A mediocre week for us. Just playing through the league matches - can't win the division, won't get relegated - so just playing for enjoyment. Lost 3-0 at relegation threatened Nairn County - hope this helps lads, and then we were 2 minutes from a single goal win at home to Hearts when we conceded a late leveller. Bummer. The good part came midweek with a correct prediction and goal scorer in the SESL Cup match, netting 100k profit. (I am easily pleased). Season still has 6 league games to go then a break - re-charge the batteries and plan the campaign - maybe a drop back to a fun division where a result can push you towards a promotion spot or drop you the other way. THAT was fun. Thinking my job (without a title winning squad) is simply to avoid the 13-16th positions (11th and 12th playoff spots are fine - I can choose to go for the win or not). 

Our current situation, wherev ELs are so tight and low, has forced us to play even more defensive lately. And with no win in the last 10 games the supporters were getting restless. 2 draws last week (0-0 and 1-1) appeased them a little and yesterday they were slightly more appeased. We travelled to Albion Rovers and unashamedly played S for the first half, to allow 3 substitutions to help ease out ELs, and despite moving forward 2nd half we created nothing, but at least we didn';t lose anything. 

Slater in goals saved the 3 shots he faced and earned the MOM award, and we ran away with another 0-0. Then Andrew brought his Stranraer lads to Easter Road and we played the same stats. Duifference was we shut out the border lads altogether and half time sub Boyle scored 4 minutes after he came on to win the game for us. 2 shots created, both by ourselves and a good 1-0 win has put us back into 5th place.

Still have got EL problems and have main player O'Rourke, who has never played "a", on a 2 game ban and Levitt on a 1 game ban to contend with. Only plus is both will come back on EL10 with only 6 games left. And we are safe from relegation (although I still prefer playing in any of the other divisions - just me I know - but it isn't the Holy Grail I was lead to believe it was).

Right, back today from a trip up the Norwegian fjords (not all of them you understand) we travelled a day in front of the bad weather which ripped across Scotland. We faced it coming back - ship had to hide from the worst up another fjord, but we still had a baaaad night.

Okay, application for the sympathy vote over ( to a thunderous silence I could hear from chez moi) and I did not seek wifi whilst on the trip. So pleasantly surprised to see we stopped the run of defeats with a 2 game set of draws.

At home to Arbroath we might well have considered ourselves unlucky not to have taken 3 points in a 1-1 draw, but away to East Fife we considered ourselves fortunate to escape with a 0-0 draw. Now down to 6th - best place if we want to stay in the top division is 7th to 10th - avoids playoff games, and downright relegation. So we have a plan.

I know where we went wrong at the start of the season - bringing in 2 x age 0/17s which meant we had no cash to bid on an elder player in the early auctions to help out the squad. Next season, if spared I will look to bring in 1 x age 0/17 lad only. My thanks to the 2 clubs involved - much appreciated - and you kept your part of the deal well. Might come back if you were still keen on doing an apprentice. 

Up first this weekend is Albion Rovers - right now every game is a nightmare for us - very glad we got points in early - we are definitely living off the fat of the land right now.