Bloo Toon vThe Fife

[doulikefish]

It's time for another red pudding derby bonanza

I'm fully expecting the fife to be suitably fired up after last weekend so it's going to be a close one 

[Beachcomber]

2 hours ago, doulikefish said:

It's time for another red pudding derby bonanza

I'm fully expecting the fife to be suitably fired up after last weekend so it's going to be a close one 

You would certainly think so.

Not sure where we are on injuries, maybe find out more tonight in the weekly newsletter.

[fifer67]

The season has been pretty dire fling in last weeks horror show and most fair minded fans would think Greig McDonald has limited time to turn things around. He hasn’t given players in the squad a chance to show what they can do he picks some players every week no matter how bad they have been the game before. On Saturday there has to be changes as those that played last week let everyone at East Fife football club down big time.Only Nathan Austin and Allan Fleming came close to getting pass marks he could drop any of the other 9 that started. Not convinced we can get anything from the game and there will need to be a 100% improvement in effort and attitude. Hopefully the players have had a look in the mirror this week and realise that they are far from Billy big time.

[Rover1990]

Has Mitchell been getting any game time? 

[Beachcomber]

1 hour ago, Rover1990 said:

Has Mitchell been getting any game time? 

He's not been starting on a Saturday. Recently we've been lining up with a centre forward and two wide players supporting and the centre is usually Austin or Shepherd. When Mitchell does come on he's playing wide. I'd love to see him playing through the middle next to Austin or Shepherd.

[Beachcomber]

No word yet on Easton or Page who went off injured last week. We could be looking at a central defence of Comerford & Murdoch.

[Rover1990]

26 minutes ago, Beachcomber said:

He's not been starting on a Saturday. Recently we've been lining up with a centre forward and two wide players supporting and the centre is usually Austin or Shepherd. When Mitchell does come on he's playing wide. I'd love to see him playing through the middle next to Austin or Shepherd.

Hes raw but all the talent is there.  His pace should be a huge asset for you guys.

[TAFKAC]

1 hour ago, Beachcomber said:

No word yet on Easton or Page who went off injured last week. We could be looking at a central defence of Comerford & Murdoch.

McManus played in central defence for Stranraer on occasion. Not saying it was his best position though...

[Life on Marrs?]

3 hours ago, Beachcomber said:

No word yet on Easton or Page who went off injured last week. We could be looking at a central defence of Comerford & Murdoch.

Like you, I was expecting some news on this in the newsletter. Comerford & Murdoch might do.

I suspect we're more likely to try and make do with a 70% fit Johnny Page & hope for the best though.

[doulikefish]

I'm fueled up ...let's go 

 

[Beachcomber]

[bluetoonscotty]

Poor first half from us, East Fife been the better team. Danny Strachan is getting rinsed down our left side, that needs to get sorted for the second half. Goal came at a good time for us but pretty lucky to go in 1-0 up.

[Beachcomber]

Final scoreline  shocks no-one.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Took this in as trachling down the road to watch Montrose play on a council-owned "leisure facility" in Edinburgh didn't really appeal today.

For all the moaning and groaning I've seen recently about this being the worst Methilite farrago of cloggers, makeweights and never-quite-weres since the days of Jim "The Relegator" Moffat, I was expecting this to be far more comfortable for Peterhead. In fact, East Fife will have gone in at half time wondering how they were a goal behind, which was harsh on them. Then again, their flamingo-pink away top was harsh on the rest of us. It's a genuinely hideous retina-stinger of a garment, an oddball cross between at novelty 1970s bathroom mat, and the flyer for a lobster-themed happy hardcore party. Visible from Alpha Centauri without a telescope, the shirt is so luminous that it was actually reflected in the sky at sunset, three fingers of pink lingering behind the main stand at Balmoor. By then, however, the Fifers were done and dusted.

Their standout player for me was their on-loan winger Kieran Mitchell, wearing no. 16. Mitchell gave home right back Danny Strachan a torrid time in the first half, although in fairness Strachan gave as good as he got. He was not to blame for two moments of terrible carelessness at the back that a better side would have punished. First co-manager Ryan Strachan gave the ball away terribly which sent Mitchell scampering away, without result. In the second incident, Strachan had hurt himself and Mitchell got away from him. Bounding like a demented squirrel after a bouncing acorn, the wee man streaked into the box, but took too heavy a touch at precisely the wrong moment- allowing McKenzie in the home goal to gather more comfortably than he might have expected. These two incidents were the worst of a pretty flat first half from the league leaders, who seemed a yard too slow and lacking in creative ideas to break down an obdurate and well organised East Fife.

