S'tenhous'emuir v Queen's'

[Skyline Drifter]

3 hours ago, Artemis said:

Especially as Craik was crocked playing for Killie Colts in the Challenge Cup against Cowdenbeath*

*He appeared as a sub against Alloa after being crocked but I’m guessing it was the same injury. Plus it would have spoiled the alliteration.

As far as I know Craik was injured during the pre-match warm up for the Annan Athletic league match for which he was a named sub but hurt his thigh in the warm up and never actually sat on the bench. I don't think it's connected to whatever minor injury he picked up playing the Kilmarnock cup game that kept him out of the Cove game afterwards.

38 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

If 7 aren't available, will Matty Yates get back into the starting eleven? Something must be badly amiss when he never got on the park with O'Reilly and Taylor both forced off.

The referee today, Steven Kirkland, put in an astonishing performance. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was a dirty match, with 6 first half bookings and nine overall, but apart form the Bilham challenge near the end most of the other eight could have been warnings. Alston's tackle which resulted in the booking wasn't even a foul.

The Buchanan booking for a foul on Kennedy after he'd skipped past him was well deserved. Reece Lyon actually got booked for complaining it should have been a red. It was very late and cynical. For me not a red but it was 100% a booking. For me neither of our other two bookings were even a foul though Hannah's was a long way away from me so maybe more in it than it looked from a distance. I thought Alston's was a clear foul to be honest and he was a bit lucky not to get another soon after. I assume Gary Naysmith agreed since he subbed him straight off within a minute.

2 hours ago, Frankie S said:

Definitely two points dropped today. We were well ahead of Stenny in every conceivable metric, other than goals scored. Thought we lost a lot of our attacking threat when Dickenson went off, but we should have been well ahead in the first half. McKechnie looked a little off the boil today and missed chances in either half, and while McIntosh looked better today than he has in previous games, he continues to never quite be in the right place at the right time to look like a genuine goal-scoring threat.

It was a very good performance on the whole, and we looked sound in defence again, but Stenny picked up the same points as us despite not playing remotely well. Sadly there are no points available for technical merit, as we looked like an excellent footballing side at times. Not sure there’s an easy answer to the lack of goals in this team, but it’s hard to imagine us playing all that much better away from home, so we really need to start converting a few of the chances that we create.

Not sure we were quite as good as that but we should have won. We were very decent first half and McKechnie should certainly have scored just before half time when alone in the 6 yard box. As much as Dickenson himself had a quiet game that chance you mentioned apart, we certainly looked much the poorer for his departure. We changed the shape a bit when he departed with Cochrane coming on and Lyon pushing further up but maybe we'd have been better to put Walker or Doherty on and stay with two attackers. Apart from one incident first half where we played Aitken in and he played O'Reilly in who trundled a tame shot at Stewart, we never really looked like losing a goal. Defence certainly looks solid even with Brydon not in it.

[Francesc Fabregas]

From a Stenhousemuir perspective, that was a thoroughly agreeable point in the circumstances. Queen of the South should have been at least two goals ahead going into the interval but inexplicably sent two point-blank headers straight into the arms of Darren Jamieson, as well as forcing the goalkeeper into a couple of close-range saves. They were streets ahead of us in the first half, pushing us around and playing through us for spells, prising apart our backline to create openings, and we did well to hold on. It was the first time this season where I noticed a marked step up in quality from the opposition. The teams we've played so far have ranged from "good" (Alloa Athletic and Montrose) to "mediocre" (Annan Athletic) but Queens were bigger, stronger, faster and just better than us. The second half, however, was a more even affair, with neither side creating anything of note and an absorbing game ended in stalemate.

It was a difficult afternoon for Stenny made even more testing by losing four players to injury. I've never seen anything like it! Kyle Jacobs, Euan O'Reilly, Aaron Steele and Ross Taylor were all removed with a variety of ailments and it says a lot that we were still able to dig out a point after such a degree of disruption. I hope their injuries are not too bad and they're back playing soon enough. Jamieson was excellent, as always, Gregor Buchanan largely got the better of Leighton McIntosh and Ross Meechan continued his recent good form. We didn't offer much further forward but I was impressed by how Matty Aitken put himself about and did his best to noise up the Queens defence and bring others into play. Scott Tomlinson, signed on loan from Ayr United and introduced at half time, has something about him. He is very, very fast and had two good runs down the right flank with the ball and could be a very useful player once he's fully embedded within the team.

