Well, according to Elgin's chirpy soundin' announcer who read out the team leet, he was playing at right back for the Fife today. Thankfully, as the teams ran out into bright winter sunshine, it was pleasing to see the familiar figure of our own Greig McDonald in the number two shirt. I don't know, shove a microphone into some folk's hands and there's no tellin' what's gonna come out. I wonder if Elgin's equivalent of Cazza FM is also away visiting family on the other side of the world....

The last time that we faced Elgin we put four past them and they played like they'd never been on a football field before. Today, however, they appeared to be far better organised and, right from kick off, showed us that they weren't going to be a pushover. It was apparent that the Fife players were still full of confidence but our hosts looked an altogether different proposition from last time - we could already see that this afternoon's match was going to be tough.

And so it proved. But for the couple of hundred fans who made our way north, we witnessed one of the most entertaining matches so far this season. The conditions were perfect for fast flowing football and we weren't to be disappointed as players on both sides neither asked for nor gave any quarter. After the bad tempered affair last week against the 'Silkies', it was refreshing to see both teams going for it so hard but still so fair.

It would be unreasonable to state that we bossed it completely in the opening forty five (the first real chance actually fell to Elgin just ten minutes in) but we looked confident and comfortable throughout. We actually had the ball in the net twice, only for both to be ruled out for offside. I have to say, however, that, from where I was, Blackadder's pass to O'Reilly early on looked well enough timed; big Craig can feel aggrieved not to have opened the scoring.

We created a whole host of half chances throughout the first half but were to be thrwarted by a combination of unlucky (rather than poor) finishing and some decent defending by the Black & Whites. At the other end of the park, Elgin, huffed and puffed but created little that was to trouble McCulloch in the Fife goal. As the seconds ticked towards the interval, mind, it was starting to look like we might regret not finishing one of our earlier opportunities. However, almost on the stroke of half time we won a free kick just outside the Elgin box.

Fozzie stepped up and blasted a wonderful left foot shot low past the Elgin keeper. I was right there with the camera, ready to record it all for posterity but then the Elgin centre forward wandered into the shot and.... Ah, well, that's what happens when forwards come back to defend, I suppose. What was important was the fact that the ball ended up in the net. One-nil for the Fife and not before time. As for the scorer, he's had a tough week with all the shite that's been hurled at him - seeing the grin on his face and his team mates there to share his joy would have swept all the crap out of his system. And with the half time whistle sounding just seconds later, he had a fifteen minute break, a nice cup of tea and an opportunity to re-live the goal again, frame by frame....

Whatever the Elgin team were doing at the break, however, it certainly wasn't indulging in ifs and buts about the first half. They came flying out for the second forty five and, if we're being honest, probably caught the Candy Stripes a bit off balance. Right from the ref's whistle they pressed forward for an equaliser. They had a couple of wayward efforts in the first five minutes that posed no real threat but, even at this early stage, it was obvious that Dougie Cameron was in for a hard time from their young outside right (if that's a position that still exists....).

Even worse was to come. In the fifty fifth minute (with Elgin on the attack again), big Tweedie rose to head the ball clear from a crowded six yard box, only to land awkwardly. The ref was kind enough to not let the physio on and to wave play-on but within just a few seconds it was apparent that the captain's day was over. He was replaced by Graham Guy who, after some shuffling around at the back, managed to slip into the full back position and allow McDonald to move into central defence. They played well enough but it was Willie McCulloch we had to thank for keeping us in the game. Just shy of the hour mark, he made a great low save at his right hand post after a cracking shot from Elgin's Mark Smith (did he no' used tae be the singer wi' The Fall?).

McCulloch's heroics soon fed through to the rest of the boys and we started to realise that attack was probably the best form of dfence. We pushed forward and, although it wasn't always pretty (and Elgin found it straightforward enough to clear), we slowly fought our way back into it and get the upper hand. With about fifteen minutes remaining we broke down the right, substitute Stevie Nicholas managed to fire over a fantastic low cross to the edge of their six yard box and Paul Stewart only had to touch it to double our lead - or so it appeared. He contrived to somehow scoop the ball into the keeper's hands.

To add insult to injury, we were to be penalised for Paul's faux pas immediately. From their keeper releasing the ball to it ending up in our net could only have been about fifteen seconds. It was a perfect counter attack and, sadly, when Mark Smith picked up the ball and our defenders backed off and backed off, you just knew that it was gonna be either the best goal you'd seen for weeks of or the greatest save since the 1970 Mexico World Cup. Hmmm, best goal ah've seen in weeks......

The goal fired up our hosts and, with time running out, it looked like they might just be able to add to it. Their build-up play continued to be impressive but, thankfully, they failed to do much in front of goal. At the other end, mind, it looked like we might also be squandering the chances we continued to create. Poor all Paul Stewart was havin' a nightmare of it. Granted, he was getting into the positions but his efforts in front of goal were becoming more and more feeble. Once, twice, three times he found himself one on one with the keeper and all three efforts came to nothing. It was staring to look like we'd have to be satisfied with the draw.

But Mr Stewart wasn't happy with that. He showed great resolve (and a fair set of baws) when yet again he found himself in space at the edge of the Elgin box. This time, however, he simply put his boot through the ball and slid it past the keeper and into the net. The fans errupted in ecstacy, his team mates went bananas and Paul looked the most relieved man in the whole of the highlands. From somewhere, we'd dug out a winner and would be taking all three points back tae Methil!

Which certainly made the four hour train ride back tae Fife all the more pleasurable. That and the company of another dozen or so Fifers who kindly shared their carry oot wi' me on condition that if, and when, they got huckled off the train by the polis, I'd be there takin' the rap with them. It was a no-brainer - there were three cans of Carling up for grabs! Such a good time I had, I even forgot about the two corned beef rolls ah'd taken along for ma tea.

But they did fine for ma supper, washed down with another bottle of beer while I caught up with online coverage of all the other Div 3 matches. Even though I stayed up late, mind, there was still nothing on the Stranraer website about what the Montrose Number Six got up to while his team mates were picking up the points against the Silkies. Nae doubt the management team wanted to sleep on it before they come up with more ridiculous allegations about opposition players....

C'mon the Fife - see you all next week at Montrose!

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