Day Twenty Three: Rangers (Ibrox Park)

Rangers v Manchester United
European Champions League
Group C - Match Day 5
Wednesday 24th November


Now if some of you were quick of the mark and read last nights version of this report you'd have seen me bumble on about how my sister won tickets for tonights game in a ballot at her work.

After a quite word in my ear from my dad I've been informed that this is in fact incorrect. It turns out that although she did win them, she had to purchase them at face value for us and give them to us as early Christmas presents. £84 pounds worth of early Christmas presents!! I must thank her for the generosity and for incorrectly reporting how we came by the tickets on Wednesday.


I can't believe we're off to Ibrox and we'll be sat in with the Rangers fans. I dislike Rangers more than any other team, although Manchester United are a not to distant second. I can't believe I'm going to be sitting in with Rangers fans either. Still I've brought my old Aberdeen strip to change into after work to wear underneath my jumper just so i don't feel so dirty ha ha.

It's a 4.30pm pick up from outside work this afternoon for the drive over to Glasgow. I'm a bit late getting away from my desk and by the time I get outside I see two of my friends, Dave & Gavin also waiting.

For some reason I thought only Gavin was getting a lift so I haven't informed my dad he needs to take the baby seat he has for his Grandson out of the back seat of the motor and probably should have offered one of them a seat in the front as there a bit taller than me. Must admit it didn't look too comfortable sat back there, Gavin's almost sat on Dave's lap.

We've set off so early to take advantage of the fact Isla's also managed to get us a friend's permit for the car park right beside the stadium. Normally it's a forty five minute drive to Ibrox, but seeing as we're leaving just as the rush hour starts my dad reckons it will be nearer two hours before we get there.

No-one could have foreseen the traffic leaving Edinburgh however and we're sat nose to tail at Hermiston Gait and then we move at a snail's pace all the way to Motherwell. By the time we get to East Kilbride my dad's had enough and decides to go round the back of Glasgow and attack the drive into Ibrox from the other side.

When we get to Ibrox it's only twenty minutes to kick off and the stadium car park is full. We're denied access and have to perform a quick about turn and park elsewhere. Dave jumps out early as he's off to meet his old boy before the game, Gavin kindly poses for the pre -match photo and then bids us farewell and runs off to catch up with them. They've got seats in the main stand, we on the other hand are round in the Govan stand. I'll be honest Ibrox Park is quite an impressive building, the facade of the main building is, as Gavin informs me, a listed building. I reckon this may just be the busiest game we've been to yet, the place is heaving. Part of me is a bit jealous as it must be great having these sort of games every season.

Walking round to the turnstile I see one of the funniest things I've seen in a long while - a bloke dressed head to toe in a Union Jack outfit. I couldn't get my camera out quick enough but take it from me, he looked a total numpty.

This is followed by another funny moment. The entrance to the away end is heavily policed, some on foot and some on horseback. They were splitting the two sets of supporters up with a definite no go area in the middle 'Manchester fans this way, Rangers fans that way' was the shout. Simple you'd think. Not so for a group of Burberry capped, shell-suited Rangers fans who decide to stroll straight down the middle. One policewoman on horseback gave them a shouted word of warning to move to the designated area and when ignored she swung the horse around so it's head smacked into the head of the lead dissident. Priceless so it was. After a few choice swear words the young fella decided against a second smack and moved out of the way.

Eventually we find our way into the ground and decide that seeing as we missed out on dinner to head straight for a pie. A most other grounds we've been to there has been one, two at the most stands where you can buy food, not here there are food stands as far as the eye can see. After purchasing two we go and try and find our seats.

Again huge thanks to Isla as the seats are smack bang on the half way line. They are almost at the back of the stand though and my dad looks like he could have done with a wee shot of oxygen by the time we took our seat. We sit down just as the Champions League music is playing and the atmosphere inside the ground is electric.

The Ibrox pie is a major let down. A five out of ten at the most says my dad, too crumbly and far too hot, a poor show.

In the national papers today there was an article which stated that UEFA officials would be in the stand tonight to listen out for any sectarian singing. Rangers and Celtic have both recently been criticised for this and Rangers had been warned that they could face possible sanctions and fines if this persisted. It was great then that in the area around us some Rangers fans managed to hold off for a full 51 seconds after the game started before giving us a quick blast of a King Billy ditty.

