Day Forty: Brechin City (Glebe Park)

Brechin City v Dumbarton

Saturday 26th March

Scottish Division 2

In to the final stretch now, only two more games to go after our visit to Glebe Park, home of Brechin City, to watch the home side play Dumbarton. It should be a good game as earlier in the month the two sides played out a three all draw.

We're fortunate enough again to be receiving tickets for the game from Duncan Ferguson in Forfar. Duncan runs the local Ford showroom in town and it's my sister, Isla, that put us in touch with Duncan earlier in the adventure. I'm sure he's on the Committee at Arbroath FC, but I'll need to check that with my dad, and he has connections at all the clubs in Angus.

I'm on a mission today for my friend Steven as his son, Joe, has decided that he's going to be a Brechin City fan and I told Steven I'd pick up a scarf for the wee man. I am however under strict instructions not to get anything if it turns out Brechin play in maroon and white. No son of a Hibernian fan would get away with that.

It's a mid-morning start then for us as we'll need to pop into the showroom to pick the tickets up before heading on to Brechin.

As ever, I'm not quite on time and my dad is already in the car. After I've answered the now standard: 'do you have your camera and phone' question in the affirmative, we're off on our way.

Tam & Stuart entertain us through the drive. Guests this week are; in the studio, Darren Jackson and some bloke from ESPN is on the phone. Topics of discussion this week include tomorrow's Scotland v Brazil game and the fact St. Johnstone now have to play both their home games against the Old Firm on a Tuesday night at 6pm.

We turn into Duncan's place about 2pm, he greets us at the door and we head inside. As he's heading off in to his office my dad asks if he has a Focus Sport in the showroom. He does and he thinks it's out in the yard.

Emma and I are trading in her current car and taking advantage of the family connection to buy a discounted new Ford. I've never bought a new car before and to be honest I've not even seen this new one. I let the Emma test drive it and I went with the Ford sales pitch from Isla.

As we're heading out to look at it Duncan tells us that the tickets will be on the Players Turnstile at Brechin. He lets us know that he hasn't been able to get us hospitality tickets for the last game at Arbroath as all tickets are sold out between now and the end of the season. If Arbroath win their next four games then they could actually win promotion on the day we're meant to be there, which would be amazing.

If they do manage that I'll be asking my dad to work out a schedule for next season for all the European leagues and then we'll be off down the bookies.

Ford inspected and given thumbs up and we're saying our good bye's to Duncan as we need to head up the road to Brechin.

We arrived at the ground about 2.15pm and after we're informed there is no parking at the ground we nip back up the way we came and find a side street to park on. Duncan said the tickets would be at the Players & Officials turnstile for us so we decided to wait in the car for a wee while before heading over.

When we get to the gate, instead of receiving free tickets for the game, we were presented with Lounge tickets. Ooh interesting. Duncan had only gone and fixed it again.

It's my dads turn to pose for the pre-match photo. We toy with the idea of heading for a pie but decide to wait and see what's on offer inside. I spy a boy selling programmes and pick up two, one for me and one for Joe. I buy us two tickets for the half time draw as well. I missed out on the 117m Euro Lottery last night so maybe I'll be lucky and hit the jackpot here.

We ask a bloke in a Brechin City jacket if he can direct us to the Lounge. He goes one step further and walks us there.

The Lounge turns out to be a large room with tables and chairs with a bar at the top end, the walls are decorated with large photo's of Brechin City teams through the ages. There's one that must have been taken in the 70's as the hair styles are magnificent.

The bloke introduces himself as Anton and asks if we want anything to drink, my dad settles for a soft drink where as I fire into the free beer. We saunter over to a table where we find free programmes laid on the table.

Anton tells us we're free to sit anywhere in the ground and at half time we can come back here for refreshments. My dad asks if he'll be able to get a pie, probably to be sure he doesn't suffer the same fate as last week. Anton confirms that yes he will get a pie. It's at this point we inform him of our quest and the fact that we've already seen Brechin this season and that we hope they've more luck than they did against Livingston. Anton remembers that game and admits they were second best but that poor refereeing decisons didn't help.

We decide to take a wander round the ground to find the Club Shop and the optimum viewing position. The ground is a mish mash of new and old at Brechin. The stand we've just come from sits behind one of the goals and looks like a fairly new addition to Glebe Park. At the other end of the pitch is a small covered terrace, the near side of the ground has really old wooden stand - see the photo above - and two smaller cabin type structures one of which is the changing area. On the other side there is an small uncovered standing area and it backs on to the famous hedge which must be about 10ft tall and runs the length of the pitch.

We manage to find the club shop situated at the far end of the ground and I pick up a scarf for Joe, red and white with Brechin City stamped on both sides. My dad picks up his umpteenth pin badge of the season.

