Raith Against The Machine

I really like Dylan Tait. Even when it's not working for him, he never hides and never stops trying. It's a trait that'll stand him in good stead going forward. That said, I'd still be happier with Matthews alongside Spencer. Morton look fairly dangerous breaking through our middle.

I think you'd have to say that equaliser had been coming, as frustrating as the Rovers build up play was getting. Morton had retreated far too far and couldn't get out. It'll be interesting to see what happens now they've got the impetus to come out again, because they started well.

Get These Short Corners In The Bin RRSC

Jack Hamilton being good is a novel - and thoroughly dispiriting - development.

We've literally not touched the ball in Morton's half yet. An utterly dreadful start.

I would be amazed if the vast, vast majority of season long loans didn't have a recall/break clause in the January window, just as a matter of course.

Don't really need to be hearing folk singing about AIDS at the football either tbh.

Fucking up a kick off isn't the greatest omen for a solid half of football. Even the re-take had Varian about five yards inside Accies' half.

For all the talk has been about Zanatta Zanatta'ing in from the left and shooting across goal, that's twice in three or four games that he's gone to the byline and created goals too. Mick Hucknall at right back has had a torrid time, doesn't have the first idea what to do with Dario. Obviously we can't get comfortable at all until the final whistle goes, but apart from a wee five minute spell after the second goal, Hamilton have been completely devoid of ideas. If it wasn't for fucking Banquo's Ghost earlier in the season you'd be talking about this finishing five or six. As it is, though? I'd take a point.

Varian looks like he'll be able to get a bit of change out of the defence. Done a fair bit of roughing up so far.

I'd have it odds on that we'll go to a back three today. If Dick isn't fit, I can only hope McGlynn will go for a winger rather than Musonda at wing back (although I'd be happy to see Musonda in the middle) but I can't imagine I'll be that lucky.

At right back or at centre half?

Hello, Raymond.

Unless his daughter is bringing someone home for dinner.

I see he's rolling out his usual "when I went into the Rovers they hadn't won since October and the top scorer had four goals", conveniently ignoring two facts. Firstly, that was exactly why he was hired. It's like a fireman turning up to a burning house, and berating the homeowners instead of turning the hose onto it. "It's not my fault it burned down, it was on fire when I got here". And secondly, he made us actively worse. Both statistically and to the naked eye, his side was worse than Gary Locke's. Gary Locke, for f**k sake!

It's a very one-sided account from someone who's had numerous, well-publicised falling outs with John Hughes, but the Tell Him He's Pelé interview with Bobby Barr is a very good account of what it's like to be a mercurial player under his management. For every disgruntled tricky winger who doesn't want to track back, I'm sure you could find a combative midfielder who'd run through brick walls for Hughes, but there's no doubt he's a divisive figure whose methods live and die by the personalities in his dressing room. The big advantage, albeit a potentially expensive one, is that the Pars still have January to come. He's got eight weeks to work out who's on board and who's not, and then a window to bring in more of his own men. I wonder how much latitude he's got in that sense. If he wants to flip ten players, is there going to be budget to do that? I suspect he wouldn't have taken the job without those kind of assurances.

I could be well wide of the mark, but Dom Thomas seems like the antithesis of a John Hughes player. Bobby Barr's whole ethos was "just let me go out and play" which Hughes absolutely despised. Thomas seems the same. The last thing he wants is to be burdened with stringent responsibilities. It'll be interesting to see how that dynamic develops.

Accies refusing to provide a PPV because they're desperate to boost the travelling support and take advantage of the navy blue pound. Scandalous.

Well, I truly hope it goes absolutely woefully and you get relegated by February. Sorry.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/2724576/steven-whittaker-inverness-dunfermline-new-manager-graham-dorrans-injury/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social Maybe he was away with the Ivory Coast?

Whose-its that carry a what-now? It'll never catch on.

That's a "take the point and move on" kind of afternoon. Not at the races at all, and only a phenomenal Jamie MacDonald has stopped that being a hounding. I don't think you could say we lost the midfield battle, it was more than we never entered into one. Matthews has to start if he's available, he's the only one in the squad who can provide that solidity at the base of midfield. Another game that's gone by without our strikers looking remotely like scoring. Did either of them have a shot at goal? We're fortunate that we've got good attack minded midfielders who can score, but we could really do with striker who poses a goal threat. Nine games without a clean sheet now, too. For all we've looked defensively solid, we're not quite putting it together for 90 minutes at a time. Having Musonda back should help, although I'm very hopeful that Dick is back again for next week. Frankie's great but we need that additional threat from open play that Dick (mostly) provides.

This has been one of these games where we look like we're playing with ten men. Every time the ball breaks into empty space in midfield it's a Queens player running onto it. Our equaliser was smash and grab when Queens started sitting back but since then Queens have gone right back to dominating the game again.

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Queens win it though, they've been the better side by quite some margin.