The first piece of action takes place in the Rangers penalty box when Berbatov goes down in the box looking for a penalty after Steven Davis has barged into him making a tackle. He went far too easily and neither the referee, his penalty box assistant or the Rangers fans are fooled.

Wayne Rooney is getting booed every time he touches the ball in these opening minutes.

Fabio De Silva floats a ball into the box after seven minutes but Berbatov headed it straight into McGregor's arms.

A Rangers free kick on fifteen minutes is played in by Davis and headed into Kenny Miller's path six yards out but he could only head wide. Rangers have to win this game to have any real chance of progressing from the group and it's chance like this that must be taken.

I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to react if and when either team scores. It's tough enough for an Aberdeen and a Kilmarnock fan to be sitting in with Rangers fans I really don't think I could manage to stand and applaud a goal they scored. Same goes for Man United, although there's the added onus not to cheer them as I'd most likely get a thump round my skull from all the Rangers fans sat around me.

There's one boy sat a few rows behind us who seems to be having a competition with himself to fit as many swearwords into a sentence as possible. He's all 'Get stuck into the Manchester F**ks' & 'Come on Rangers, we're better than these Northern bastards', he uses some other technical terms that are a bit too severe for the blog. I'm just delighted I'm not sat beside him.

Twenty five minutes in and Berbatov crosses to Rooney who makes a hash of his volley. He doesn't look match fit or even interested. Still his name is sung loudly by the thousand or so Man United fans in the Copeland Road stand.

Rangers are sitting to far back in their own half, inviting Manchester to attack them. Paul Scholes is in total command of the midfield and his pin point cross field passes are a joy to watch.

Good one touch football down the right wing by Manchester United and Nani finds space but he toe-pokes the ball miles into the crowd. Five minutes before half time De Silva crossed and a Rooney header had the keeper well beaten but it hit the crossbar and was cleared. This is as close as they've come so far.

Rangers responded immediately and good work by Davis and Naismith put Miller through on goal at the corner of the penalty box. Miller ran directly at the keeper and shot when the better option was clearly to cut it back to one of his team mates in front of goal. Van Der Sar saved comfortably with his feet and the resulting corner came to nothing.

Remember the shouty boy i mentioned earlier? Well now he's having a shouty conversation with himself, one minute he's shouting that 'Rangers are better than this pish' the next he's shouting 'what do you mean pish, this is Manchester United they've won this trophy mare times than us'. He's probably being the most entertaining part of the game so far.

The most disappointing thing is the number of sectarian songs we're hearing and the amount of times a players religion is mentioned in a derogatory manner. I mean how do they even know this information.

Half time passes by, I can't be bothered with the trek to buy us another pie and the Cheerleaders are way over the other side of the pitch. I do notice however that the stadium announcer only plays Rangers songs at half time to gee the support up.

Both teams restart with the same personnel on the pitch. Nani doesn't take long to remind us of the great Olympic diver he could be as he falls to the ground after the slightest touch and wins a free kick just on the D of the penalty box. Rooney steps up and floats it up and over the wall and just the wrong side of the post. A Giggs cross is just behind Berbatov and he can only manage to volley it high and wide shortly after.

The games opened up it a fair bit now and Rooney plays a beautiful ball to Carrick just inside the box. Carrick hit it well but it was to close to McGregor who made a comfortable diving save. Carrick will feel, Fergie too no doubt, that was the best chance so far.

Rangers came back through good work by Weiss as he skipped past a couple of United players and passed towards Naismith. United defender Evans misjudges things and Naismith managed to get a toe poke on goal that was saved by the keeper.

Up the other end and Berbatov got in the way of a team mates shot on the edge of the box, he instantly controlled it, turned and fired a shot on target that McGregor did well to save.

He then threw the ball out to Miller and for a moment it was two on one in Rangers favour. The whole of the Govan stand were screaming at Miller to pass the ball inside to Naismith who would then have been through on goal all alone but Miller dilly dallied and when he did play the pass it was a poor one. Miller was booed from every part of the ground after this. Yet again he seems to have got stage fright on the big occasions.

