Cove Vs Sons

[CoveRangers1922]

This could be the weekend all Cove fans have been waiting for;  promotion to the Championship. Our 5 year target achieved with 2 years to spare would be monumental and unthinkable to many.

This time 3 years ago we had just won the HL with a 1-0 away victory against Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park.

Last Saturday saw the Diamonds edge out a late winner after a valiant Sons come back. Sadly Dumbarton are consigned to the playoffs for a second successive year.

Dumbarton are scoring, only 3 goals behind Queen's Park GF tally, but are struggling to keep it tight at the back and have conceded 69 in 34 games. That's 3 worse than relegated EF. 

Cove will be riding high on confidence and know a win will secure the title with a draw likely enough too. Against Alloa we were ruthless in front of goal, scored 3 goals and had one turned onto the post by PJ Morrison. We'll be looking to extend to 25 unbeaten and finish the season unbeaten at home with 13W and 5D.

I heard Rory should be back after missing the previous game.

Tickets will once again be £10 for an adult and £5 for a concession. There was almost 1300 at Balmoral on the weekend and I hope we can surpass that on Saturday.

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by CoveRangers1922

[CoveRangers1922]

The team lineup for the aforementioned game that clinched the HL title back on 13th April 2019 was as is below. 6 in that team are still regular starters, 7 if you include Harry who was on the bench that day. Masson still gets minutes too.

** Mitch got the decisive goal but you probably guessed that already

1. McKenzie

2. Kelly

3. Redford 

4. Ross

5. Strachan

6. Scully

7. Yule

8. Park

9. Scott

10. Megginson

11. Masson

 

Subs

Watson

Milne

Burnett (on for Masson)

McRae (on for park)

McManus 

McCafferty

[Jacksgranda]

Hope you go up. Let's just hope there's nae Granite City Derby next year, though...

[CoveRangers1922]

15 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Hope you go up. Let's just hope there's nae Granite City Derby next year, though...

Leave that to the following season! Very wishful thinking on our part. L2 promotion first season, L1 promotion maybe in 2 seasons. Championship to Premiership is a different challenge altogether. I hope one day it happens but it might never do. Caley, County and Gretna have gone from tier 5 to the holy grail of the prem. Clearly the latter we don't want to emulate.

We'll need to hold onto key players and be pinpoint in our recruitment to be threatening nearer the top end. As a part time side in year 1 in the Championship it will take quality permanent signings and good use of the loan market. 

Once we switch to a hybrid model we might become more competitive and pose a more serious threat.

Edited April 18, 2022 by CoveRangers1922

[The Moonster]

I won't be watching but I sincerely hope @CoveRangers1922 has a brilliant day celebrating their league win - one of the best and nicest posters on the board. I think Cove will compete well in the Championship, a solid core of guys there who have played together for years now. 

Game means nothing to us, keeping people fit for the playoffs is all that matters. 

[Chapelhall chap]

I think it's now beyond arithmetical pleading . Have enjoyed the posting of Cove's leading chap. To remain undefeated for such a long spell and not let us catch up over those 4 away games, means I concede! Hope we are both in Championship to resume debates next season. I think Dumbarton will be safe. 

[CoveRangers1922]

53 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

I won't be watching but I sincerely hope @CoveRangers1922 has a brilliant day celebrating their league win - one of the best and nicest posters on the board. I think Cove will compete well in the Championship, a solid core of guys there who have played together for years now. 

Game means nothing to us, keeping people fit for the playoffs is all that matters. 

Thanks mate, Sunday could be a write off!

Can imagine that Sons fans have their eyes firmly on the playoff matches which I think you'll manage to overcome albeit it will be fiercely contested. I will definitely be watching the Sons in hope. If Stenny make 4th it will be a tricky opener with a few familiar faces on the opposition side.

[Jan Vojáček]

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

I won't be watching but I sincerely hope @CoveRangers1922 has a brilliant day celebrating their league win - one of the best and nicest posters on the board. I think Cove will compete well in the Championship, a solid core of guys there who have played together for years now. 