However- that moment came. Whilst East Fife passed and moved much more nicely than I'd been expecting, Peterhead can mix things up between patient build up and the long ball. A blooter from McKenzie found McAliister whose finely judged ball sent Shanks bursting clear of his opponent. Keeping half a yard ahead of the visiting defence, from about fifteen yards, just to the left of the penalty spot, he fired a powerful shot across Fleming and into the bottom right hand corner. 1-0.

Peterhead came out of what was no doubt a tetchy and shouty half-time de-brief and quickly imposed themselves on what was to prove a much more comfortable second half. Connor O'Keefe came into his own here. He's a fine player, really quick down the Peterhead left and must be a nightmare to play against when coming at you at full pelt. He'll either leave you flailing as he passes you in a streak of blue or, if you touch him, he'll crash to the ground and take a free kick. McAliister and Shanks might get the headlines but for me he's easily Peterhead's most dangerous player. On two or three occasions in the second half he simply left the East Fife defence for dead, or got clogged.

If McKenzie, making a few smart saves, was the busier of the keepers in the first half, he was a virtual spectator after the break as the ageing Allan Fleming found himself beseiged. Fleming made a few good stops and indulged in a bit of trademark cross-flapping but was finally beaten- and the game finished- when one of young substitute Ward's runs finally paid off. His deep cross from the left found Jordan Brown whose first effort was blocked by Fleming- the rebound was turned past the keeper who at that stage was collapsing, wrong footed, on the goal-line, like a Primark card table.

By then Peterhead were ringing the changes and bringing on youngsters as East Fife struggled to make an impact. The old cliché is that if you grind out the win whilst not playing very well you're likely to have a good season. On this evidence Peterhead will take a bit of shifting. Ryan Strachan and Jordon Brown, Buchan's Alan Curbishley & Steve Gritt, will hope for much more of the second half performance today, than the first half, in the weeks ahead. Peterhead started the game sluggish and complacent and were lucky that the opponent was a team low in confidence and missing many key players. If they start like that in the forthcoming fixtures against Dumbarton and Stenny then they'll pay a heavy price.

As for East Fife, I can see why the fans are frustrated. For this neutral your team looked much better than I'd been expecting. Fleming can still do a turn at this level although I'm guessing this will be his last senior season; the makeshift defence looked okay; Trouten is slowing down but can still dictate a game if the mood takes him (he faded in influence as he got frustrated in the second half); Mitchell is a handful, but is hampered by the lack of any genuine striking options. Not much point creating chances if there's nobody there to put them away. However, this is a team that could finish anywhere between 4th and 8th but genuinely don't think East Fife need fear the drop this season.

Not a bad game all told.

 

[fifer67]

Going by the East Fife Facebook page nearly all the fans are running out of patience with the way things are going. The board have to be setting some kind of timescale on how long McDonald can be given to show improvement. Personally I’d give him the next two games against Dumbarton and Clyde and another two defeats then it’s time to go down a different road. The results are just simply not good enough 2 league wins all season tells you that. It’s a results business and Greig McDonald has been in football long enough to know that. Most clubs would have pulled the trigger last week after the shocker of a cup defeat but our board are pretty loyal. However surely they must be thinking if these  results and sub standard performances don’t change soon then a decision has to be made.

 

 

[doulikefish]

52 minutes ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

Took this in as trachling down the road to watch Montrose play on a council-owned "leisure facility" in Edinburgh didn't really appeal today.

For all the moaning and groaning I've seen recently about this being the worst Methilite farrago of cloggers, makeweights and never-quite-weres since the days of Jim "The Relegator" Moffat, I was expecting this to be far more comfortable for Peterhead. In fact, East Fife will have gone in at half time wondering how they were a goal behind, which was harsh on them. Then again, their flamingo-pink away top was harsh on the rest of us. It's a genuinely hideous retina-stinger of a garment, an oddball cross between at novelty 1970s bathroom mat, and the flyer for a lobster-themed happy hardcore party. Visible from Alpha Centauri without a telescope, the shirt is so luminous that it was actually reflected in the sky at sunset, three fingers of pink lingering behind the main stand at Balmoor. By then, however, the Fifers were done and dusted.

