Michael's managed to sell his house so he's over finalising all the paperwork. Let's hope the fucker cashes the cheque quickly and buggers off back to Canada! He'd be well advised to stuff an auld maths book doon the back of his breeks on Saturday cos he's gonnae get ma boot right up his arse when ah see him in Forfar! Let this be a warning, Mike; you'll no' be able to get round me wi a bridie....

If only Mike hadn't come tonight; if only I hadn't forgotten my lucky scarf; if only we hadn't failed to take advantage of the wind at our backs in the first half; if only; if only. If only Brechin City hadn't been better than us. Oh, aye, that's right. On the night, despite creating a few chances and notwithstanding all our hard work, you have to admit that the Second Division side were too good for us over the ninety minutes.

They were forced to play into a gale force breeze in the first half but right from the kick off it was apparent that that wasn't going to cause them any real difficulties. They immediately adapted to the conditions, keeping the ball on the ground with short, simple passes, and within half a minute young Fox was called into action. There was no doubt that our visitors' pride had been hurt in the home tie two Saturdays ago and that they were more than up for tonight's replay.

By contrast, the Fife were on the back foot right from the start. In what was to prove the pattern for huge chunks of the tie, Brechin's wingers posed all manner of problems for Greig McDonald and Dougie Cameron. The Reds looked skillful enough as it was, but when you combined that with their pace they were almost irresistable. It's credit to our full backs, however, that they kept their eyes on the task in front of them and did their best to keep Brechin at bay. Even when City managed to get into our box our young 'keeper made a series of great stops that ensured that we weren't behind before we'd even really started.

In the middle of the park, too, we were struggling. With Fozzie absent due to suspension (same ref tonight, by the way, who sent him off for fuck all in the first tie), Gary Greenhill, was drafted into the midfield. He and his team mates faced a torrid time as Brechin pressed forward, but slowly we recovered from the shellshock and started to get back into the game. Despite having the wind behind us, we failed to take full advantage (and didn't even have a decent crack at goal until late in the half), but at least now we were starting to hold some possession of the ball. McManus and Linn were finally able to come into the game which stopped Brechin bombing forward 'ten at a time'. It was a real sickener, then, that on twenty minutes, the Hedgemen took the lead, through Kevin Byers (hmmm, knew a girl at the school called Sharon Byers; introduced me to the charms of Patti Smith... and a whole lot more).

Loathed as I am to have to admit it, it was a screamer of a goal which left Fox with nothing more to do than turn and pick the ball out of the net (I think that one of the stewards also had to get up aff his arse and take a wander round tae make sure that the net wisnae burst!!).

Rather than letting our heads fall, however, the City goal illustrated the character of Baikie's team. They concentrated on playing their own game, worked hard to get back into this one and were rewarded just five minutes later. In one of our few incursions into Brechin territory, Craig O'reilly found himself with some space in their box and was shaping for an effort on goal only to be crudely bundled off the ball by right back, David White. The whistler had no hesitation in pointing to the spot; Dougie Cameron stepped up and left Craig Nelson in the City goal with no chance. One-one and game on!

Or so we hoped. Sadly, as we approached half time neither team really created much in the way of clear cut chances. The ref blew for the interval and there must have been more than just a few Fife fans mighty relieved that this one was still in the balance.

Fitba certainly is a straighforward game; we just seem to engineer ways to complicate it. We came out for the second half and decided to simply ignore the lessons that Brechin taught us in the first. Instead of keeping the ball on the ground, we spent forty five minutes continually hoofing it up in the air. Depending on how strong the gust of wind was, the ball either barely made the half way line or actually finished up behind the kicker. With the gale behind them, however, the Reds came out of the traps fast in an attempt to quickly put the tie to bed.

Stangely enough, though, it was the Fife who created the first chance. Ten minutes in Ryan Blackadder launched a great pass forward and found Paul McManus who was in acres of place. He had only to hit the ball goalwards to surely give us the lead but, somehow, contrived to miss it completely and allow the City defence to clear. It was a shame because both he and Bobby Linn had run their socks off all night for not much reward. He'll no doubt be kicking himself (unless he misses wi' that as well....) for squandering such a great chance.

Just a few minutes later, big Smartie rose, unmarked, at a corner and fired the ball goalwards. The City keeper had it well covered but still made it look impressive enough - hey big man, you're no' Gordon Banks (fuck sake, how old am I?). At the other end, his colleagues were also lookin' pretty good - except when it came to finishing. Time after time they made space for themselves only to be thwarted by more good goalkeeping from Fox or, more often than not, by their own abysmal efforts in front of goal.

We weren't gonna keep them out forever, mind, and just seven minutes from the end they grabbed the winner. Winger, Rich Walker, slid the ball past Cameron and followed with some ease (it had been a long, tough night for the full back; by now he just looked knackered), creating more than enough space to fire a low cross over into the box. From twelve yards out Charlie King blasted the ball to Fox's left and guaranteed his team's right for a visit to Hamilton in the new year.

And that appeared to be the last chance we'd have in the near future to prove that we can play on plastic as well as grass. But in the ultimate irony, we'll get the opportunity soon enough. Instead of a wee visit to Hamilton's Subbuteo pitch in Lanarkshire, we'll be heading north to Tayside again. The beaks at the Scottish League have arranged the fixtures to give us a trip to Montrose that day! Football really is a funny auld game, right enough....

Back To East Fife Main Page

Click Here for the current league table

...