Game means nothing to us, keeping people fit for the playoffs is all that matters. 

I would second this post entirely. And add in that I'll be pleased for big Morgyn Neill and Mitch Megginson too. Scoop was as committed and reliable as they come, never let us down and is a thoroughly decent guy. Mitch was a key member of the best Dumbarton team I've ever seen and scored some absolutely brilliant goals for us.

If we avoid any injuries I'll be happy.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

It’s safe to say I wont be going out my way to watch this one, it’s been hard enough this season when the games actually meant something. 

I’ll be hoping Wilson and Syvertson get some minutes. I’m also not against MacLean moving back to his natural position or being benched, I think it’s time to accept this playing him as a striker experiment has failed. Out of interest has he scored more goals playing out wide or playing as a striker?

[CoveRangers1922]

27 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

I think it's now beyond arithmetical pleading . Have enjoyed the posting of Cove's leading chap. To remain undefeated for such a long spell and not let us catch up over those 4 away games, means I concede! Hope we are both in Championship to resume debates next season. I think Dumbarton will be safe. 

Likewise enjoyed your posts and many of the other Airdrie fans too. Yes, next season both in the Championship would be spot on. With Airdrie's run, therefore confidence, and quality it's a very realistic proposition. It's been too long since a L1 playoff team has gone up through the playoffs (2017/18). 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

I won't be watching either but I agree that Syvertsen and Wilson should get some game time.  I also wouldn't be averse to replacing Buchanan with Lynch to see if he can gel with the recently-impressive George Stanger.

 

[BallochSonsFan]

It might be a dead rubber game, but things can still go wrong for us. We need to avoid picking up injuries and we need to avoid a heavy loss. I wouldn't want us going into the play-offs missing key players and I wouldn't want us going in with heads down. It's really important that we get through these games with everybody still fit and without the heads going down. Agree with OK3 that the next 2 games should be a chance to give some of the squad players a bit of game time. We might need to use the squad in the play-offs and I'd be far more comfortable with that if we'd given some folk a bit of game time. Wilson starting would seem a really obvious one, particularly since Orsi isn't really doing a hell of a lot for us.

[BucksburnDandy]

The team lineup for the aforementioned game that clinched the HL title back on 13th April 2019 was as is below. 6 in that team are still regular starters, 7 if you include Harry who was on the bench that day. Masson still gets minutes too.
** Mitch got the decisive goal but you probably guessed that already
1. McKenzie
2. Kelly
3. Redford 
4. Ross
5. Strachan
6. Scully
7. Yule
8. Park
9. Scott
10. Megginson
11. Masson
 
Subs
Watson
Milne
Burnett (on for Masson)
McRae (on for park)
McManus 
McCafferty

Big Alan Redford was my PE teacher then let me coach a school team and encouraged me when I was young to take up refereeing as he knew I loved the game but I was a honking footballer.

A total gentleman off the park too, tremendous guy.

Fingers crossed for you@coverangers1922 that you do the business on Saturday. Huge soft spot for Cove as I used to go round to Allan Park a lot when I was younger and as mentioned above, your posts are always worth reading.

[CoveRangers1922]

6 minutes ago, BucksburnDandy said:

Big Alan Redford was my PE teacher then let me coach a school team and encouraged me when I was young to take up refereeing as he knew I loved the game but I was a honking footballer.

A total gentleman off the park too, tremendous guy.

Fingers crossed for you@coverangers1922 that you do the business on Saturday. Huge soft spot for Cove as I used to go round to Allan Park a lot when I was younger and as mentioned above, your posts are always worth reading.

I heard a few others say the exact same thing about Redford. I never had the chance to speak to him. Always gave it his all for Cove and his lengthy career is testament to his fitness and his winning mentality. Think he was 40 when he left us and even after that he had a stint at Banks O Dee.

Thanks, it's been some season watching Cove home and away. We won't get many better seasons than this one. 2 losses since mid-October, both in the cups, both 1-0 and one of them AET. The atmosphere at Easter Road was something to treasure.