Their standout player for me was their on-loan winger Kieran Mitchell, wearing no. 16. Mitchell gave home right back Danny Strachan a torrid time in the first half, although in fairness Strachan gave as good as he got. He was not to blame for two moments of terrible carelessness at the back that a better side would have punished. First co-manager Ryan Strachan gave the ball away terribly which sent Mitchell scampering away, without result. In the second incident, Strachan had hurt himself and Mitchell got away from him. Bounding like a demented squirrel after a bouncing acorn, the wee man streaked into the box, but took too heavy a touch at precisely the wrong moment- allowing McKenzie in the home goal to gather more comfortably than he might have expected. These two incidents were the worst of a pretty flat first half from the league leaders, who seemed a yard too slow and lacking in creative ideas to break down an obdurate and well organised East Fife.

However- that moment came. Whilst East Fife passed and moved much more nicely than I'd been expecting, Peterhead can mix things up between patient build up and the long ball. A blooter from McKenzie found McAliister whose finely judged ball sent Shanks bursting clear of his opponent. Keeping half a yard ahead of the visiting defence, from about fifteen yards, just to the left of the penalty spot, he fired a powerful shot across Fleming and into the bottom right hand corner. 1-0.

Peterhead came out of what was no doubt a tetchy and shouty half-time de-brief and quickly imposed themselves on what was to prove a much more comfortable second half. Connor O'Keefe came into his own here. He's a fine player, really quick down the Peterhead left and must be a nightmare to play against when coming at you at full pelt. He'll either leave you flailing as he passes you in a streak of blue or, if you touch him, he'll crash to the ground and take a free kick. McAliister and Shanks might get the headlines but for me he's easily Peterhead's most dangerous player. On two or three occasions in the second half he simply left the East Fife defence for dead, or got clogged.

If McKenzie, making a few smart saves, was the busier of the keepers in the first half, he was a virtual spectator after the break as the ageing Allan Fleming found himself beseiged. Fleming made a few good stops and indulged in a bit of trademark cross-flapping but was finally beaten- and the game finished- when one of young substitute Ward's runs finally paid off. His deep cross from the left found Jordan Brown whose first effort was blocked by Fleming- the rebound was turned past the keeper who at that stage was collapsing, wrong footed, on the goal-line, like a Primark card table.

By then Peterhead were ringing the changes and bringing on youngsters as East Fife struggled to make an impact. The old cliché is that if you grind out the win whilst not playing very well you're likely to have a good season. On this evidence Peterhead will take a bit of shifting. Ryan Strachan and Jordon Brown, Buchan's Alan Curbishley & Steve Gritt, will hope for much more of the second half performance today, than the first half, in the weeks ahead. Peterhead started the game sluggish and complacent and were lucky that the opponent was a team low in confidence and missing many key players. If they start like that in the forthcoming fixtures against Dumbarton and Stenny then they'll pay a heavy price.

As for East Fife, I can see why the fans are frustrated. For this neutral your team looked much better than I'd been expecting. Fleming can still do a turn at this level although I'm guessing this will be his last senior season; the makeshift defence looked okay; Trouten is slowing down but can still dictate a game if the mood takes him (he faded in influence as he got frustrated in the second half); Mitchell is a handful, but is hampered by the lack of any genuine striking options. Not much point creating chances if there's nobody there to put them away. However, this is a team that could finish anywhere between 4th and 8th but genuinely don't think East Fife need fear the drop this season.

Not a bad game all told.

 

Really good report but special mention to Andy McCarthy who got his shoulder popped back in after about 2 mins and played on until subbed in the 2nd half 

[As Easterly as it gets!]

East fife are not the worst team to visit Balmoor this season. 

Cant see them have any trouble avoiding getting into a dogfight with the dire Clyde, or the ultra dire Elgin.

3 points more on the board and ( for me) our best player( Hamish Ritchie) to return soon, were in decent nick.

 

[Beachcomber]

1 hour ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

Took this in as trachling down the road to watch Montrose play on a council-owned "leisure facility" in Edinburgh didn't really appeal today.

For all the moaning and groaning I've seen recently about this being the worst Methilite farrago of cloggers, makeweights and never-quite-weres since the days of Jim "The Relegator" Moffat, I was expecting this to be far more comfortable for Peterhead. In fact, East Fife will have gone in at half time wondering how they were a goal behind, which was harsh on them. Then again, their flamingo-pink away top was harsh on the rest of us. It's a genuinely hideous retina-stinger of a garment, an oddball cross between at novelty 1970s bathroom mat, and the flyer for a lobster-themed happy hardcore party. Visible from Alpha Centauri without a telescope, the shirt is so luminous that it was actually reflected in the sky at sunset, three fingers of pink lingering behind the main stand at Balmoor. By then, however, the Fifers were done and dusted.