Queens are a very decent side and probably a centre-forward away from winning the division outright. They're strong defensively, their full-backs are adventurous, they move the ball around well in the middle of the park and there's pace out wide, but they're a little impotent up front. A better striker than McIntosh would have scored one of those first-half headers, for instance. Definitely something to ponder for Peter Murphy and his backroom team. They're also quite a cynical side - I couldn't believe Lewis O'Donnell didn't put the ball out of play when Taylor pulled up! Very cheeky - but that nasty streak was probably something they lacked last season when they sucked, so fair play!

I thought the referee was very poor today; the card count does not reflect what happened on the pitch.

Ten points from the first seven games is a very decent return and I'm looking forward to next weekend's game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle already!

[Otis Blue]

5 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

From a Stenhousemuir perspective, that was a thoroughly agreeable point in the circumstances. Queen of the South should have been at least two goals ahead going into the interval but inexplicably sent two point-blank headers straight into the arms of Darren Jamieson, as well as forcing the goalkeeper into a couple of close-range saves. They were streets ahead of us in the first half, pushing us around and playing through us for spells, prising apart our backline to create openings, and we did well to hold on. It was the first time this season where I noticed a marked step up in quality from the opposition. The teams we've played so far have ranged from "good" (Alloa Athletic and Montrose) to "mediocre" (Annan Athletic) but Queens were bigger, stronger, faster and just better than us. The second half, however, was a more even affair, with neither side creating anything of note and an absorbing game ended in stalemate.

It was a difficult afternoon for Stenny made even more testing by losing four players to injury. I've never seen anything like it! Kyle Jacobs, Euan O'Reilly, Aaron Steele and Ross Taylor were all removed with a variety of ailments and it says a lot that we were still able to dig out a point after such a degree of disruption. I hope their injuries are not too bad and they're back playing soon enough. Jamieson was excellent, as always, Gregor Buchanan largely got the better of Leighton McIntosh and Ross Meechan continued his recent good form. We didn't offer much further forward but I was impressed by how Matty Aitken put himself about and did his best to noise up the Queens defence and bring others into play. Scott Tomlinson, signed on loan from Ayr United and introduced at half time, has something about him. He is very, very fast and had two good runs down the right flank with the ball and could be a very useful player once he's fully embedded within the team.

Queens are a very decent side and probably a centre-forward away from winning the division outright. They're strong defensively, their full-backs are adventurous, they move the ball around well in the middle of the park and there's pace out wide, but they're a little impotent up front. A better striker than McIntosh would have scored one of those first-half headers, for instance. Definitely something to ponder for Peter Murphy and his backroom team. They're also quite a cynical side - I couldn't believe Lewis O'Donnell didn't put the ball out of play when Taylor pulled up! Very cheeky - but that nasty streak was probably something they lacked last season when they sucked, so fair play!

I thought the referee was very poor today; the card count does not reflect what happened on the pitch.

Ten points from the first seven games is a very decent return and I'm looking forward to next weekend's game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle already!

Couldn't make today's game but that reads as a fair and balanced post, cheers.

[Monkey Tennis]

3 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

 They're also quite a cynical side - I couldn't believe Lewis O'Donnell didn't put the ball out of play when Taylor pulled up! Very cheeky - but that nasty streak was probably something they lacked last season when they sucked, so fair play!

There was no need for anyone to put the ball out of play.

The player had clearly done his hamstring and was in pain, but he fell from the pitch immediately.

When he did eventually get treated, it was in exactly the same spot he fell.  Play then resumed around him.

[Skyline Drifter]

15 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

I couldn't believe Lewis O'Donnell didn't put the ball out of play when Taylor pulled up! Very cheeky - but that nasty streak was probably something they lacked last season when they sucked, so fair play!

 

6 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

There was no need for anyone to put the ball out of play.

The player had clearly done his hamstring and was in pain, but he fell from the pitch immediately.

When he did eventually get treated, it was in exactly the same spot he fell.  Play then resumed around him.

This. Other than the fact it was pretty clearly his groin that went, not his hamstring. And was it O'Donnell? I thought it was Hewitt. Maybe it was Hewitt he passed it to.

I've never seen anything as mental. Stenny fans going ape because we didnt kick the ball out of play to allow treatment to a player who was already lying about 2 yards off the pitch! When we did eventually kick it out due to the booing and 'scum' shouts all that happened was play restarted and he got treated right where he already was. And one of the Stenny players was having a right go at Hewitt about it too. Talk about losing the plot over absolutely nothing.

Edited Saturday at 18:55 by Skyline Drifter

[JK_Queens]

11 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

As much as Dickenson himself had a quiet game that chance you mentioned apart, we certainly looked much the poorer for his departure. We changed the shape a bit when he departed with Cochrane coming on and Lyon pushing further up but maybe we'd have been better to put Walker or Doherty on and stay with two attackers.

