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Stenhousemuir -vs- Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (Saturday 2 December 2023)


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3 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

It's somewhat ironic that, if Forfar Athletic had a striker like this Matthew Aitken geezer, then they'd probably be in the top four.

Fair play. I didn't fancy him at all last season, but Gary Naysmith has clearly unlocked something in him. I was writing up the programme for next week and didn't realise how good his record is in the league this season. I also discovered we have exactly the same birthday, which has instantly made me warm to him.

Brian Reid obviously unlocked it at Albion Rovers as did Gary Irvine in his first season back at us where he bagged ten goals and 14 assists. He was starved of service last season and our supporters got on his back and destroyed the guys confidence simply because he doesn't tear around like a bull in a china shop, which is exactly what we are stuck with now.

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Just now, Jupiter Jazz said:

Brian Reid obviously unlocked it at Albion Rovers as did Gary Irvine in his first season back at us where he bagged ten goals and 14 assists. He was starved of service last season and our supporters got on his back and destroyed the guys confidence simply because he doesn't tear around like a bull in a china shop, which is exactly what we are stuck with now.

There's why Matty struggled last season, without service he was ineffective. He wouldn't have that goal tally at us this season either, we're mince.

Matty's initial run at forfar was again a good one too, Millar & Hilson supplying him.

A change of scenery was likely needed for Aitken to thrive, the position we were in last season needed an Armour type over him, utter shite all over the park, Armour was better at the running.

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3 minutes ago, Jupiter Jazz said:

Brian Reid obviously unlocked it at Albion Rovers as did Gary Irvine in his first season back at us where he bagged ten goals and 14 assists. He was starved of service last season and our supporters got on his back and destroyed the guys confidence simply because he doesn't tear around like a bull in a china shop, which is exactly what we are stuck with now.

Strikers are a weird bunch. Kevin Nisbet didn't score a single goal for us, and we were linked with Lawrence Shankland but signed Greg Morrison on loan from Ross County instead. Two things I think about all the time. By the same token, Jim Lister was fairly garbage for Alloa and Brechin. We signed him for the Championship and he was a revelation.

You just never really know when they're going to click. I genuinely think confidence is all that separates a guy from Aitken having this season versus the season he had last year. He won't have changed as a player. 

It's possibly the case with our very own Michael Ruth too. Barely scored a goal in his career, but now looks a big threat. At the start of the season he couldn't buy a goal. He's not doing anything different now to what he did in July and August and he's scoring regularly.

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Just now, Jan Vojáček said:

Strikers are a weird bunch. Kevin Nisbet didn't score a single goal for us, and we were linked with Lawrence Shankland but signed Greg Morrison on loan from Ross County instead. Two things I think about all the time. By the same token, Jim Lister was fairly garbage for Alloa and Brechin. We signed him for the Championship and he was a revelation.

You just never really know when they're going to click. I genuinely think confidence is all that separates a guy from Aitken having this season versus the season he had last year. He won't have changed as a player. 

It's possibly the case with our very own Michael Ruth too. Barely scored a goal in his career, but now looks a big threat. At the start of the season he couldn't buy a goal. He's not doing anything different now to what he did in July and August and he's scoring regularly.

Raith Rovers Nisbet still gives me nightmares.

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Poor game of football but the result is all that matters of course. Bonnyrigg could still be playing just now and not have created anything - another Saturday where DJ could have sat in the house.

McGachie is a big numpty. Delighted he got sent off he had no intention of playing football from the moment he came on to the park.

5 wins in a row, another clean sheet and our number nine adding again to his tally (and who also lead the line superbly well). 

Happy Saturday lads.

Edited by Neilly
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42 minutes ago, Neilly said:

Poor game of football but the result is all that matters of course. Bonnyrigg could still be playing just now and not have created anything - another Saturday where DJ could have sat in the house.

McGachie is a big numpty. Delighted he got sent off he had no intention of playing football from the moment he came on to the park.

5 wins in a row, another clean sheet and our number nine adding again to his tally (and who also lead the line superbly well). 

Happy Saturday lads.