We stroll round to complete our circuit of the ground and find ourselves beside the pie stand. We buy two and head back around to the wee stand on the half way line. My dad decides that the pie is a seven out of ten job. If it hadn't had such a crumbly bum it would have been awarded a higher mark as the filling is tasty and the temperature was just right.

During the warm up the Dumbarton substitute keeper was showing off doing the Scorpion Kick; made famous by Rene Higuita. Do you remember when he did that against the English? Bloody brilliant that was.

The game kicks off.

In the 5th minute Brechin force a corner and it's scambled clear by the Dumbarton defence and behind for another corner. Brechin captain Neil Janczyk floats the ball to the front post where it's flicked on by Gerry McLauchlan and David McKenna is on hand to knock it in to the net.

Dumbarton go close to an equaliser on twelve minutes when Jon McShane hits a fierce shot goalwards but it's too close to the keeper and Craig Nelson saves well.

On the quarter hour mark we see the first sign of the skill of Rory McAllister, the Brechin City forward, who if you believe the media a summer target for a fair few sides Aberdeen included. He gets on the end of a Kevin Byers knock down to fire a left foot volley on target but keeper Stephen Grindlay gets right behind it.

Minutes later McAllister has another chance when he skins his defender with a great turn but again hits his shot at the keeper.

From our position in the stand all we can hear is the Brechin City Assistant Manager Kevin McGowne scream instructions at his players. It's Cookie this and Tiger that. He shouts at one boy and then gives him a row when he turns to face him instead of the ball. Calm doon mate, your team are playing well, there no need for the touchline barking.

The Dumbarton bench on the other hand are silent. Somewhere in the middle would be the ideal approach I'm guessing.

Brechin are playing some great football and a series of one touch passes leads to a shot from Roy McBain which curls in on goal and forces Grindlay in to another save.

David Somers is the referee today and the first real incident he has to deal with comes on the half hour. Brechin's Jamie Redman come steaming in when he sees McAllister challenged, unfairly in his eyes. He pushes the Dumbarton player, Ryan McStay in the back and to the floor. McStay reacts by pushing Redman back. It's all handbags at dawn stuff and the referee decides to book both players.

After another tasty challenge by a Dumbarton player the old codgers in our stand are on the offensive. Somers comes in for some choice words and when one of the Dumbarton staff in the Directors Box dares to defend his player it looks like a ruck might actually take place.

Ten minutes before the break and we get another rare attack into the Brechin penalty box but Mark Gilhaney hits a wild shot way over the bar.

McBain becomes the third player booked when he lunges at Gilhaney as the Dumbarton winger threatens to break free.

Five minutes before half time and the referee waves away Dumbarton shouts for a penalty when the ball seemed to strike a Brechin hand.

Moments before the end of the half a Dumbarton throw in goes straight to an opponent whose first time sends McAllister through one on one with the keeper. The Brechin fans are on their feet as McAllister takes it round the keeper and shoots goal wards. Amazingly defender gets back to clear it off the line.

Half time.

We head back to the Lounge and by the time we get there we're right at the back of the queue for the free drinks and pies. So I take the time to approach Anton again and ask him if there is any chance he could get the Brechin City players to sign a programme for Steven's son. He says that shouldn't be a problem and he'll try to catch the players before they leave after the game.

The queue has gone down and when I get to the front I notice that there is more than just pies on offer. They've only gone and prepared a beef hot pot for half time. I dive in for a plate-full (Editor's note: Healthy eating week?!?!) whilst my dad goes for the pie option. My dad reckons the pie on offer isn't the same as those being sold to the rest of the punters outdoors, I tell him I'm not fussed as the hot pot is lovely.

We don't win the half time draw.

The referee blows for the start of the second half just as we take our seats and straight away Brechin are on the attack. A pass from McKenna finds Redman free at the edge of the penalty box and his first time side foot shot beats the keeper and nestles in the bottom corner.

It's not a great start to the second half for Dumbarton and it's almost three moments later when a McKenna cross is just out of the reach of McAllister at the back post. No matter as five minutes in to the half a McBain free kick finds McAllister. He rounds the keeper and taps it in to the empty net.

I can't see any way back for Dumbarton now.

Nearly spoke to soon there as Nelson came racing out of his box but didn't get to the ball before the Dumbarton player. The ball is played to Andrew Geggan but his first time shot clears the bar.

A Ewan Moyes header is cleared off the Dumbarton goal line as Brechin go in search of a fourth.

With ten minutes left the fourth goal is scored. McAllister looks suspiciously offside when the ball is played to him but the linesman doesn't raise his flag and play continues. McAllister skips into the box and unselfishly squares it to the open McKenna who can't miss from the six yards.

An old fella in front of us has been shouting abuse at the referee all game and when the home side went to make a substitution the old boy pipes up - we're taking you off ref - followed by - it's a shame we don't have a fourth official here we can sub on. Brilliant.