This is what I was coming on to post. I don’t think Dickenson was all that quiet, he had a cracking strike in the first half on his weaker right foot and had a couple of moments of quality. The game did really turn when he went off. We ended up with three midfielders in Lyon, O’Donnell and Cochrane doing very similar jobs and our attacking impetus vanished basically. 
 

As others have said we were good first half, but not clinical enough. If we have ambitions to challenge for the league, that’s a pretty disappointing result. Need to start picking up more wins away from home. 
 

Don’t think I’ve seen incandescent rage at something so trivial as Cochrane taking the ball of Stewart at goal kicks. Weird behaviour. Buchanan was winning basically every aerial battle with McIntosh and no point launching it to McKechnie or Kennedy so needed to do something different to keep the ball. 

[Francesc Fabregas]

Just now, Skyline Drifter said:

 

This. Other than the fact it was pretty clearly his groin that went, not his hamstring. And waals it O'Donnell? I thought it was Hewitt. Maybe it was Hewitt he passed it to.

I've never seen anything as mental. Stenny fans going ape because we didnt kick the ball out of play to allow treatment to a player who was already lying about 2 yards off the pitch! When we did eventually kick it out due to the booing and 'scum' shouts all that happened was play restarted and he got treated right where he already was. And one of the Stenny players was having a right go at Hewitt about it too. Talk about losing the plot over absolutely nothing.

I will respond to your post (Monkey Tennis is a bad-faith actor and a notorious troll!) While Lewis O'Donnell was entitled to get on with the game, I thought it was a little mean-spirited not to put the ball out of play. It's not that big a deal but I did think it was worth mentioning in the context of Queen of the South's performance. All's well that ends well!

The "scum" shouts directed at Mikey Hewitt were quite funny. One of the supporters was livid, hands cupped around his gub, yelling at the player several times. A little bit over the top!

[Monkey Tennis]

1 minute ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

I will respond to your post (Monkey Tennis is a bad-faith actor and a notorious troll!) 

I'm nothing of the sort you arrogant arsehole.

[Vimto90]

1 hour ago, Monkey Tennis said:

I'm nothing of the sort you arrogant arsehole.

That's no way to speak to a national treasure. A very unsavoury poster you are. 

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

QotS looked exactly like a full time team should. Strong, fast and technically proficient (take note Cove) so I'll gladly take the point.

I thought we did well to improve second half despite the enforced changes and the team deserve credit for showing a degree of resilience.

I suspect QotS will win the league as they're comfortably the best side we've played in the league. This does feel like a 'proper' League One. No moneybags, or squads that look massively out of place here. 70 points may be enough for the title and more than a point a game needed or survival.

[Neilly]

3 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

I'm nothing of the sort you arrogant arsehole.

What a strange wee person you are.

QOTS will win the league for me but our team deserve huge credit for working hard for the 90.

Not many teams could handle losing three of our best players and getting a result. 

So proud of this group again. ❤

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Qots were very strong, moved the ball around well and looked to transition the play at every opportunity and were unlucky not to go in ahead at half-time. DJ once again was on top form us. Kai Kennedy was going deep to pick up the ball off the centre backs, starts the play and seconds later he's up beside McIntosh, looking to finish or make that decisive pass. Thought he was good today. Cochrane looked very comfortable when he came on, some nice touches and barely lost the ball. 

We contained Queens quite well in the second, with Anderson working his socks off in the centre of the park but we failed to create more opportunities but we worked very hard. Meechan and Bucky were solid. 

The players showed a great deal of resiliency in handling the injuries and positional changes. Was surprised not to see Yates brought on when Alston had ran his game. 

Matty Aitken...I get it, he likes to work the centre backs and noise them up. I don't mind that all but  his contributions with and without the ball need to be the priority first. He was behind the play too often today. His lay-offs were usually over hit and we struggled to play off him. It really caused us issues I felt. His game was summed up with the two heavy 'keepy upy' flicks followed up by a header off the top of his head out for a throw in to Queens. 

Want to see the challenge on Berry near the end, looked like a penalty from where I was sitting. Thought the ref and assistants were very poor for both teams today. Some ridiculous and inconsistent yellow cards given out. 

Noticed Wedderburn hobbling and holding his hamstring near the end. 

Will take the point. 

Edited Saturday at 22:30 by Old Fashioned Stramash
Typo

[84yards]

We should’ve won today but hey fair play to stenhousemuir who dug in well. 
 

on the putting the ball out point, did stenny do the same when Dickenson pulled up? I actually can’t remember just asking the question. But good to see we didn’t immediately put it out but then we caved in and eventually did! Birthday card pish indeed!

anyways on that showing stenny should be fine but I’ve said that about every team we’ve played so far!

