Is it just us, or has there been a lot of football played over the last few days? We counted something like 12 games since last Saturday. Or, if you include today’s bag of mixed fortunes, 17. We’re not complaining like, we are quite partial to a kick-about on a Saturday but with this fixture build-up (or whatever it was that’s caused all these games to have to be played in the last seven days) it’s costing us a royal fortune, so it is.
A quick glance at the table before the start of today’s festivities tells us that Celtic and Rangers have already won the league between them, the rest of the league just playing catch-up. What surprises us that the Old Firm are this far ahead at such an early stage of the season – Celtic are 12 points ahead of the team in third, Dundee United. But if you look beyond the Old Firm (and you might as well, because for the rest of the season you wont catch sight of them) at the teams from 3rd down to 8th there’s a real humdinger of a competition going on with only seven points between the teams. Even Hamilton, given a string of decent results could move from 12th to 10th.
Alphabetically, the first game of the day was the one at Falkirk, where John Hughes’ side took on Motherwell. Falkirk continued their 5 game unbeaten run thanks to Michael Higdon’s first half goal – his third in as many games (1-0). The game at Easter Road between Hibs and Aberdeen finished 2-2. Stephen Fletcher scored a late equaliser for Hibs, and Jimmy Calderwood will once again have to take a long look at his defence who for second away game in a row lost him valuable points. Inverness Caley lost 1-0 at home to Hearts. A Bruno Aguiar goal in the 20th minute proved enough and gave manager Csaba Laszlo his third win in a row. Kilmarnock’s first win in five attempts will hopefully go a long way to getting the ever-whinging Jim Jefferies off the back-pages. Jamie Hamill’s penalty and David Fernandez’s second on 6o minutes secured three points against the on-form Dundee United. Jefferies will be happy, Levein less so as their unbeaten run (stretching back to 13th September) comes to an end. In the final game of the day (Celtic play Hamilton tomorrow), Rangers got revenge on St. Mirren for that defeat earlier on in the season thanks to two goals in 10 minutes from – who else – Kris Boyd and Steve Davis. Franco Miranda got a consolation goal with nine minutes left on the clock, but Rangers held on to keep up the pressure on Celtic whom they now trail by just the one point.
Scottish First Division
There were only three games in the First Division today, but the games did feature the teams from first to fourth. League leaders St. Jonhstone where held to a 2-2 draw away at Clyde. The Saints where five minutes away from their seventh straight win until Pat Clarke (who also scored Clyde’s opener) equalized for the Bully Wee. Dundee’s second win in a row earned them three points at home to stuttering Queen of the South. Eric Paton opened the scoring late in the second half with an 18-yard free-kick, and Bryan Deasley finished off the opposition 10 minutes later. Lastly, Livingston and Dunfermline fought out an entertaining game which saw the Pars emerge 3-2 winners. Andy Kirk’s last minute winner for Dunfermline, coupled with St. Johnstone dropping two points at Clyde sees Jim McIntyre’s men move to within three points of the Saints.
Scottish Second Division
Down in the Second, there where good wins for league leaders Raith Rovers at home to Peterhead (3-0), two goals coming from Gary Wales, the other from Graham Weir. Raith are being chased all the way by Brechin who beat East Fife (2-1). The result leaves The City level on points at the top with Raith. Elsewhere, Ayr won away at Queen’s Park (3-0) to keep promotion push on track, Arbroath win their first game since August with goals from Brian Scott and Barry Sellars enough to ease past Stirling Albion though they remain bottom of the table. Finally, Stranraer had to come from behind to beat Alloa, the 280 spectators who made the trip to Stairs Park having something to cheer when defender John Kane equalised four minutes from time.
Scottish Third Division
In the Third Division, Annan Athletic win their first game since September, Mile Jacks second minute goal proving enough to edge out Albion Rovers. Stenhousemuir scored twice in the first half of their game to ease past Cowdenbeath (2-1). Jay Shields and Willie Lyle where sent off for Cowdenbeath and Stenhousemuir respectively. Second placed Dumbarton where thumped by East Stirling (5-2), both of Dumbartons goals coming in the last 3 minutes of the game. The defeat leaves the Ton in second place but only a point ahead of Montrose, who beat Elgin City thanks to two second-half goals from Roddy Hunter. Berwick Rangers‘ woes continue as there where beaten 2-1 away at Forfar. The side are now second bottom, a point ahead of Elgin but five points behing the team above them, Annan. The Borders club lost manager Allan McGonigal last week, after a poor start to the season as well as the take-over of the club by a fan-led consortium.
Related posts:
- The Scottish Football Weekend Gala Roundup
- Off The Ball – Scottish football news roundup
- Four to Follow Weekend Round-up
- Pre-season friendly results roundup
- Inside Left’s Weekend SPL Fixture Preview
Tags: SFL, SPL, Weekend Roundup