Hoping it's not the pinnacle and there's more triumphs to come. Will we see a few more Dons players coming to Cove in the summer? Already quite a few I hear you say! Would love to see Considine join for a season, Dean Campbell and/or Connor McLennan would be welcome additions even on loan.

 

[Jimmy Shaker]

Much as they were (and they very much were) an absolutely insufferable shower of asshats from the middle of their time in the league - or any time they weren’t winning - right up until the high farce of their time spent sofa-surfing around the football grounds of the north, there’s some grudging respect from a few SHFL types when what Cove have done is given consideration. From me, it’s not even grudged - they had a plan, have made it work, and while it seems at times like things have gone their way, they’ve still won the games and beat everyone in front of them. For there still to be as many players in the team from the 2018/19 season says a lot about the quality of recruitment and their idea of where the club was going, even then, and makes a mockery of the whiny bullshit from other SHFL clubs about going up.

Their presence in the Championship is another lol in the face of the various lower league managers who spent the 80’s and early 90’s (and occasionally still) pissing and moaning about having to travel north for cup ties or possible games against newly elected clubs, with the number clubs left in the wake of Cove, Ross County (however artificially) and Inverness growing year on year. Clubs who were formerly assured of comfy second tier football at worst are now dicking about the bottom half of the Championship or further down the ladder. 

Hopefully they go up, and stay up a while, but the Cove types I know are aware this is going to be very different from the last couple of seasons. Still, if Arbroath can do it...

[BucksburnDandy]

Much as they were (and they very much were) an absolutely insufferable shower of asshats from the middle of their time in the league - or any time they weren’t winning - right up until the high farce of their time spent sofa-surfing around the football grounds of the north, there’s some grudging respect from a few SHFL types when what Cove have done is given consideration. From me, it’s not even grudged - they had a plan, have made it work, and while it seems at times like things have gone their way, they’ve still won the games and beat everyone in front of them. For there still to be as many players in the team from the 2018/19 season says a lot about the quality of recruitment and their idea of where the club was going, even then, and makes a mockery of the whiny bullshit from other SHFL clubs about going up.
Their presence in the Championship is another lol in the face of the various lower league managers who spent the 80’s and early 90’s (and occasionally still) pissing and moaning about having to travel north for cup ties or possible games against newly elected clubs, with the number clubs left in the wake of Cove, Ross County (however artificially) and Inverness growing year on year. Clubs who were formerly assured of comfy second tier football at worst are now dicking about the bottom half of the Championship or further down the ladder. 
Hopefully they go up, and stay up a while, but the Cove types I know are aware this is going to be very different from the last couple of seasons. Still, if Arbroath can do it...

It definitely still happens. Richard Gordon and Brian McLauchlin were insufferable in the moaning on Sportsound about Hearts having to travel so far to Brora for the cup tie last season. The more teams from the North and North East of Scotland that go up, the better.

[FifeSons]

I initially thought there was no chance I'd buy the stream, but I might be masochistic and do it. I guess we won't be able to stream games next season?

[Whitburn Vale]

Its something else that 2 clubs only a mile apart on the granite city's south side are in for historic promotions.....Cove and Banks o Dee.

As shaker says there wasnt much love from us SHFL types towards Cove back in the day,but I for one cant grudge them this.......,they had a plan and stuck to it.

Also for such a high number of their last SHFL winning squad to still be playing regular 1st team football is again nothing short of spectacular. 

[rockson]

Where's the best place to park for Balmoral Stadium?

It's a ground I've not seen Sons play at. Yet.

This may be my last chance for a long while.

[CoveRangers1922]

1 minute ago, rockson said:

Where's the best place to park for Balmoral Stadium?

It's a ground I've not seen Sons play at. Yet.

This may be my last chance for a long while.

There's quite a bit of parking just outside the ground which is in an industrial estate. The nearest office car park (stones throw from the ground) is used by all fans on match day. If you there before 2.30 you should get a space.