After another Rooney miss the Rangers fans started singing ' You'll only score in a Brothel, score in a brothel' to him which was quite amusing.

Ryan Giggs bombed down the left wing and played a great ball into the middle and only a brilliant piece of defending from Broadfoot stopped it landing on the head of Berbatrov, who from only yards out would have scored. Berbatov then played a great wee chipped pass into the box for Rooney but all got his feet all tangled up and the ball was cleared. He's clearly not match fit.

Some Rangers fans have started leaving already and there is still ten minutes to go. My dad reckons this is to ensure they catch the next subway train into the town centre and connecting trains for journeys further afield. Maybe it's because my team don't qualify for these games to much these days but I think we'd all be staying until the final whistle. I mean they could still nick this yet.

The Manchester United fans clearly think this is as far as Rangers are going to progress in the Champions League as they start singing ' Thursday night, Channel 5' as a reference to the fact that once you get knocked out of this competition you get relegated to the lesser Thursday night time slot and Europa League football.

With five minutes to go Da Silva tries to get on the end of a boucing ball in the box where he's crudely stopped in his tracks by a high boot to the face from Naismith and the referee points to the spot. The home fans are incensed around us, but I'm sure once the get home and see it on the box they'll see it's a definite penalty and a sore one too.

Rooney steps forward and places the ball on the spot. There's a mass exodus of Rangers fans who start to leave even before he sends McGregor the wrong way and it's one nil United. Took some bottle to get up there and take the penalty especially as he's played so poorly, but I guess that's why he's paid the mega bucks eh?

The Manchester fans then start singing 'We must be sat in a brothel, sat in a brothel' in reference to the previous song about Rooney.

Rangers can't find a way back in the final five minutes and at full time the stadium announcer informs everyone that Valencia have won 6 - 1 and Rangers are confirmed as having come third in the group and that a Europa League spot awaits them.

All in all it was a pretty poor game, and for a while I thought this might turn out to be the first nil nil of our adventure. The atmosphere with exception of the sectarian songs was brilliant and the view unbelievable but I'm glad it's time to go and I can leave the home section of Ibrox never to return again.


The Statistics


Ticket: Early Christmas present from my sister. Otherwise it would have been £42 per adult.
Programme: £4
Attendance: 49,674
Pie: £1.60
Pie Marks: 5 out of 10
Man of the Match: Gavin & Dave Steven Davis (Rangers) Dad - Paul Scholes (Manchester United) Me - Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Final Score: Rangers 0 v Manchester United 1
Mileage: 107 miles
Fascinating fact of the Day: Largest crowd ever in Britain was in 1939 for a league match against Celtic when 118,567 attended the game.

Next Game: Rugby Park (Kilmarnock)

Day Twenty Two: Airdrie United (Excelsior Stadium)

Airdrie United v Beith Juniors
Scottish Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 20th November



I wake up feeling slightly worse for wear , it's self inflicted as I was out at a friends last night playing darts & Guitar Hero till 3.30am and walked from Stockbridge to my flat and got to bed about 4.30am. I could have done without the 9.15am wake up call but needs must as I'm off to sort my barnet.


After surprising my girlfriend with breakfast upon my return from the hairdressers, I decide to surprise my dad by turning up before my 12.45pm pick-up deadline. For the first time in a long time he's not sat in the car waiting for me when I get there. Instead he's sat in front of the TV raging at the Kilmarnock keeper for his part in the awarding of a penalty just on half time for Rangers at Rugby Park.


We set off just before one for the short drive over to Airdrie to meet my Uncle Raymond and take in the 3rd round clash between Airdrie United and Beith Juniors in the Scottish Cup. Last time my dad and I saw Airdrie was up at Forfar in September. Airdrie had some great young players on show that day and I'm looking forward to seeing how they get on today. My dad and Raymond are from Ayrshire, both are supporting Beith today and would rather they sat in with the away fans but for the purposes of the blog are happy to sit in with the home support.


We arrive at the ground just before 2pm, Raymond rolls up in his car about ten minutes later. It's far too cold to think about venturing into the ground yet so he comes and sits in the warmth of our car. My dad and Uncle are just like any brothers as it seems as they soon start winding each other about a variety of subjects.