Brechin City sub on Mitch Megginson for Janczyk with ten minutes to go. Megginson is on loan from Aberdeen so it's nice to see a Don get in on the action. when he gets his sides fifth goal with eight minutes to go. Megginson wins a free kick on the edge of the box, its taken by Molloy and breaks to Megginson on the edge of the six yard box and he rifles it in to the corner.

Four minutes later and Megginson nutmegs a defender and plays the ball in to the box where a mighty stramash takes place before it falls to McKenna who can't miss from a yard and he completes his hat trick.

Quick as a flash a Dumbarton fan in front of us stands up and shouts 'Come on Sons, still time. We only need a quick seven'. It's nice to see that they still have a sense of humour eh.

The referee blows his whistle and puts Dumbarton out of their misery.

All in all a ruthless display in front of goal in the second half. At no point during the first forty five minutes did I think we'd get a six nil score line by the final whistle.

We decide against heading back to the car straight away and head back to the Lounge for a warming cup of tea before the journey south.

Anton comes over and finds us when we get back in the room and before I now it he's only gone and finshed out loads of goodies for Joe. We come away with a baseball cap, pencils, pens, a mug and a copy of the Brechin City St. Johnstone Cup quarter final programme. I tell him he doesn't need to do any of that but he insists and tells us he's thinking about the future.

We wish him well for the remainder of the season and tell him we'll look out for him in Division 1 next season. He answers that there is a long way to go yet.

Not for us there's not. Two games left now, Ayr United next Saturday and then Arbroath in three weeks time. I can not believe the time has flown by so quickly. What am I going to do with my time next season.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £10 , Concession £5

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 514

Pie: £1.40

Pie Marks: 7 / 10

Mileage: 180 miles

Final Score: Brechin City 6 v Dumbarton 0

Man of the Match: Dad - David McKenna (Brechin City), Me - David McKenna (Brechin City)

Fascinating Fact of the Day: David Will, who was the Chairman of Brechin City, went on to become the President of the Scottish Football Association and then Vice President of Fifa

Next Game: Somerset Park (Ayr United)

Day Thirty Nine: Cowdenbeath (Central Park)

Cowdenbeath v Greenock Morton
Tuesday 22nd March
Scottish Division 1

You wait all season for a Cowdenbeath game and then two come along at once.

It's the last of our mid week adventures tonight and the last of the grounds to visit in the First Division. Only three more home teams to see Brechin City, Ayr United and Arbroath.

Instead of my dad driving across Edinburgh to pick me up after work I've decided to bring my car to work so I can drive over to Cramond myself. I need to head home first to check on the state of play at my flat. We've had a minor disaster this week with a boiler leak and slight flooding of the flat below. I'm delighted then when I get home to find the gas man has been round, fixed the leaky pipe and stopped the bleeding so to say.

It's just after 6pm when I get to my folks house and I've got just enough time to say hello to my mum before jumping in my dad's car for the short trip over the bridge to Cowdenbeath. Again it's an early start but after thirty eight games I've got used to the fact that he wants to make sure we get parked near the ground.

We turn off the M90 at Hill of the Beath, head towards Central Park and park up at the ground with ninety minutes to spare. I'm absolutely starving and I'm sure I'm saw a Fish n' Chips place on the way in to town. I ask my dad if he fancies a poke of chips but he tells me he'll wait and get a pie in the ground.

On the way up to buy them a wee voice in my head reminds me that I entered in to an agreement with the missus to make this week 'Healthy Eating Week' and the guilt drives me towards Morrison's for a self-service pasta salad and a carton of milk - Emma would be proud ha ha.

I take it back to the car and settle in for half an hour or so of the football on Radio Scotland before we make our way in to the ground.

We decide to make our move when the coach load of Morton fans turn up, got to make sure we get a seat eh. Pre-match photo taken we pay and head past a burger van on our way to the Club Shop which is located in a portacabin.

As I'm buying a programme my dad is off asking a steward if there is a pie stand open in the ground. A Club official pipes up that 'it depends on the number of folks in through the gate, if we get enough punters we'll open up. In the meantime you can get something from the van'.

Our last pie from a van was way back in September with at Berwick Rangers and if memory serves me right it was pretty minging. Here's hoping we'll do better here.

You can not imagine the horror my dad's face when we read what is available - Cheese Burger or a Bacon Burger. Nae pies. No points and a very disgruntled punter. I'm just glad I've had my pasta salad earlier. After he's calmed down my dad asks for a burger bacon roll. As we make our way to the stand he points out that this is the first burger bacon roll he's had with nae burger in it.

Now I'm not the brightest but surely it makes more business sense to buy in a load of pies, heat them up and sell them on at a profit than it is to take £100 rent off an outside catering company and let them sell products at a profit on your property?

You'd also not have let my old man down. Shame on you Cowdenbeath, (insert sad face here).

