Random Matches You Are Going To...

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Tynecastle 2 Gala Fairydean Rovers 2. South of Scotland Challenge Cup.

Heard there was a big cup tie at Tynie this week. Not disappointed with my choice. 

Cracking second half as Gala tried to pull a two goal deficit back. Ultimately won a late penalty which was spectacularly Harry Kaned in the general direction of Edinburgh Zoo.

Then scored a very late equaliser after a fantastic driving run from midfield.

Time now running out and presumably we’re in for a spell of ET.

 

 

[Cowdenleith]

Was also at Meggetland where Tynecastle edged out Gala 3-2 after extra time.  Gala were the stronger team for much of the game, even after going down to 10 men, they can count themselves unlucky.  The penalty for the winner was extremely soft.

First time I have been to a game there and it’s great stadium to watch a game.  I did a head count of the crowd and I counted 95, but this would have included officials from the clubs in the stand, so not sure what the ‘paid’ gate would be.

Absolutely nothing against Tynecastle but it does feel like clubs like this struggle to have any sort of identity.  They don’t represent a small town or village, don’t really have a fan base as such. This could apply equally to other clubs in bigger cities as well.   They are clearly a well run club, however, can’t argue with that.

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by Cowdenleith

[Guest]

Linton Hotspur 3-5 Livingston United (AET)

Trip to, apparently, the Borders today for the first South Challenge Cup tie ever played New Moor Park between two representatives of the #bestleagueintheworld. 

Not the easiest to find but it is signposted and a fantastic wee venue awaits you at the end of a country road just outside the Village of West Linton. Yes it's a field with fencing round it and portcabins but it is a credit to the League and the team that play in it. Nice social club, fantastic pies, a real cup for your tea, seats and cover. Just need floodlights for a license! 

It helped that it was a nice day and a magnificent game of football. Livi have never recovered from the mass exodus after a certain Glasgow United striker played for them last year as these two are, at the moment, the two worst ranked teams in the EOS. 

As I said, the game was superb. Livi take an early lead and some of the crowd maybe feared a repeat of the 0-7 defeat to Pumpherston recently but the first two goals home goals since coming into the pyramid put the hosts ahead at half time. 

Livi reply in the second by scoring two, correctly awarded, penalties but the hosts fight back to level us at 3-3. A wonder save from the United keeper denies Hotspur the win inside 90 minutes. Livi back ahead half way through the first period of extra time and it swings back again. Could do with Jeremy Vine here if he wasn't too busy telling House Wives how woke everything apparently is. A 5th Livi goal seals it and they eventually progress.

New Moor Park may get a but bleak in the depths of winter but I highly encourage you to get along if you can. Superb place and folk.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

2 hours ago, Autistisches Nilpferd said:

Linton Hotspur 3-5 Livingston United (AET)

Trip to, apparently, the Borders today for the first South Challenge Cup tie ever played New Moor Park between two representatives of the #bestleagueintheworld. 

Not the easiest to find but it is signposted and a fantastic wee venue awaits you at the end of a country road just outside the Village of West Linton. Yes it's a field with fencing round it and portcabins but it is a credit to the League and the team that play in it. Nice social club, fantastic pies, a real cup for your tea, seats and cover. Just need floodlights for a license! 

It helped that it was a nice day and a magnificent game of football. Livi have never recovered from the mass exodus after a certain Glasgow United striker played for them last year as these two are, at the moment, the two worst ranked teams in the EOS. 

As I said, the game was superb. Livi take an early lead and some of the crowd maybe feared a repeat of the 0-7 defeat to Pumpherston recently but the first two goals home goals since coming into the pyramid put the hosts ahead at half time. 

Livi reply in the second by scoring two, correctly awarded, penalties but the hosts fight back to level us at 3-3. A wonder save from the United keeper denies Hotspur the win inside 90 minutes. Livi back ahead half way through the first period of extra time and it swings back again. Could do with Jeremy Vine here if he wasn't too busy telling House Wives how woke everything apparently is. A 5th Livi goal seals it and they eventually progress.