Their standout player for me was their on-loan winger Kieran Mitchell, wearing no. 16. Mitchell gave home right back Danny Strachan a torrid time in the first half, although in fairness Strachan gave as good as he got. He was not to blame for two moments of terrible carelessness at the back that a better side would have punished. First co-manager Ryan Strachan gave the ball away terribly which sent Mitchell scampering away, without result. In the second incident, Strachan had hurt himself and Mitchell got away from him. Bounding like a demented squirrel after a bouncing acorn, the wee man streaked into the box, but took too heavy a touch at precisely the wrong moment- allowing McKenzie in the home goal to gather more comfortably than he might have expected. These two incidents were the worst of a pretty flat first half from the league leaders, who seemed a yard too slow and lacking in creative ideas to break down an obdurate and well organised East Fife.

However- that moment came. Whilst East Fife passed and moved much more nicely than I'd been expecting, Peterhead can mix things up between patient build up and the long ball. A blooter from McKenzie found McAliister whose finely judged ball sent Shanks bursting clear of his opponent. Keeping half a yard ahead of the visiting defence, from about fifteen yards, just to the left of the penalty spot, he fired a powerful shot across Fleming and into the bottom right hand corner. 1-0.

Peterhead came out of what was no doubt a tetchy and shouty half-time de-brief and quickly imposed themselves on what was to prove a much more comfortable second half. Connor O'Keefe came into his own here. He's a fine player, really quick down the Peterhead left and must be a nightmare to play against when coming at you at full pelt. He'll either leave you flailing as he passes you in a streak of blue or, if you touch him, he'll crash to the ground and take a free kick. McAliister and Shanks might get the headlines but for me he's easily Peterhead's most dangerous player. On two or three occasions in the second half he simply left the East Fife defence for dead, or got clogged.

If McKenzie, making a few smart saves, was the busier of the keepers in the first half, he was a virtual spectator after the break as the ageing Allan Fleming found himself beseiged. Fleming made a few good stops and indulged in a bit of trademark cross-flapping but was finally beaten- and the game finished- when one of young substitute Ward's runs finally paid off. His deep cross from the left found Jordan Brown whose first effort was blocked by Fleming- the rebound was turned past the keeper who at that stage was collapsing, wrong footed, on the goal-line, like a Primark card table.

By then Peterhead were ringing the changes and bringing on youngsters as East Fife struggled to make an impact. The old cliché is that if you grind out the win whilst not playing very well you're likely to have a good season. On this evidence Peterhead will take a bit of shifting. Ryan Strachan and Jordon Brown, Buchan's Alan Curbishley & Steve Gritt, will hope for much more of the second half performance today, than the first half, in the weeks ahead. Peterhead started the game sluggish and complacent and were lucky that the opponent was a team low in confidence and missing many key players. If they start like that in the forthcoming fixtures against Dumbarton and Stenny then they'll pay a heavy price.

As for East Fife, I can see why the fans are frustrated. For this neutral your team looked much better than I'd been expecting. Fleming can still do a turn at this level although I'm guessing this will be his last senior season; the makeshift defence looked okay; Trouten is slowing down but can still dictate a game if the mood takes him (he faded in influence as he got frustrated in the second half); Mitchell is a handful, but is hampered by the lack of any genuine striking options. Not much point creating chances if there's nobody there to put them away. However, this is a team that could finish anywhere between 4th and 8th but genuinely don't think East Fife need fear the drop this season.

Not a bad game all told.

 

You've got a short memory

[peternapper]

The neutral Ivo summed it up well, although we have scored early in a few games we have also like today had some slow burners, thankfully this season we can usually find a way of getting the job done. Now and again we do get careless at the back for no reason . We have forwards that will trouble most teams and midfielders  that can chip in as well. We are certainly a much better outfit than last season, long may it continue.

[Cambuslang Fifer]

2 hours ago, fifer67 said:

Personally I’d give him the next two games against Dumbarton and Clyde and another two defeats then it’s time to go down a different road. The results are just simply not good enough 2 league wins all season tells you that.

Should of went when we played Albion at home in challenge cup it bide him time and went on run that saw us play TNS away from home since then things have went stale and back to same start as the season started, we are in the same scene when he was manager of Stirling Albion. Glad to have sat in the house and avoid travelling to Peterheid, if it wasn’t for Clyde and Elgin we would be bottom….

but again we probably hire Crawford or someone on budget that used to play for us our recent managers have been to the boards like, given who’s out there you’ll get who’s out there that we could attract even Clyde struggling to get someone in thats high profile than ex players.

Edited November 4, 2023 by Cambuslang Fifer