Making my way into the stand first thing I notice is that there is a dirt track around the side of the pitch. My dad tells me that if I wanted I could bring my car along here and enter it in a Stock Car race.

It's a strange set up this side of the pitch too with not one but two separate stands to choose from on this side or an open terracing on the far side. We decide on a seat in the more modern looking of the two stands but have to position ourselves in between the many stanchions for the floodlights.

My dad points out a flag hung up at the bottom of the stairs, it reads Dublin Branch of the Cowdenbeath Supporters Club and right on queue five middle aged and looking slightly inebriated men come into view, three of them are carrying those traditional Irish drums. I hope the decide on a seat away from us, I'm not a fan of the drumming at matches.

Out of the tunnel in front of us comes the home mascot Bluebell the Cow and she trots on to the pitch to get a pre-match photo with the mascots. More of the mascot to follow.

The game kicks off.

Three minutes later and we witness the softest penalty award of the season. Iain Brines, tonight's referee awards a penalty after a long Carlo Monti thrown in to the box bounces towards the by line and up on to a Cowdenbeath defender Mark Baxter's hand. Never a penalty. The boy could have done nothing about it and it wasn't as though he had deflected it from a path towards an attacker. A poor decision.

Up stepped Monti himself to fire the ball in to the bottom left corner as the 'beath keeper, David Hay, went the other way.

Cowdenbeath went in search of a equaliser and Mark Ramsay had a shot deflected wide, and then a Craig Winter missed from five yards with a free header from the resulting corner.

Morton responded in similar fashion when Derek Lyle saw his shot saved by the feet of Hay. From their corner Peter Weatherspoon was unlucky not to add a second with a brilliant back header from the edge of the six yard box.

The aforementioned Monti has a throw in style like Stoke player Rory Delap and from another of his huge efforts Brian Graham had a header that flashed just wide.

There are so few people at tonight's game that there is no segregation with home and away fans sat together. I'm sure when the local rivals Dumfermline and Raith Rovers are in town things with be different but tonight it's fairly jovial so far.

The home side are forced into an early substitution when striker Archie Campbell limps off with what looks like a hamstring injury,on comes Mark McKenzie in his place. The substitute should have done better with ten minutes to go until half time but chose to shot when the square ball inside was the better option.

Sat a few rows behind us in the stand are five Morton players in their Club tracksuits. They are just young boys, probably part of the youth set up and they seem to be minding their own business watching the game or playing on their phones. We're all then a little surprised to see a steward walk in to the stand and demand that two off them come down the front for a chat. They're taken off almost out of sight but you can still tell from the gesticulating from the group that there is a disagreement taking place. A Cowdenbeath official then approaches the group to say his piece. With this change in proceedings a Morton official makes his way from the Stand to the group. Further words are exchanged and then the two boys are banished from the ground.

It's all very strange. It has however taken all my attention away from what has been a fairly poor forty five minutes of football.

Half time and I inform my dad I'm off to the van for a cup of tea and I ask if I can pick anything up for him. He asks for a bacon burger and tells me to make sure there is a burger in it this time.

On my way out I ask one of the remaining Morton boys for an update but he informs me he hasn't got a clue, he set they were all sat there just watching the game.

At the van I notice that the Burger Bacon sign has been replaced with a Bacon Roll one. Still I chance my arm and ask the lassie for a Burger n' Bacon roll. She's not sure now, almost as if I've asked for the impossible. In the end she agrees but only if I promise not to let everyone see and she then charges my £4.50 for it.

Back in the stand and Bluebell appears with a box of Cadbury's Celebrations and proceeds to offer one to every person in the stand. Now you don't get that at every game. Doesn't make up for nae pies though.

The second half kicks off.

The level of football continues in to the same vain as the first and both teams struggle to string any real period of possession in the first ten minutes.

Greg Stewart nearly brings Cowdenbeath back to life with a great header from a corner that needs a brilliant Cuthbert save to tip it over the bar.

The second Morton goal on the hour mark sums up this game, sloppy. David Hay came racing out of his goal to clear a back pass and he smashed the ball against the Morton attacker Allan Jenkins and could only watch as it flew back past him and rolled into the empty net.

Fouad Bachirou becomes the first player in to the book when he picks up a yellow card for chopping down a 'beath player as he strode past him in to an attacking position.

Stewart went close again with fifteen minutes left but his shot was blocked by a combination of keeper and centre back.

Jimmy Nicholl throws on Stevie Crawford with ten minutes left to try and pull the home side back into the game.

In the final minutes Jon Robertson went close to a consolation goal with a free kick that curled up and over the wall but the wrong side of the post.

The final whistle goes and brings to an end what my dad and I both describe as the worst game yet.

Making our way back to the car I ask one of the track suited Morton boys for a further update and apparently the two lads were chucked out for shouting abuse at a ball boy. I was sitting much closer to the fella than the steward who came and chucked him out and I'm more than certain you could ask anyone else in the stand and they wouldn't have been able to relay what was supposedly said either.

