Inside Left.net

Aye aye all – it’s Monday, which means Performance of the Week time. This week we have three  nominations for you to choose from. You know the deal – we like to recognize those teams, players and events in the week just passed that deserve a special mention for services rendered in the name of Scottish football. So without further waffling, here are the nominations, each one lovingly hand-picked by the staff of Inside Left.

The first silverware was won at the weekend. Airdrie United lifted the Alba Challenge Cup following their dramatic win over fellow First division side Ross County. In a game with plenty of controversy and hilarity (two of the four goals scored in regular time where own goals), it took Mark Smyth’s penalty after extra-time to secure the Cup for Airdrie.

Airdrie’s path to reach the final started away back in July, a week before the regular season started when Dumbarton where beaten 3-2. A convincing 3-0 away win at East Fife, followed by a win away to Cowdenbeath got them to the semi-final, where Paul DiGiacomo’s 4th minute goal was enough to beat Partick Thistle. Compared to Airdrie, Ross County had a much tougher route to Perth. Whereas Airdrie faced mainly lower league teams, Ross County had to get past First division opposition – St. Johnstone (2-1), Clyde (1-0) and Morton (4-1) – as well as Second division opposition in the shape of Raith Rovers, whom they beat 2-1.

Both sides have had a history of needing extra-time and penalties to decide winners in this competition. Airdrie(onians), in fact, are the team that has won this competition most often (they’ve won it four times in total and where losing finalist on one occasion). In 1994’s final they needed an extra time goal to beat Dundee, while in 2000, Airdrieonians  – featuring a lot of Spanish players as well as current manager Kenny Black – they eventually beat Livingston 4-3 on penalties. They did win the Cup in regular time in 2001 when Alloa Athletic where beaten 2-1. For Ross County, their only win in the competition came in 2006/07 when they beat Clyde 5-4, again on penalties.

Anyway, congrats to Airdrie and well done Ross County for making it to the final. In a bizarre twist of fate, the two sides meet again on Saturday in the league; no penalty shoot-out’s then, but an interesting game in store nevertheless.

Our next nominees are Arbroath, who win their first game since August, 2-0 away to Stirling Albion. We tipped Arbroath to head back to whence they came and their form has certainly not changed our mind on that. But, fair doo’s: the two goals from Brian Scott and Barry Sellars gave the Red Lichties their first win since the 4-2 win over Alloa on the first day of the season. And could not have come at a better time; the pressure on manager John McGlashan must be building and the teams fortunes need to be turned around to prevent them from falling behind the teams above them in the relegation zone. Remember that bigger and better teams went on great runs once they got that all-important win under their belt (Dundee United, St Johnstone), so perhaps this win will kick-start their recovery. They play Stranraer, the team above them in the league next week (and another side with plenty of problems) so let’s see if the great comeback starts here.  We’re partial to east coast teams here at Inside Left – we’ll keep our eyes peeled. ‘Mon the Lichties!

Our final nominee is last seasons top scorer in the First Division, and a player that has been struggling to find the scoring form that helped his team to the SPL. Richard Offiong has only scored twice so far for his side Hamilton Accies this season, compared to nine at the same stage of the season last year. Admittedly, the opposition is a bit stronger in the SPL (the Accies have been struggling of late following a good start to the season), yet you’d have thought he’d have scored a few more by now. Thankfully we got a glimpse of the sort of thing he’s capable of when he scored a tremendous header against Celtic on Sunday and went on to give Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell no end of trouble at the heart of the Celtic defence.