As the kick off time approaches we leave the warmth of the car to go take the required photo outside the ground and visit the Club shop so my dad can purchase his pin badge before we go through the turnstiles.


Before we take our seats we take the now traditional pre-match pie. Straight away just from looking at it I can tell it's going to be a disappointing affair. You can tell Raymond is just a novice at this pie tasting lark as he comments on it being a good pie. My dad and I look at each other in disbelief at this and explain to him that he's wrong. Sure, it may have a decent crust and it is boiling but it's way too dry.

Excelsior Stadium looks like it's been put together using red, white and black Lego bricks, it's open at all four corners and the wind just rips through it. Here's hoping we're in for an exciting game to warm us up.

There's quite a large away following and my dad reckons it must be empty in Beith this afternoon. There quite a noisy and boisterous bunch too with their hooters, banners and beach balls. It's unsurprising then that they're the first to sing us a song, a nice rendition of 'What a shitty home support!'.

As Airdrie run out I'm disappointed to see that their teenage prodigy Tony Watt is only on the bench. Reading the papers you'll see that Watt has been on trial at Liverpool and Celtic already this season. My dad reckons Jimmy Boyle, the Airdrie Manager, doesn't want to risk him against a junior side.

It[s a decent start to the game with both keepers being called into action within the first ten minutes. Airdrie are utilising the pace of their front three by playing the ball over the top of the last defender so they can run on to it. Beith are happier to play the ball to feet and try and play round their league opponents.

Airdrie's Devlin tries his luck cutting in from the left wing to smash a shot at goal, Robertson does brilliantly to tip it round the post, nothing comes from the corner. Up the other end of the park, Martin Stewart has a great chance to score when he runs on to a through ball only ten yards from goal but he somehow manages to get the ball tangled up in his feet and the chance has gone.


Airdrie beginning to take hold of the game and it's Jamie Stevenson who's next to try his luck but this time his shot is easily saved. Moments later Gary Muir bursts from his own half and is blatantly chopped down in full flight by a Beith defender. Sheridan will consider himself a lucky boy to have a defender behind him otherwise it would have a red card he got and not a yellow.

The Beith fans haven't stopped singing and dancing all game and the Airdrie stewards are having a tough time getting them to sit in their seats.


Airdrie go closest yet when Chris Craig cuts in off the left and smashes in a drive which scrapes the top of the bar and goes over. Ryan Wallace then forces the Beith keeper into another save and from the corner, Paul Lovering heads against the bar. Craig is booked moments later for a bad tackle as he went straight through the Beith player.

Beith score just after the half hour mark, great work by Joe Bradley, who Raymond tells me started his career with Celtic, on the right wing passes to Stewart who plays a delightful ball in behind the Airdrie defence. Brian McKeown is onto it in a flash and slots his finish into the bottom corner. The away fans go mental, the home fans aren't to happy.

A horrible challenge on Ryan McCord leads to Sheridan receiving a booking. The home fans think this should have been red however. It was a bad tackle but only worthy of a yellow.

Beith are much better now that they've gone a goal in front and they are playing great one touch football. It's just a shame for them that the half time whistle comes to soon.

I take the opportunity to buy us all another pie, Raymond blouses out and settles for a cup of tea. Poor show eh?

The Airdrie manager decides it's time for the wonder kid to come on as Tony Watt emerges from the tunnel minus his tracksuit. The home fans are delighted to see him take the park. I'm happy to as he's been one of the stand out players I've seen so far.

Airdrie force a corner within the first thirty seconds of the second half, unfortunately Gibson heads over. On the hour mark Marc Ridgers in the Airdrie goal saves his team going two behind when he reaches out to tip the ball off the head of the attacker.

You can feel the tension in the ground. Everyone supporting Airdrie must be thinking that their team could be the next to fall to a junior side. Remember the last round when Albion Rovers got beat by Sunnybank.

Watt had the chance to level when he found himself all alone at the back post as a cross came over, but all he managed was to head the ball two yards wide. It was a bad miss made even worse moments later as Beith scored a second.