 

[Frankie S]

5 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

Queens are a very decent side and probably a centre-forward away from winning the division outright. They're strong defensively, their full-backs are adventurous, they move the ball around well in the middle of the park and there's pace out wide, but they're a little impotent up front. A better striker than McIntosh would have scored one of those first-half headers, for instance. Definitely something to ponder for Peter Murphy and his backroom team. 

On the basis of what I’ve seen so far, and having been at every league game to date, bar Montrose (which I watched on TV), and a few of the League Cup matches, I agree that we’re probably only a decent striker away from having the best starting eleven / squad in the league (though I haven’t seen Kelty yet), but I don’t think McIntosh was on the end of either of those first half crosses (one of the chances fell to one of the centre backs - Douglas IIRC - and the other was McKechnie, I think). Which is my point from earlier: McIntosh never seems to get on the end of much in the danger area, and for a relatively tall player isn’t particularly effective in the air. In fact, I can barely remember him having a chance worthy of the name in the league this season so far (he did score against Dumbarton in the League Cup), which seems anomalous considering we’ve played very well at times, and created a reasonable number of chances in most games.

I’m not sure the solution is in the current squad - I’ve yet to been convinced by Craik (though his appearances have been limited due to injury), and we already know Docherty’s not the answer to our lack of a goals, but given we’ve brought in three ‘strikers’ already - Mcintosh, Craik and Bryden, I’ve a feeling that might be our lot until January. Bryden looked quite promising during his short (injury-interrupted) cameo against Montrose, so hopefully, once he’s back, we might look more a bit more potent up front. 

Edited yesterday at 00:28 by Frankie S

[Skyline Drifter]

2 minutes ago, Frankie S said:

I’m not sure the solution is in the current squad - I’ve yet to been convinced by Craik (though his appearances have been limited due to injury), and we already know Doherty’s not the answer to our lack of a goals, but given we’ve brought in three ‘strikers’ already - Mcintosh, Craik and Bryden, I’ve a feeling that might be our lot until January. Bryden looked quite promising during his short (injury-interrupted) cameo against Montrose, so hopefully, once he’s back, we might look more a bit more potent up front. 

I'm not really sure in what way it might not be "our lot"? The transfer window is shut, we've already got a full complement of domestic loans at five (MacIntyre, O'Donnell, Craik, Bryden and Hogarth)and the likelihood of any free agent striker of note being still available at this stage seems a reach even if we assume there's any budget left to pay for one. We have what we have.

[Frankie S]

1 minute ago, Skyline Drifter said:

I'm not really sure in what way it might not be "our lot"? The transfer window is shut, we've already got a full complement of domestic loans at five (MacIntyre, O'Donnell, Craik, Bryden and Hogarth)and the likelihood of any free agent striker of note being still available at this stage seems a reach even if we assume there's any budget left to pay for one. We have what we have.

Fair point. I mistakenly edited that, it originally said ‘until January at least’, with the inference that it might be our lot for the season. 

[Monkey Tennis]

9 hours ago, Vimto90 said:

That's no way to speak to a national treasure. A very unsavoury poster you are. 

 

7 hours ago, Neilly said:

What a strange wee person you are.

Yes, it would be altogether nicer and more normal if I was absolutely fine with gratuitous, ad hominem attacks.

 

 

As for the game again, I'm delighted to see that Kennedy is starting to look like the player we hoped we'd signed.

He was behind most of the best chances we created yesterday.

[Dundee Hibernian]

One other odd incident from the referee yesterday: O'Reilly went off for treatment, then had to wait as if he was a substitute player to come on, for what seemed an age.

Kirkland eventually signalled his assistant to check the imagined substitute entering the field. In the meantime, QoS had another chance thwarted by international class Darren Jamieson.

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

3 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

One other odd incident from the referee yesterday: O'Reilly went off for treatment, then had to wait as if he was a substitute player to come on, for what seemed an age.

Kirkland eventually signalled his assistant to check the imagined substitute entering the field. In the meantime, QoS had another chance thwarted by international class Darren Jamieson.

If the player has been bleeding I think the ref needs to check the bleeding has stopped/the players is adequately bandaged etc before the player can return so can't just wave him back on mid play.

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

One other odd incident from the referee yesterday: O'Reilly went off for treatment, then had to wait as if he was a substitute player to come on, for what seemed an age.

Kirkland eventually signalled his assistant to check the imagined substitute entering the field. In the meantime, QoS had another chance thwarted by international class Darren Jamieson.

Was it the first time you've watched a game of association football?