Still it brought some needed excitement to proceedings.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £18, Concession £10
Programme: £2
Attendance: 359
Pie: N/A
Pie Marks: N/A
Mileage: 32 miles
Final Score: Cowdenbeath 0 v Greenock Morton 2
Man of the Match: Dad - Brian Graham (Greenock Morton), Me - Brian Graham (Greenock Morton)
Fascinating Fact of the Day: Central Park is the only ground in the United Kingdom with a Stock Car track running around the edge of the pitch.

Next Game: Glebe Park (Brechin City)

SPL Highlights

Our visit to Celtic Park on the 5th March was the final installment of our journey around all the SPL grounds and as such I thought I'd share with you a few highlights from the twelve grounds.

Things started off on the 5th August with a visit to Easter Road for the Hibs v NK Maribor Europa League qualifier. The home team got royally pumped that night and it seemed to set the tone for Hibs for months to come.

Money spent on Tickets: Adult: £272 - Must point out that this is for all twelve games. Two games were free for me. My sister bought us tickets for the Rangers v Man United and I was given a free ticket from a bloke just outside the turnstile at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

Concession: £186 - As above this is the price for all grounds and doesn't take into account the generous offer from my sister. My dad also has a season ticket for Kilmarnock so we used the price it would have been for a concession ticket.

Money spent on Programme: £33

Attendance: 172, 738

Money spent on Pie's: £41.40

Goals scored: 28

Total Mileage: 1,324 miles

Top Three Pie's: Aberdeen 8 / 10, Dundee United 7.5 / 10 & Motherwell 7.5 / 10

My dad will feel betrayed that I haven't included his beloved Killie Pie in this countdown but if you've read the Kilmarnock report you'll remember we disagreed on the day too regarding the score to award.

Top Three Goals:
Dad -
1. Kris Commons 1st goal against Hamilton. A half volley from the edge of the area,
2. Jamie Hamill's injury time winner for Kilmarnock versus Aberdeen.
3. Craig Conway for Dundee United. A defence splitting pass, lead to a long chase before Conway leathered it past the keeper.

Me: -
1. Kris Commons - As above.
2. Liam Miller for Hibs. Hibs completed a great come back against Motherwell when a quick ball out of defence after clearing a corner, Riordhan played a great ball to Miller who raced clear and shot between the keepers legs.
3. Marco Taveres. Brilliant team work from NK Maribor to score their third against Hibs.

Most witnessed side: Hibs x 5, Kilmarnock x 3, St.Mirren x 2, St.Johnstone x 2, Hamilton x 2,

Best Atmosphere: Hearts v Hibs New Years Day Derby.

Day Thirty Eight: Raith Rovers (Starks Park)

Raith Rovers v Cowdenbeath

Tuesday 15th March

Scottish Division 1

Thirty seven games in and tonight we're off to see two new sides tonight, Raith Rovers & Cowdenbeath. A local derby between two sides at different ends of Division 1. Raith are currently top whilst Cowdenbeath are second bottom.

We've been watching the BBC football page on the net to see if the game is going to survive the torrential downpour of the last day or so. The 3.30pm pitch inspection passes the test so it's a straight from work effort tonight and my dad picks me up at 5.45pm for the journey over the bridge to Kirkcaldy. As ever the traffic across Edinburgh is brutal but we make time up on the rest of the journey. Listening to Sportsound on Radio Scotland, the commentator at the Raith game reckons Raith will shoot towards the shallow end in the first half. We make it to Kirkcaldy and park up not far from the ground by 6.45pm. We've got an hour before the game and decide to sit in the car for a while before braving the cold.

We make our way over to Stark's Park about 7.20pm to give ourselves time for the pre match photo and Club shop visit.

The stadium is hemmed in on either side, the far side has a derelict stand pushed up against the main East Coast railway line. The near side has a L shaped stand which runs half the length of the pitch and round a corner flag and behind the goals there are two large stands.

A visit to the Club shop later and we've picked up a programme but unfortunately, for my dad, they've run out of pin badges. A quick look at the programme and I'm slightly confused by the Merry Christmas banner and Christmas cartoon on the cover. On closer inspection I can see that this is the programme for the original game that was called off from the 18th December.

We decide on the L shaped stand for a better view of the game than behind the goals. Walking out into the stand we come face to face with the 'Tango Man' - Jimmy Calderwood. I over my hand and inform him of the fact I'm an Aberdeen fan and that I think they way he was treated by the Aberdeen Board was unjust and I wish him well at Ross County. He seems genuinely grateful for the comments. I'm already on my way to find a seat when my dad tells Jimmy that he's a Kilmarnock fan and I'm too far away to hear the rest.

Looking at the seating options available I'm dismayed to find that none of the seats have backs to them. All you get is a molded piece of plastic stuck to the concrete row. You also have to position yourself between the stanchions so you can see both goals. Still we chose to sit here as you get a better of the game side on.

