Raith Against The Machine

Sounds better than six or seven of the offerings in the Championship. Just the sofa would be preferable to Inverness'.

What's the Thistle streaming service like? Manual camera, decent zoom and replays, or daft robot camera mounted on a block of flats a couple of miles away?

His and Todorov's are now on the same day.

That really is shan. For Frankie, as much as anything else. Not the end to the season that he deserves. He's been tremendous, and it'll be borderline miraculous if we make it through the playoffs without him. The only silver lining here is that I wonder if his injury problems might not increase the chances of us retaining his services for next year. As good as he's been, I'm not sure he's played quite enough football for a team at a significantly higher level to take a punt on him.

And the boy in charge of the hospitality? Great guy.

He was excellent for us until the last two or three games of the season. Just totally went to shit. Some share of the blame for that play-off embarrassment should also go to Connor Brennan. Across two legs, extra-time and a penalty shootout, he made no saves. Every Brechin shot that was on target went in.

That Hendry penalty call looked like a dreadful decision. Thought there were a couple of men playing him on. Tait red card is impossible to tell. Maybe he's off the ground, who knows. I was surprised to see the red. Second half played out largely how I expected. Dundee retreated and didn't offer anything going forward, but the Rovers left it too late. If we had a proper, on-form striker throughout this season we'd be lightyears ahead in second. Instead, we feed off scraps and it can't always come through. Disappointed not to get the draw in the end, but we knew we had two tough games to finish the season. Really need a favour from Queens now, but I wouldn't rule it out.

This is a tale we've told too often this season. When the midfield doesn't click, the strikers can't create for themselves, and we offer nothing. I'm not completely distraught. We know this Dundee side are fragile and they haven't offered a huge amount either. Obviously been the better side, but the penalty looked a little harsh and the ball was obviously very close to the line, so it's fine margins. An early goal in the second half could really turn things on its head, but the Rovers look like they need a freak event (like Tait nearly scoring out of nothing from 30 yards) to get that goal.

How long did Dundee have to look before they found the two most boring b*****ds in the country to do the commentary? At least the shipping forecast has a sort of rhythm to it. This is just an endless dispassionate exchange of facts and statistics.

Davidson's hearing is now 27 May. From a selfish point of view, it's good to have that after the season has finished. Removes any potential distraction.

Alloa have (quite rightly) appealed the red card, and have a fast track hearing this afternoon.

So if we're being very, very charitable to the referee, he's maybe taken the view that Parry knows the ball is already past him, and brings Ugwu down cynically? Is that the only interpretation that justifies a red card?

There's just no way that's a red card.

Has anyone checked to make sure Hopkin isn't John Hughes wearing a grotesque Scooby-Doo style mask?

This is spot on. When I read Hopkin's comments I shuddered as if John Hughes had walked over my grave. "I can coach them but..." is such a cop out. You're the coach. You can coach them, full stop. This Ayr Utd squad might not win any medals any time soon, but the task is just not to be as bad as two other teams in this division. There are a lot of managers who an do that. Mark Kerr was making a better fist of it. The "do you want to be here next season?" thing is also straight out of Yogi's playbook, and it's (predictably) a fucking nonsense. With respect, there aren't many players in the country who see Ayr Utd as the pinnacle of their aspirations. Do I want to be here next season? Sure. But if another club at roughly the same level offer me an extra fifty quid or are ten minutes closer to the house, I could just as easily go there. It's such an abdication of responsibility. You're the manager. They're your players. You've got two games left. Stop trying to make it about bigger issues. It's not about what players have done before, or will do in future, (or, Mr Hughes, about "society"). Its about the fact you've taken on a job that you appear to be failing at. The least you can do is own it.

Yeah, that's the biggest thing for me - he's rescued this club, twice. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that another manager could've killed this club, particularly first time around. Nicholl's highs were higher, but McGlynn has probably overseen a greater improvement. And he could still win a trophy (albeit the Challenge Cup, and a year late!) and a promotion to the Premiership this season.

He was PFA Manager of the Year in 2010-11. Steven Gerrard will win it this year, and deservedly so, particularly if Rangers win the Scottish Cup and go unbeaten in the league, but McGlynn is absolutely pushing him for it. To take a side from League One and go straight to the top end of the Championship, with the style of play that we've shown at times, is phenomenal. You only have to look at the number of football clubs in Scotland at the moment who'd swap their current manager for McGlynn in a heartbeat. Whilst talk of a statue is obviously a little tongue-in-cheek, he can't be too far away from being arguably this club's greatest ever manager.

Sexy Raith Rovers winning very, very ugly. Considering how fragile we looked when we threw the points away against Arbroath, and the players we've had missing, that's an incredibly well earned six points this week. Really, really good work to grind that out.

Haven't put a foot on the ball in the last fifteen minutes. Giving away too many daft freekicks too, just letting Alloa pile forward. Jamie MacDonald is worth his weight in gold at times like these. With most of the keepers we've had recently we'd be panicking twice as much.

We've now got as many strikers on the pitch as we do defenders. McGlynn 2.0 is great fun.

I'm really enjoying the commentary. It's much more enjoyable when it's people who don't take themselves, or football, too seriously.

I can't recall the exact language of the law now, but essentially, if its an honest attempt to play the ball, you don't get the red card and the penalty award. As you say, if its something cynical like a shirt pull or a trip from behind, it's still a sending off, but Parry is just trying to get his toes on the ball and block Ugwu's progress. Has completely turned the game on it's head. The Rovers shouldn't look back now, but you have to say that's incredibly harsh on Alloa. Duku on for King. Turning the screw.

And Peter Grant's "you don't understand the rules!", which seems hard to argue with this time. Presumably the referee was conferring with the linesman on whether or not the ball was out of play when the contact was made? I can't think why else he'd be involved. Taggart undoes so much hard work with his messing around, and it does look like a penalty to me, but I can't understand the red card. We absolutely have to go on and win this now. No excuses.

I don't understand it. Parry is late but he's trying to play the ball.