Francesc Fabregas Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 An enormous game lies in store on Saturday as Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic welcome Stenhousemuir to New Dundas Park. Neither team is in great form - Bonnyrigg have won just one match in 2024, while Stenny are coming into the tie off the back of a jaw-dropping 6-1 defeat to Clyde - but a victory for either side would go a long way. The Rose could kill off any lingering doubts about finishing at the foot of the table, while the Warriors have the chance to re-establish their credentials at the top of the table and maintain their impressive advantage. It's all to play for! While Stenhousemuir have a flawless record at New Dundas Park - three games, three wins - you know you're going to be in for a horrible, brutal game, low on quality but high in hard graft. We have better players than Bonnyrigg and if we can match their spirit and work ethic, we can beat them. The team should use the weekend's humiliation as motivation to go out and win this - it was so shocking that it has to be channeled into something positive, and I back the players and the manager to bounce back immediately. There are 10 games to go and we cannot let this fall away, not at this stage. Nicky Jamieson didn't play on Saturday but he did make the bench, so I'm going to assume he's been kept in reserve for the kind of fixture he's custom built for. We will need him, as the ball is likely to spend as much time in the air as it will on the deck. I'd bring Jamieson back in immediately, and I'd also give Ross Taylor a start at the expense of Adam Brown - Brown's set-pieces have always been superb but I don't think we're getting much from him otherwise. Ross Meechan had a ruinously poor game against Clyde but I trust him and expect him to excel at right-back here. - Matty Aitken - - Euan O'Reilly - Matty Yates - Ross Taylor - - Mikey Anderson - Nat Wedderburn - - Kinlay Bilham - Nicky Jamieson - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan - - Darren Jamieson - Both the head and the heart say and away win. I'll see you all there! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macclyde+ Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Mon the Warriors 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fashioned Stramash Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 4 hours ago, macclyde+ said: Mon the Warriors See, if we can help you's out again this weekend 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 I think this could well be the weekend the 2023/24 League 2 title heads to Ochilview. While Stenhousemuir ground out a win at Bonnyrigg Rose, both Peterhead and the Spartans lost, meaning the Warriors hold a 17-point lead at the top of the table. There are nine games remaining and 27 points left to play for - it seems inevitable at this stage. Today's match, however, was abysmal. It was a rotten game of football on a boggy pitch that cut up and got worse as the match wore on and, as expected, the ball spent more time in the air than it did on the ground. There were a handful of occasions when someone tentatively put their foot on the ball and tried to "pass" but these moments were fleeting. I have no idea how Bonnyrigg supporters can watch that muck every week. They're a great club who have brought a lot to the SPFL but they're a poor team, and the New Dundas Park surface does not help them. A draw would have been the fairest result here. Both sides threatened sporadically, both goalkeepers had the odd save to make, and there was little between the sides throughout. I didn't get a good view of Matty Aitken's goal but Bradley Rodden's corner was perfect and the big striker took full advantage. Every time we get a corner, I feel like we can score. It was great to see Aitken back on the scoresheet after a lean spell, and great to see Rodden finally make a decisive contribution in a Stenny shirt. The celebrations at the end of the match between the players and supporters were brilliant to be a part of. It's hard to tell who played well and who didn't - "winning headers" seemed to be the definitive indicator of a good performance - but a lot of credit has to go to the goalkeeper and his back four. The five players were outstanding, throwing their bodies in front of everything and defending as if their lives depended on it. If you're going to bounce back from a 6-1 humiliation the previous week, this is the way to do it. Our defence has been the bedrock of our success this season and it's been disrupted by injury in recent weeks, but having Kinlay Bilham, Nicky Jamieson, Gregor Buchanan and Ross Meechan in front of Darren Jamieson is an enormous boon. Credit to them. Up next: a Spartans side who could close the gap if they win their game in hand on Tuesday night. It'll be all to play for and we'll have to be at our best to beat them. Having a settled, confident back four will go a long way to achieving that. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broxi Bears Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Today’s win and results elsewhere now convinces me that Stenny are league champions. Just wonder how many more weeks until it’s confirmed? I just knew after shipping in 6 last week that we would keep a clean sheet today and just hoped someone could put the ball in the net for us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fashioned Stramash Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Delighted that we picked up the 3 points, kept a clean sheet and Aitken got on the score board. Three big games coming up for us against Spartans, Forfar (a) and then a potential league decider against Peterhead at home. A lot of aspects to keep the players motivated but none more so, than to get those games won and get the party started!!! Mon the Warriors. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 The league belongs to Stenhousemuir. Only the most jittery of Stenny fans or the most deluded Peterhead/Spartans/Dumbarton fans would think otherwise. Well deserved not only because they've clearly been the best and most consistent side over the season but for their long-suffering supporters who've never seen them lift a league trophy. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Top man Gordon. I've felt we have been home and hosed for a while but we still have to go out and put it to bed. Yesterday just showed again the mentality of this group, not that there was ever a doubt in my mind but to go out and win that battle yesterday shows the minerals of the players after such a dire performance last week. It's almost a different sport on that surface. We just battled away and grafted all day and eventually got the goal our second half performance deserved. Delighted for Matty as he's went through a dry patch of late. The back four and goalkeeper were outstanding as we have come to expect. DJ never had many saves to make but his handling and punching under pressure is something we shouldn't take for granted - he's a highly skilled operator at this level and we are lucky to have him. Meechan, Jamieson, Buchanan, Bilham. Flawless really. Dealt with everything thrown their way. I expect that from the three senior pros to be honest but Kinlay Bilham baby - what a performance and season the lad is having. First year of senior football at this level and has barely put a foot wrong. Football is coming home and I can't wait. It's going to be a special day for everyone connected with this club when it happens and these boys will go down as history makers. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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