Seat chosen and I'm off to buy dinner for us both, 2 Scotch pie's please.

Now then we could have a contender for Pie of the Season here. An eight out of ten, maybe even an eight and a half. According to my dad it's got a nice crust, tasty filling, it's not to hard and it's a perfect temperature. The fact that he's starving helps to. The pie is so good we have a second before kick off.

Cowdenbeath fans have turned up in their tens. A poor away support especially as Cowdenbeath is only seven miles away. The home fans have also noticed the poor away support 'What a shitty away support' they sing. Still there are probably more of them than there were Hamilton fans at Celtic.

Just before kick off the various board members from either team come out to sit in the Directors Box and low and behold, Donald Finlay QC strides out in a blue Cowdenbeath jacket. I never knew he was the on the board. My dad tells me he's the Chairman in fact.

Raith run out to there on theme song. It's full of accordions and sounds very much like the Hearts song so it does.

The game kicks off.

We get another look at Stevie Crawford tonight. Jimmy Nicholl, the Beath manager, signed him from East Fife where he was player manager earlier in the season.

John Baird, Raith's number nine, has the first chance when he takes the ball past two defenders and heads goal wards. His final touch lets him down though and the defender clears.

'Beath left back Kenneth Adamson tries his luck from fully thirty five yards out but his left foot shot almost goes out for a throw in it's that wild.

Simmons turns well on the edge of the box and curls an effort goal wards but its an easy save for David Hay in the away goal. Thirteen minutes in and a Craig Wilson shot goes just the wrong side of the post for Raith. Baird wastes a great chance five minutes later when he intercepted a poor pass, beat the last defender and then hoofed it miles over the bar.

Archie Campbell could have made Rovers pay for missing these chances when he sprinted clear of a static defence and found himself two on one against the last man. Rather than play the easy ball to his team mate he shot straight at the keeper.

Allan Walker of Raith then had a shot on the turn saved comfortably by the keeper. Minutes later a fantastic ball down the wing by Davidson was played right across the six yard box where Walker got a touch to it. He must have thought he's opened the scoring but a flying David Hay made a brilliant save.

On rare break into the Rovers half, Greig Stewart through on goal, took too many touches, narrowed his own angle and shot straight at McNeil. Davidson almost gifted Beath the lead when he was woefully short with a back pass and Campbell was only denied putting the league leaders behind by a brilliant McNeil save.

The home fans try and rouse their team with a burst of song and cheering.

It seems to do the job as right on the stroke of half time Mark Ferry floats a ball over the away defence and Gregory Tade smashes it in to the top corner.

Half time.

The stadium announcer informs us that second placed Dunfermline are being held one each at half time by bottom placed Stirling Albion. He deflates the hope of the crowd some what by telling us that Stirling are down to ten men however.

The second half kicks off and two minutes in Tade almost makes it two nil. Running at the keeper from the corner of the box, only the keepers legs keep the ball out.

Against the run of play, Cowdenbeath grab an equaliser. A Scott Linton cross is met by the diving head of Greig Stewart and the ball nestles in the bottom corner.

Rovers went up the other end of the park, Simmons headed the ball in to the path of Baird and his shot hit the post and rebounded to safety.

The away fans are singing it's all gone quiet over there!

Ferry then plays a shocking ball across the back four without looking and Ramsay picked it off. He has so much time to pick his spot and perhaps it's too much time as he shot tamely at the keeper.

The home fans are getting restless, they reckon their team have run out of ideas and there are many shouts from the crowd for the manager to change things round.

Ten minutes to go and a Ferry shot goes just past the left hand post.

My dad reckons the Cowdenbeath number eight looks like he has been kicking around the lower divisions of the Scottish leagues all his career. He is then somewhat embarrassed when the player is substituted and we find out it's Colin Cameron, ex Hearts, Wolves and Scotland.

Stevie Crawford shows his skills by taking the ball down expertly on the edge of the box and firing a half volley on the turn which scrapes the top of the bar.

Two minutes later and Baird fires the home side in front again. Walker breaks free on the right wing and plays a delicious ball across the face of the goal and Baird rises high to head it back the way it came and into the bottom corner.

The home fans celebrate with a burst of we're going to win the league.

With two minutes to go the last chance of the game fell to Crawford but his snap shot goes wide.

Full time.

On the basis of play tonight Raith have deserved their victory, they had most of the possession and way more chances than their opponents.

The home side are boosted when the news that comes through Dumfermline have been held to a draw as this puts them four points clear with nine games to go. If Raith do win the league and come up this year I feel they'll need to strengthen their back line if they hope to compete. I wish them well though as we don't want to see Falkirk and their annoying manager, Steven Pressley, to get promotion and as an Aberdeen fan I've witnessed Dunfermline beat us on too many occassions also.

