea well and truly knocked intae the 'naive and ridiculous, hopeful to the bitter end' file and have now double clicked on the 'Welcome to the Real World' icon at the top of the screen...

But at least we know - more knowledge prepares us better for the next game so ah'm confident that we'll bounce right back again on Wednesday. In the meantime, ah'm takin' solace from the fact that, despite this afternoon's defeat, we're still higher up in the league than we were on Friday - ah'd rather be in ninth position than tenth equal. And, anyway, as someone's already said to me, 'Get a fuckin' hold of yourself, Ian, there's still thirty five games tae go!'. Mebbe she's got a point... just wish we did!

See you all for chapter two of the Brechin Chronicles on Wednesday!