New Moor Park may get a but bleak in the depths of winter but I highly encourage you to get along if you can. Superb place and folk.

Did you nip in and water my plants whilst I was out of town?

The moor doesn’t get bleak in the winter, it gets busy! Hundreds of geese are heading that way, far too soon, but winter is coming!

Was Bonnyrigg for me today. A wee stand has popped up behind the goals since last season. 

[Jute]

Edinburgh City 0-3 Hamilton Accies. Was not expecting to get to a game today but DIY at flat was finished quicker than I thought so was able to nip round to Meadowbank for this league 1 clash. Wasn’t a huge crowd but the inadequacies of this ground were shown again with queues to get in and fans not being clear where to sit/stand. Stewards struggled to segregate Accies bams from City’s 12 year old ultras not sure they would have been able to stop anyone determined on causing trouble. Accies won game comfortably with City offering very little. Impressed by Accies sub Ryan One when he came on. Took his goal well and looked good with ball at his feet for a big lad. 
 

Didn’t see any sign of City’s programme again. Have they stopped doing a printed version. 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Jute

[atfccfc]

St Mirren 1 V 0 Motherwell in the League cup today. Attendance 5241 including a near sell out of Motherwell fans.

Ticket £18

Programme £3

This was my 5th visit to St Mirren Park but bizarrely this was the first time I'd seen a St Mirren home match. Sadly I missed out on a visit to Love Street before they moved. 

St Mirren look a very tidy, well organised and decent side, and they won this very comfortably through an absolutely brilliant goal from Caolan Boyd-Munce as he fired an 8th minute bullet into the top corner from the edge of the box. From that point on Daints looked in full control and despite Motherwell battling to get into the game. Motherwell in my opinion look a little of it, not sure they looked particularly comfortable in the way they played unlike St Mirren who look confident and settled. 

A well deserved win for Saints and into the next round. 

[DoingThe42]

Blyth Spartans 2-1 Hereford, National League North, 19/08/23.

Decided I deserved a day off Clyde, so first time at Blyth for me today. Top marks to the 'Blyth Smartens' hairdresser across the road from the ground. Very well-named. I was actually going to go in for a quick Smarten, but they'd shut by the time I made my mind up and walked back up.

Hereford quite unlucky here. They looked the better side for a lot of the game. Ex-Clyde superstar Adam Livingstone had a good game, and I was surprised to see him get hooked in the second half as he was well involved and looking dangerous. Adam Rooney up front for the Bulls, who are managed by Paul Caddis.

Livingstone was actually involved in one of those fun wee bits of play you get that stick out. He very cleverly won a corner off the Blyth right back in the first half. But the ref's angle means that he missed it and gave a goal kick. Livingstone was (rightly!) scandalised by the award of a goal kick as he'd done well to the nick off the defender's foot.  But you can see how the ref missed it. I was right in front of the incident and clearly saw it come off the defender. Even the Blyth fans behind me were chuckling to themselves and saying it was "obviously a goal kick" and were surprised at Livingstone's strong reaction. The angle I had meant I was maybe the only person in the whole ground who appreciated that Livingstone had done really well and it should have been a corner. Hard lines, son.

A great wee ground. Really liked it, and Blyth was a decent enough day out for an ice cream etc.

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by DoingThe42

[An Eejit Abroad]

São Paulo 0-0 Botafogo Att: 51,946

My ongoing attempt to bankrupt myself in a big birthday year continues this week down in Brazil. Though flights were less than half of what it will cost to get back to Scotland for a week in December and pints are less than £2 so things are actually in not too bad shape.

Brazilians do not want you to attend their football matches apparently and São Paulo have made it impossible to book tickets for a game without a CPF, kind of the equivalent of a national insurance number. Fortunately I’ve got a mate in the states who supports them and his brother sorted us out with tickets. 

Botofogo are running away with the league but São Paulo really should have won the match. Both teams put out weakened lineups due to big games in the cup and on the continental stage either side of this one. An entertaining watch nonetheless and James Rodriguez, Lucas Moura and Alexandre Pato all featured for São Paulo at different points.