Plus the fact they've got one of the best pies in the country.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £18, Concession £8

Programme: £2.00

Attendance: 1,495

Pie: £1.40

Pie Marks: 8 / 10

Mileage: 80 miles

Final Score: Raith Rovers 2 v Cowdenbeath 1

Man of the Match: Dad - John Baird (Raith Rovers) Me - John Baird (Raith Rovers)

Fascinating Fact of the Day: Once upon a time my late Uncle, Kelly, worked for Martin Plant Hire. On one occassion Martin Plant Hire were sponsoring the Man of the Match award and the prize was a giant bottle of Whisky. Kelly and his colleagues were enjoying the hospitality so much that before they knew it they had drunk most of the bottle and they had nothing to give to the winner. Kelly, who was always sharp on his feet, jumped in a taxi and headed to his work. He reappeared before the final whistle with a deluxe Chainsaw for the man of the match. Thanks go to my dad for providing this story.

Next Game: Central Park (Cowdenbeath)

Day Thirty Seven: Celtic (Celtic Park)

Celtic v Hamilton Academicals

Saturday 5th March

Scottish Premier League

We're off to Celtic Park today, the last of the grounds to visit in the SPL. I've never been before and I'm looking forward to seeing what the fuss is about. I'm disappointed that I won't get to witness Neil Lennon perform his touchline antics as he starts another stint in the stand.

My dad insists I arrive at his house no later than 12pm for the drive over to Glasgow, we've got to get into the car park at the ground you see. I make sure I leave the house with about forty minutes to spare and yet I'm still having to text him when I'm stuck at red light after red light. He's not to happy then when I rock up at 12.15pm and not even the bottle of HP Guiness sauce I present him with manages to put me back in the good books. There are only five games to go, I really should try and be on time for at least one of them.

We're entertained as usual by Tam & Stuart on BBC Radio. There guests this week are Justin Currie from Del Amitri and Richard Gough and amongst the topics on discussion are the mid-week old firm game and Del Amitri's World Cup song, Don't come home to soon. Tam wonders if this will be the last World Cup song we'll get to listen to, which is a cheery thought.

We arrive at the ground and I'm fortunate that there are still spaces in the parking area beside the stadium. Having never seen the stadium in the flesh I must admit it's a fair size. Today Celtic are unveiling a statue in honour of the late great Jock Stein and there are loads of people mulling around the ground already and it's only 1.20pm.

It's my turn for the pre match photo and we decide to go for it now and then come back to the car to wait till nearer kick off. Making our way over, my dad points out the new National Velodrome that is being built right opposite the ground in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Photo taken we take a wee wander in the hunt for a shop so I can buy a paper but all we find a boarded up shops, pubs with bouncers on the door plenty of burger fans and numerous sellers of scarves, flags and the like. One or two of them are selling flags with the Pope on them and the words 'Our God Reigns'. Why you'd want to buy a flag like that to take to watch a SPL match I'll never know.

We also come across a fella selling various programmes from years gone by and whilst most of them feature Celtic, he does have some others including a Third Lanark programme which will cost you £40. I'm sure my dad has a suitcase full of old programmes stored in the attic. I must have to investigate further. In the meantime I buy a programme for today's game and am surprised that it's only £2.50, most of the other programmes for the big sides have been £3 a pop.

We head back to the motor for a while before heading over to the ground about a half hour before kick off. Checking our tickets we see were in the East Stand's lower section behind one of the goals. Dad had tried to get tickets on the sidelines but was told that those seats are for season ticket holders.

Inside the ground we're greeted by mini Celtic shops and massive food stands. Not just your average scotch or steak pie's on offer here, you can chips n' curry sauce, a chicken burger, a normal burger and many other healthy options. I don't want any of that nonsense though, the good old Scotch pie will do us.

The pie still costs a whopping £2 however and it's no that gid. It's burnt. It's stuck to the container. It's a six maximum and lucky to get that according to the pie guru.

The pre match entertainment is much better. Not content with a few songs over the tannoy, cheerleaders or boys doing keepie-uppies at Parkhead. No here they wheel out The Beatles to perform a few numbers. Wait, it wasn't The Beatles, it was Them Beatles, a tribute band who happend to be playing in Glasgow at the weekend. They were pretty good, although Paul didn't look like Paul.

Sat not to far away from us are what I'm led to believe are 'the Green Brigade'. This section of fans came to prominence last year when they unfurled banners against the placing of Poppies on all football sides strips around Armistice Day. Today the banners are in support of Club manager Neil Lennon and state 'Lennon will never walk alone'. They also have two burly blokes beating on their bass drums.

The game kicks off with the ground almost full. Well apart from the away end and in fact there are so few away fans we can count them - 95 fans in total. 95! What a terrible away support - see the photo above for evidence of the meagre Hamilton following. Fair enough the seats for away fans are pretty poor and there must be seats where you can't actually see the whole pitch.

