I normally watch the English Championship or Scottish game on a Friday evening but it’s an International break this weekend so beggars can’t be choosers. It gets a lot worse tomorrow but tonight at least it’s a toss up between Georgie and Serbia or Germany U21’s and their England counterparts for the early game then thankfully I have something to get my teeth into. The Republic or Ireland against Wales is a tasty prospect at any time but with the more fancied Taffy’s four points adrift of the table topping Paddy’s it’s going to be an especially pleasant watch. The rest of the football weekend ‘TV watch’ isn’t as appetising but more on that later.
The Lowland League weekend starts tonight at the Pennypit where struggling Preston play a Cumbernauld Colts team which has lost it’s way big style going from five games without a defeat to the same amount of games without a win. For that reason alone the home side must have a chance but having seen them last week it’s a slim one. Don’t get me wrong as Preston try hard and aren’t that much inferior to many LL teams I’ve seen this season but there’s a resignation about the side that only terrible run of results can bring and it’s very hard to shake off.
Tomorrow the Strollers are at home to Kilby and I’m sure if you gave Alex Cunningham a point before the game he’d take it gladly. I’m not saying the Marine Drive side have no chance but after a slight stutter Kilbride have gone unbeaten in eight games and look a cert to be heading to the SPFL play-offs. The Edinburgh students have a bonding away day to Dalbeattie in what looks like a home banker but Dorian’s boys don’t like to give goals away easily which is a more that admirable trait. Can they stop the Sloan Ranger and his team-mates? I doubt it. And in the same neck of the Border woods there’s a very interesting game taking place at Raydale where 2008 take on The Souters. Gretna are not having a great season but still sit two places and seven points above second bottom Selkirk. That and home advantage would point to the points staying on the English Border but it’s seven games since Gretna won a game while Selkirk have won three times in the same time. This game could go either way and I expect the visitors to at least pick up a point.
The Village People head through to Falkirk Stadium to face a Stirling side who after a slow start are up there vying with them for the very important fourth Champions League spot. The students have only drawn one of their last ten games while Whitehill haven’t done draws in the same time so you’d think it’s got to go one way or the other. I obviously hope the Rosewell side come out on top but the Bookies probably wouldn’t agree. With games in hand on all the teams wanting to finish just below the podium, a win would put the visitors in a strong position so let’s hope JR enjoys the Falkirk 3G and the visitors come out on top. Wishful thinking maybe. The Vale are at home to BSC and I’ll say no more than I hope come ten to five tomorrow afternoon the one point the home side are above the team from Glasgow is increased to four. Come on Jay, Cloudie and Blair, give us some goals.
That leaves the two teams fighting it out for second spot. The Shire have a three point advantage over the Dark Side and are eleven goals better off so are in the box seat especially as both sides only have four league games to play. To add to the mix both sides have still to play East Kilbride so tomorrow is very important. Spartans are at home to Gala while The Shire travel down to Albert Park and I can’t see either erstwhile title contenders dropping any points. If they both do and Kilby win, the Lowland League can actually be decided tomorrow.
Gary and Ross Mac will be hoping Elgin City don’t get many set piece chances at the concrete lavvy pan tomorrow as the management team have highlighted defending them as a particular weakness for the Edinburgh club. *** and let’s hope the Highland side don’t read the Edinburgh Evening News or they’ll be lumping everything in the air into the City box *** Anyway Ross Mac has told me more than once that Elgin are the best SPFL Two side City have played this season and three defeats to the Borough Briggs side would prove testament to that assertion. Put it this way City have to improve against tomorrows opponents or they will end up in real trouble. Everyone at Meadowbank will no doubt be as interested in what’s going on with Cowden at Galabank and Clyde at Broadwood against the Binos as they are on the action on London Road pitch. Except the home players hopefully.
The City game is my obvious destination tomorrow but only if life wasn’t so complicated. My eldest son has a cycling event in London on Sunday and it’s been in the balance if just he and his mum travel down or if we all go down as a family. Against that Robert has his 20/20 football at Riccarton this afternoon and for Edinburgh South on Sunday morning with a birthday party in between (tomorrow) so it was ultimately decided that mum would travel and dad would stay at home. Irene and Murray will head South at lunchtime today stopping of at Middlesbrough for the night (don’t ask me) then heading on to my daughter Gemma’s flat at East Greenwich while I ferry Robert around. His “Edinburgh Combat Challenge” at Elginhaugh Farm tomorrow lunchtime means if I make the concrete lavvy pan it won’t be until around half-time. I’ll decide nearer the time.
As for International fortnight Scotland were as inept as usual against Canada on Wednesday while despite the defeat, England looked the part. We seem a defeatist football nation at the moment and McGhee coming on the telly and saying “we may be sh*** and you can boo us but please turn out in numbers” beggars belief. Does he and wee Gord get a share of the gate? Anyway if Northern Ireland, the Republic and Wales can all qualify for the Euro and get themselves in a position to make Russia surely we can as well. Even if we win on Sunday I think it will only delay the inevitable and Gordon will fall on his sword by the summer. Who will follow? I haven’t a clue but the belief just isn’t there in a squad Michael O’Neill could only dream of managing. Maybe we need to borrow Don Quixote from Ibrox with Wee Baz as his sidekick. He apparently believes in miracles. 🙂
I’m really looking forward to watching the game from Dublin tonight but I can’t say the same for Hampden in two days time. If I can scream like a Banshee at the TV when we struggle against the Mounties in a friendly what will wee Roberto have to put up with on Sunday? I’ll leave you for now with that unpleasant thought.
mickeylawson 