Cracking old style stadium and a great atmosphere. Big away support too though they were a bit quiet.  

[Sergeant Wilson]

7 hours ago, An Eejit Abroad said:

São Paulo 0-0 Botafogo Att: 51,946

My ongoing attempt to bankrupt myself in a big birthday year continues this week down in Brazil. Though flights were less than half of what it will cost to get back to Scotland for a week in December and pints are less than £2 so things are actually in not too bad shape.

Brazilians do not want you to attend their football matches apparently and São Paulo have made it impossible to book tickets for a game without a CPF, kind of the equivalent of a national insurance number. Fortunately I’ve got a mate in the states who supports them and his brother sorted us out with tickets. 

Botofogo are running away with the league but São Paulo really should have won the match. Both teams put out weakened lineups due to big games in the cup and on the continental stage either side of this one. An entertaining watch nonetheless and James Rodriguez, Lucas Moura and Alexandre Pato all featured for São Paulo at different points.

Cracking old style stadium and a great atmosphere. Big away support too though they were a bit quiet.  

Puts the view at Hampden into perspective.

[The Mantis]

Sunday morning, wandered along to Colinton Mains Park for Firrhill Thistle 0 Meadowbank Wednesday 7 in the LEAFA Premier. The home team made a game of it but the champions led 2-0 at half time and the second half was just a procession. Really enjoy watching an ammies game, it never disappoints, but this was really an excuse to get along to the nearby Colinton Tunnel early on a nice quiet Sunday before it got busy.

[Guest]

Tomorrow; Ayr United vs. Dundee United

For Ayr fans: from 2012 to 2014, I used to drink with Bobby Tait in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. He was a manager in a Taiwanese owned factory.

I read that he'd died in China some years ago, no insight of what..... He was a top boy. Message me (or reply) if you would want me to investigate further.

Apparently Bobby's first season at Ayr was SAF's last.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Irvine Victoria v Irvine Meadow. Marymass derby. 0-3 HT.

Bloody hell. What have I let myself in for tonight?

Looks like the Ardeer munitions plant has went up again.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Le Tout P'ti FC
Bobby Connor

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Clydebank 2 Cumnock 0. Five minutes played.

Cumnock had a red after a microsecond. Don’t ask me what for, I was too busy wowing at the incoming plane from [some beach in Spain].

Bankies popped the ensuing free kick in, and followed up with another goal immediately.

Game over. More planes to come.

 

[Guest]

Pumpherston 3-1 West Calder United

Back at the crusade to tell the world that the East Third is the best League in the World by ticking off Recreation Park. That's West Lothian done for us in this League with Craigroyston, Lochgelly and Harthill the only ones left. 

The pictures online didn't fill me with a huge amount of confidence coming here but once we found it we knew we'd uncovered a gem. Wiki says it's one of the biggest pitches in Scotland. I can't confirm that but it certainly looks up there with Shotts, Broadwood and Hampden. 

West Calder make the short trip over with 4 League wins from 4 and would have been after the points today. The hosts however dominated most of the game and it was very comfy for Pumphy. West Calder's quick reply after a penalty put the hosts three clear had some nervous but the comeback never really materialised. 

We'll need to find a shitehole soon because all the ones we've been to recently have been superb, and this is no different. Lovely club, wide open spaces. Cover if the weather isn't great. Planes coming in to land which is always the sign of a superb ground. Come and see the Pumphy, the East Third is the best League, and that is my Hill to die on. 

[Jute]

Leith Ath 4-1 Oakley United. As with last week due to other things going on was restricted to a trip to Meadowbank again this weekend. Oakley will be scratching their heads as to how they lost this 4-1 as in the first half they were better team in the first half and should have been ahead by the time the ref awarded them a soft looking penalty. However Leith made an excellent double save to keep the score at 0-0 and then on their next attack Leith went ahead just before half time. Second half Leith manage to score on their first 3 attacks to race into a 4-0 lead. Oakley got one back and Leith keeper produced another excellent save to deny them a second. Both teams played some good football in a really entertaining game. 
 