Celtic could have taken the lead in the first minute. A cross into the Hamilton box is sliced wildly on to his own post by Simon Mensing and out for a corner. The corner comes to nothing.

The brigade beside us start with a burst of 'There's only one Neil Lennon' before breaking into 'Stand up if you hate Rangers' - thousands stand for this.

For all the talent on the park for Celtic and all their possession they don't really have any cutting edge up front as Stokes has to come deep to collect the ball and Samaras offering little.

It's twenty minutes before we see further action. A Carrington drive went just wide with Forster beaten. Elebert then headed a Paixao corner just over.

You'd thing the home fans would become restless and perhaps they were but all we could hear was the constant banging off the drums and singing from brigade to our right. Honestly they just don't stop singing.

Celtic forced their passing play back into the game and the left back Izaguirre was finding loads of space to bomb up and down the wing. One of the many balls he played into the box was only narrowly missed by Samaras and another was only partially cleared and Mulgrew chipped it to the back post where Stokes tried a volley from an impossible angle that went well wide.

Off the ball Samaras and Elebert have a wee handbags moment between themselves which is quickly broken up by referee Steve O'Reily.

It must be pointed out that in the programme Celtic officials have stated that all fans must sit down during the game at all times. It's strange then that not once has a steward approached the mass of fans to our right to ask them to sit. They should hire the stewards from Motherwell, they'd get stuck in straight away.

Ki Sung Yueng should have done better than shot wide when Stokes found him with a brilliant through ball.

It's a full forty two minutes before Celtic manage a shot on target but my god it was worth waiting for. A Celtic corner right in front of us broke to Scott Brown on the edge of the box and he took a touch or two before teeing up Kris Commons. From the moment it left his foot it was swerving away from the keeper and it nestled in the top corner.

For me that is one of the best goals I've seen this season, almost as good as Jamie Stevenson's for East Stirling v Elgin way back in August last year.

The Celtic fans celebrate with their own version of Depeche Mode's 'Just can't get enough'. The words change slighty to 'When I'm with you Celtic, I got out my head, I just can't get enough, just can't get enough'.

Hamilton almost find themselves two down moments before the end of the first half when Cerny makes a great save from a Samaras header.

Half time.

Out of nowhere about a dozen blokes descend on the pitch with pitchforks to replace the divots and tend to the pitch. Nowhere on our travels have we seen such dedication to the playing surface, it's just a shame the players on show haven't down it justice so far.

Five minutes into the break I decide to nip down for a quick pee. In the Gents every third person is smoking and you have to fight your way through the smog to find the way out.

I'm tempted to go buy us both another pie in the off chance the first efforts were just a bad pair but the size of the queue puts my off and I put my crampons on before tackling the descent back to my seat.

Both sides made substitutions at the start of the second half. Rogne replaces Majstrorovic for Celtic whilst Hopkirk replaces Hasselbaink for Hamilton.

Celtic midfielder went close a few minutes after the break but his fierce shot was straight at the keeper. Commons was denied his second goal by a brilliant sliding tackle just as he went to shot.

Commons did get his goal seven minutes in to the second half and it was a gift from Hamilton. Elebert played a shocking ball across his own goal and Commons ran on to it to curl the ball in to the corner and out of the reach of the keeper. He took the goal well but he should never have been given the opportunity in the first place.

Hamilton have showed very little going forward and will have to pull something spectacular out the bag to turn this around.

Either way I'm hoping this second goal will bring the tempo of the game up and we get some more excitement.

All we got was a spat between Kayal and McDonald but even that failed to materilise beyond a push or two.

I was disappointed when with ten minutes to go hoards of home fans started to leave the ground and by the time the full whistle went about a third of the fifty odd thousand at the game had left.

I was disappointed by the game, I expected more from Celtic, more flair, more action and more goals. Having seen Hamilton before I wasn't expecting much from them and as harsh as it may sound I think the SPL is too much for them.

By the time we make it back to the car the traffic is already grid locked in the car park and the fact it takes almost forty minutes to get back on to the M8 I can see why so many fans left early.

Well that's all the SPL grounds down and a stough as it is for me to say it the Old Firm stadium are by far the most impressive but then I guess they should be given the size of the fan base and the amount of money they both scam of the rest of us. For me though the best game was the New Years Day derby between Hearts and Hibernian. I'll check with my dad and give you a run down of his favourites shortly.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult: £25. Concession £16

Programme: £2.50

Attendance: 51,811

Pie: £2

Pie Marks: 6/10

Mileage: 83 miles

Final Score: Celtic 2 v Hamilton Academicals 0

Man of the Match: Dad - Kris Commons (Celtic), Me - Ki Sung-Yeung (Celtic)

Fascinating Fact of the Day: First British side to win the European Cup.

Next Game: Central Park (Cowdenbeath)