After last week's mauling at the hands of the champions to be, Stranraer ran out this afternoon against the Red Lichties and duly held to their end of the bargain. A three-nil demolition by Arbroath meant a happy trip back to Tayside for their fans and, more importantly, the knowledge that all we had to do was win at home against the Wee Rovers to clinch our first title in generations.... However, as a man fae ma neck o' the woods once said, "the best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft a-gley"!

So, wi' the sun burning their eyes out and the wind and rain raging at their backs (honest tae fuck, it's like Methil's in some kind of cross-temporal universe where the normal laws of physics don't apply....), our heroes trotted out to dot the Is and cross the Ts. Surely just a formality today - it's been a long, tough season but today's when it all becomes worth it... Sadly, our visitors had no intention of heading home with the stigma of being the team that awarded us the title. And cheered on by their wee ragamuffin band of fans (guess Celtic wurnae playin' the day!), they came out to spoil the party.

And, to be fair to them, they did make it difficult throughout. They hardly looked like world beaters but were well organised and professional enough to do the wee things right. And wi' fitba being such a simple game, that was enough to ensure that they'd be taking a point back to Buckfast Junction at five o'clock.

However, we've become accustomed in recent weeks to teams heading for Bayview and making things difficult for us. Wi that in mind, Baikie was well aware that there's no such thing as an easy three points (no' in this fuckin' league anyway....). He sent out a determined looking team (nice to see Smartie and big Tweed back in the ranks but sad that any of last week's heroes had to be satisfied with watching it from the bench) and when eventually Mr Corstorphine managed tae get round and take a couple of photos of the mascot, we all settled down for.....

Well, if I'm honest, no' very much at all. As always, the guys on the pitch worked hard; their commitment never being in question. However, it was clear very early on that we weren't quite firing on all cylinders. Granted, Paul McManus had the ball in the net inside ten minutes, only for the standside linescheat to hoist his flag for offside. It seemed that it wouldn't have made much difference in any case. I'd already been somewhat disappointed that so few folk had turned for what could (and should) have been the game that clinched the title. But even leaving that aside, the atmosphere today was as flat as I can remember it in ages. When Paul's goal was disallowed, I heard more noise from the two dozen hawfwits fae Coatbridge than I did from the home fans....

Which surely begs the question - where are the other three thousand punters that watched the team last September when we played the huns? Fuck sake guys, it's a tenner tae get in, we're playing the best football in the league and we're on the verge of the kind of glory that only yer boring old grandfather can remember. I honestly can't believe that watching thirty upper class fuckin' egg-chasers on the telly could be more fun that a day oot at the fitba! But then, maybe that's just me.... Nae fuckin' wonder some of the die-hards get twitchy when the johnnie-cum-latelys (like me...) show up.... Just in case yer interested, the trophy presentation will probably be on the 19th of April - so get in early and keep the real fans oot!!

Anyway, glad ah've got that aff ma chest. On the pitch meanwhile, the lads wurnae letting the silence get them down. They continued to work hard but time and time again were frustrated by the lack of any real finesse at the end of the moves. Big Chris the Wonderhorse seemed to be struggling throughout but with McManus, Blackadder and Paul Stewart all playing well, we still managed to create a couple of half chances - the best being a good effort (well, ok, mebbe it was just a cross...) by Stewart that was deflected onto the post, only for Ryan to see his quick follow up safely grabbed by the Rovers' keeper.

That was as good as it was to get in the first half but, spurred on by the news that Arbroath were a goal up at Stranraer, we came out for the second period with some renewed vigour and, finally, started to show the quality that we know we have all through the side. Templeman continued to find it tough going but stuck in and, even though he was never going to trouble their keeper, made a worthwhile contribution. He was replaced just on the hour mark by Lloyd Young which enabled Linn to join McManus in attack and led to our most dangerous spell of the game.

Linn is a cut above most others in the third division and it wasn't long before his quality was shining through, his close control being too much for the lumbering defenders he was facing. And with the pace that Young injects we started to look far more dangerous. With twenty five minutes remaining we were awarded a free kick from about twenty five yards. While Fozzie and Linn shuffled around thinking about their angles, Blackadder stepped up to the plate and blasted a fine shot goalwards. Their keeper was beaten all ends up but Ryan was dismayed to see the ball thunder off the crossbar and out for safety for the Rovers.

It was a cracking effort, mind, and with the crowd still buzzing, we heard that the Lichties had gone two up at Stair Park. At last there was some noise in the stadium as the home fans urged the boys on. With Albion on the back foot we were able to advance in numbers with Cameron and McDonald both keen to press forward and combine with the midfield (spare a thought for big Greig, by the way - his pal Craig is away in Prague this weekend with a dozen other reprobates so not wrapping up the title will prove doubly painful for him tonight.....).

Some of McDonald's interplay with Stewart and Young in the latter stages was simply outstanding so there's no difficulty with this week's man of the match plaudits - missing out on cheap beer and cheaper burds in Prague already meant he had my sympathy; his play in the second half did all the rest! Superb...

With time running out Baikie had one last throw of the dice and sent on Kevin Gordon and Craig O'Reilly (in place of Linn and McManus who'd both run their socks off). The gamble almost paid off; with only five minutes remaining, Craig slid a great pass through to Paul Stewart who appeared only to have to keep his cool and sneak it past the keeper. However, with an outstanding lunging effort, Michael McGowan (you'd never have thought a boy wi' a name like that would play for a team fae Coatbridge, eh???) slid in and took the ball off Paul's toe and cleared the danger in the nick of time.

It was a real bummer for Stewart and the fans but merely symptomatic of the performance that the Rovers' defence had delivered today. Their efforts probably just about justified their right to a share of the points. However, just seconds later the fuckers counter attacked and nearly stole all three; only some more sterling work by Greig at the back ensured that the match was to finish goalless.

And so, rather than a triumphant celebration of the title, we limped another few feet towards our deserved and inevitable finishing line. Certainly we're disappointed not to have sewn it all up today but if anyone had suggested at the start of the season that, by the second week in March we'd be champions, I'm sure that there'd have been plenty of folk calling the local psychiatric hospital with a referral. As it is, we'll head to Firs Park next Saturday with a great crowd and all the motivation we need - I understand that ASDA in Falkirk are doing a special on champagne all next week. Seems like a waste no' tae go and try some....

C'mon the Fife - we are champions.... nearly!

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