[atfccfc]

Double header today thanks to the BBC. 

First up. Beechwood Park for Sauchie Juniors V Broxburn Athletic in the East of Scotland Premier at 2.30. £10 entry, no programme. But thanks to the Sauchie secretary for getting me a team sheet. This match proved to be quite feisty both in the stand and on the pitch. 

The match was fairly even and entertaining in the first half. Both teams traded early chances before Sauchie broke forward and won a penalty on 16 minutes. Number 10 sent the keeper the wrong way but his shot hit the post and was cleared. On 29 minutes though he atoned for the miss by scoring as the keeper let a shot go under him from 30 yards. 

Broxburn's discipline let them down at times as they had 3 players booked for dissent over the game. 

The second half was less even as Sauchie had the best of the play and really should've won comfortably. But on 90 minutes Broxburn equalised with a header from number 14. But it wasn't over as Broxburn won a penalty moments later. But they could not convert as the keeper saved it. Match finished 1-1 in front of 200+

The fiestyness continued in the stands when a Broxburn fan had 'banter' that went too far with the Sauchie Assistant who insulted his wife. Then a Dauchie fan got some kids to stand In front of him during the game, which he then stood in front of the Broxburn fan...! All very childish! 

I then headed down to Recreation park for Alloa V Falkirk for 5.30. Entrance £18, programme and teamsheet £3. A large Falkirk following roared their team onto a convincing 4-1 win in front of 1334. Half time was 2-0 which was a little harsh on Alloa, but Falkirks second half performance was excellent and the scoreline in the end was a fair reflection. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by atfccfc
Spelling

[forfarton]

Dyce 2 Islavale 1

Grill League Cup QF 

Dyce appeared the stronger team and went ahead at 16 minutes, but then went down to 10 men a minute later to make it a more even game. Islavale finally got a deserved equaliser at 84 minutes and it looked as though it would head to penalties. However, Dyce were awarded a penalty at 89 minutes and scored to win the match and break Islavale hearts. 

[Eric's Cantina]

Musselburgh 4

Glenrothes 1

After an early scare Musselburgh went on to dominate the first half culminating in the Glenrothes manager getting sent off.

The game petered out in the second half in what was a rather hot and clammy day.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Eric's Cantina

[An Eejit Abroad]

Flamengo 0-0 Internacional Att: 58,892

Bucket list item as I went to see Flamengo at the Maracana under the lights on a rainy Saturday night in Rio.

Flamengo seemingly want you to come to their games slightly more than São Paulo as they at least sell tickets to foreigners - as long as you go along to buy them in person at the stadium, their HQ, or a number of their shops seemingly picked at random. So I popped over to the Maracana on a rainy matchday morning only to find that Flamengo is the only business in Rio that doesn’t allow card payments and that I’d left most of my cash in my bag. Fortunately there was an ATM half a mile away so I managed to get the tickets with only minor damage to this gringo’s pride.

The outside of the stadium, and the area around it, is pretty grim. The experience of getting around outside the ground in the pouring rajn was made even more awful by constant aggressive attempts to punt you tickets, food, ponchos and other tat by seemingly endless numbers of people. Fortunately the inside of the ground more than made up for it as the atmosphere was incredible. Made all the better by the two ends taking it in turn to start songs and the incredible acoustics under the big roof. Not enough teams wear red and black imo and the colours looked great in the stands.

The game itself was abysmal with very little quality on show so the less said about it the better. Only I could go to Brazil and not manage to see a goal in two games. Apparently this is not a valid reason to cancel a trip to the Christ the Redeemer statue tomorrow in order to go to Botafogo v Bahia instead. 

 

[The Mantis]

19 hours ago, Autistisches Nilpferd said:

 

We'll need to find a shitehole soon because all the ones we've been to recently have been superb, and this is no different. Lovely club, wide open spaces. Cover if the weather isn't great. Planes coming in to land 

 

If the game’s crap you can have fun trying to catch the shadows