O'Kelly Isley III

Stenny might disagree.

Stenny appeared to play the percentages as opposed to going full out for the win, and with Peterhead already ahead and a horrible playing surface I wouldn't blame them. A draw was a fair outcome.

Excitement for this one seems to be a bit short of fever-pitch. According to the OS Blair could be a doubt but with no mention of Crighton I'm assuming he's available. Given all that, perhaps we'll see a Crighton/Durnan central defence with young Lennon resuming at left-back. Or perhaps Blair Malcolm to start. Who knows ? Here's hoping the weight of history sits very heavily on maroon shoulders tomorrow.

I can thoroughly recommend the book 'The Hero's Way' by Tim Parks.

Do most of them not normally wear wellies anyway ?

I wouldn't worry about, this sort of thing is a normal state of affairs at Dumbarton - the latest is annual accounts.

Where Ferguson is concerned it shouldn't have taken an injury to Robertson for him to appear, the guy should have had much more game time long before now - last night was an ideal opportunity to start him. And yes, Shankland did start against the Netherlands and he should have started last night too. The guy has shown enough to merit it, or are you going to tell us that Dykes or Adams were going to produce some blinding revelations ?

Well perhaps we learned nothing new because the Manager stuck too much to type in his team selection in what was after all a home friendly match. Dykes was chosen over Shankland, despite him toiling in a struggling QPR team, whilst Shankland had shown enough in cameos and on Friday night to justify a start. Similarly, John McGinn has recently gone off the boil at club level so here was a chance to start Lewis Ferguson who is having a great season with Bologna. When he finally did get on he produced energy and forward runs which had hitherto been absent. So an opportunity to 'learn something new' was virtually squandered when it was obvious from 25 minutes in that we were right off it. In singling out these players above I don't think anyone emerged with credit and I hope Patterson doesn't become the lightning rod for criticism because it was shite from back to front.

This. Anyone paying close attention in recent years will recognise that in a few instances the results have been better than the performances, but as usual the media and a sizeable section of the support live purely for the moment. This obviously isn't a good moment, and to those who airily dismiss the last few games on the basis that 'we don't do friendlies' then historically we don't do Finals very well either. Last night again served to highlight that when we can't get our best team on the pitch then we can struggle badly. This will not be a revelation to Stevie Clarke, but I would respectfully suggest that he questions his faith in certain players.

Some may be shocked by this performance, but maybe it's nothing more than a huge reality check.

The commentators finally realising the public aren't idiots.

O'Neill''s tactics have been spot-on so far, added to which his team looks far more mobile than Scotland. And it should be 2-0. Friendly or not, Stevie Clarke needs a big reaction in this second-half.

Don't forget Bertie Vogts ....

Jocky Wilson.

There are more issues on display here than Nathan Patterson's judgement.

Obviously not.

This constant talking up the team by the commentators is wearing - just concentrate on what's happening on the park.

I think you've just taken it my friend. And my good pal Peter has a point; nineteen (19) replies on the recent Stenhousemuir v Peterhead match thread hardly suggests that the Warriors waltzing to the title has captured the public's imagination.

FTFY

So, to save me any mental gymnastics can Stenny win the title at our place this weekend ?

Curiously enough, when we played ICT in the final in 2016 about twenty young tossers turned up in our support with union flags. They were promptly hounded. That though was an aberration, today isn't.

I agree Scott, but as the originator I pledge to do better. Meantime take a greenie.

It's now looking like one of Bonnyrigg, Stranraer or Clyde to finish in bottom position. It's still to early to predict but FWIW I'd rather it was Bonnyrigg; not because I have anything against them - far from it - but because I feel that they will adapt far better to life outside the senior divisions than the other two. Of course there's no guarantee that any of them would drop out but I'd fear for Clyde and Stranraer if they did. But if we do see change I'd rather Brechin returned at least to prove it can be done.

I'll gladly join the chorus for Mikey Ruth but today Mark Durnan was a colossus at the back, and his influence on Gallagher Lennon is evident. Apart from his defensive duties at one point he produced perhaps the longest header I've ever seen, and against a gale at that. Between the park and the weather it was never going to be pretty, and tbh the result was never much in doubt either, which should be a serious worry for Bonnyrigg. They look devoid of both confidence and a cutting edge and that's a grim combo at this stage in the season. We need to keep going and build some momentum from here on in. We're doing OK right now and Aaron Lynas, Cian Newbury, young Lennon and Tony all gave us a shift today. Having a fit Kalvin Orsi back would be a bonus.

Maybe a bit early to bin the mower and the garden forks. Never mind the Premier Division considering ditching the plastic. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24201307.ban-toxic-3g-crumb-rubber-pitches-scotland-says-report/