Promotion candidates now surely , DJ safest pair of hands in that league 

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I thought Smart Osador was one of the least smart players I'd ever seen in terms of understanding the offside rule, then McGachie replaced him as the dumbest guy on the pitch. That point where he launched the extra ball out of the park would have been his second booking for me (ungentlemanly conduct). And when he showed a single bit of interest in the match and some skill, he decides to dive. 

Anyone have any clarity on the Alan Brown sending off? It seemed bizarre. 

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1 hour ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

I thought Smart Osador was one of the least smart players I'd ever seen in terms of understanding the offside rule, then McGachie replaced him as the dumbest guy on the pitch. That point where he launched the extra ball out of the park would have been his second booking for me (ungentlemanly conduct). And when he showed a single bit of interest in the match and some skill, he decides to dive. 

Anyone have any clarity on the Alan Brown sending off? It seemed bizarre. 

Smart Osadolor may have trumped Alieu Faye as the worst player I've seen in the league so far today. An absolutely brainless footballer who constantly just ran offside it was hilarious to watch.

In general that's an absolute gang of forwards they have to select from. None of them are really good enough if you are going to do anything in this league.

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5 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

Strikers are a weird bunch. Kevin Nisbet didn't score a single goal for us, and we were linked with Lawrence Shankland but signed Greg Morrison on loan from Ross County instead. Two things I think about all the time. By the same token, Jim Lister was fairly garbage for Alloa and Brechin. We signed him for the Championship and he was a revelation.

You just never really know when they're going to click. I genuinely think confidence is all that separates a guy from Aitken having this season versus the season he had last year. He won't have changed as a player. 

 

Lister wasn't bad in an Alloa side that had a nightmare of a season and he was only player from that squad that Paul Hartley tried to keep. But aye, confidence is obviously huge, as is being utilised effectively and having the right players around you. 

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On the whole, I think Stenhousemuir deserved the victory today, but that was a rotten game. I don't know what it is about Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic but every time we play them, they seem to bring out the worst in us and we abandon all pretence of "playing football" and deploy ugly, attritional tactics instead. It seems to work, nevertheless! We've now got a wee cushion at the top of the table, and that's something that should hold us in good stead for the time being. Our best players today were our two centre-halves and our left-back, which pretty much sums it up. Matty Aitken took his goal well, Matty Yates should have doubled our advantage, and Mikey Anderson and Nat Wedderburn performed to a decent standard. Outside of that, it was aggression, percentages and hard graft.

Bonnyrigg are a competitive team, and you have to work very hard to get the better of them, but my word they're a brutal side to watch. They must have the worst assortment of strikers in the division - Alieu Faye was honking when the teams first met in September and Smart Osadolor was no better here. He spent most of the game offside, and other than a decent flick-on in the first half, did not involve himself to any great extent. Kieran McGachie, who came on to replace him midway through the second half, should have provided a different kind of threat but instead committed a series of daft fouls before collecting a second red card for diving. It was a pathetic showing from a player who has the potential to offer quite a bit to his team. Bonnyrigg's style of play must be grimly effective to some extent but I've yet to see any evidence of it across the six meetings between the teams since they joined the SPFL.

Stenhousemuir have recorded five wins on the bounce now, an impressive run of form, and it felt a bit of a statement win - down to 10 men with 15 minutes to go against one of the toughest sides in the division, and we still found a way to keep them at arm's length and get three points. Adam Brown's dismissal for dissent was on the only black mark on the day. We go into next weekend's game with Dumbarton with a degree of confidence but I've got a feeling that, because of the Sons' appalling pitch, we won't see this game played until March or April next year. It could be a real six-pointer at the top of League 2! Let's hope it's on!

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11 hours ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

 And when he showed a single bit of interest in the match and some skill, he decides to dive. 

This completely. It was just baffling! Long ball to him... pulls it down with an excellent first touch, then his turn to knock the ball towards the goal area just took 2 defenders out the game.... and then he just throws himself to the ground! 

No doubt he is a Bonnyrigg legend for his Lowland League and play-off goals to get them to this level... but it's time to part ways with him.

Bonnyrigg looked a pretty decent organised side. Defence is decent, strong and competitive, the midfield can shift the ball around and they did have a couple of nice touches in that area.... but then the ball goes forward and it just falls apart for them!

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