Bradley played a great ball between two defenders and the pacey Kenny McLean raced onto the ball and toe-poked the ball beyond the keeper as he raced out of his area. The away fans go mental. The home fans are outraged. One Airdrie fan sat just in front of us starts clapping the Beith goal before launching in to a vicious tirade at the Airdrie management team.

Airdrie are just holding on now and are really lucky not to go three down when a long free kick out of the Beith defense is ignored by the Airdrie defence and Bradley races onto it. He takes the ball round the keeper but hits it a bit hard and by the time he catches up to the ball he can only hit it against the outside of the past and wide. Some Airdrie fans have started clapping the away side.

The game turns on its head with thirteen minutes to go. Airdrie's Lovering and Beith's McShane go for a 50-50 ball and McShane wins it and the ball goes out. Lovering launches himself into the air as the players clashed and then goes into his gymnastic routine rolling over and over.

The home fans are baying for blood, and the home players surround the ref screaming for a red card. We're with the Beith fans and bench, disgusted at the Airdrie left back. Unbelievably the ref reaches into his pocket and pulls out a red card and sends McShane off. As soon as this happens Lovering jumps to his feet and makes his way into the box.

The resulting free kick is whipped in and Lovering guides a back header into the top corner from six yards out. He then has the nerve to celebrate by running right pass the away bench who not surprisingly rise to this provocation and the linesman and stewards have to step in. It's moments like this in football that really make you mad. What a cheat!

Airdrie should have equalised minutes later when cross is headed goal wards by Lovering and Bain tried to knock it in but only managed to sky it over the bar.

With three minutes to go Beith's McKeown played the ball to Spence who had a great chance to win it but only managed to push his shot into the side netting. The whole Beith bench were up on their feet thinking it had gone in.

There are no fourth officials outside the SPL and as a result we've no idea how much injury time will be played. If there is any justice the referee should atone for his previous error and blow his whistle now. He doesn't and in the third minute of injury time a Bain shot is wickedly deflected past the Beith keeper and nestles in the net.

Bain sprints to the home fans, who spill on to the pitch in celebration. Some idiot near us runs down the stairs to the Beith dug out and screams at their management team. He doesn't have the bottle to hang about though and turns and runs away when the assistant manager reaches out for him.

Seconds later the referee whistles for full time. Never have I felt more injustice at the final whistle. Beith were by far the better team and did not deserve to be going away with just a draw.

I was really disappointed with the Airdrie performance, I'd gone there expecting to be entertained and I've come away feeling cheated. God knows how the Beith supporters feel, I hope they get the victory their team deserve in the replay.


The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £15, Concession £10
Programme: £2
Attendance: 1,412
Pie: £1.50
Pie Marks: 6.5 / 10
Man of the Match: Dad - Kenny McLean, Raymond - John Sheriden, Me - Joe Bradley (All Beith Juniors players)
Final Score: Airdrie United 2 v Beith Juniors 2
Mileage: 67 miles
Fascinating Fact of the Day: Many people think Airdrie United are a re-incarnation of the old Airdrieonians who went bust in 2002. They are in fact a re-incarnation of Clydebank. A local Airdrie business man bought Clydebank when they too were in financial difficulty, moved the club to Airdrie and he called them Airdrie United.


Next Game: Ibrox Park aka Castle Greyskull (Rangers)

Day Twenty One: Queen's Park (Hampden Park)

Queen's Park v Albion Rovers

Scottish Division 3

Saturday 13th November

So here we are; five months in and we're half way through our adventure and what better place to celebrate it than at Hampden Park? Granted, it won't be the full Tartan Army experience but I'm sure we'll enjoy it.

We're off to watch Queen's Park, the oldest side in Scottish football (formed in 1867) and the only amateur side playing in the professional leagues in Britain. The club's motto reflects this: Ludere Causa Ludendi. Which means: to play for the sake of playing.

For the first time in a while, I'm almost on time to meet my dad for the drive through to Glasgow. As is now the norm, we listen to Radio Scotland's 'Off the Ball' on the drive through, although it isn't up to it's normal high quality, mainly due to the fact that motormouth Archie MacPherson was one of the guests.

We arrive at the national stadium bang on 2pm and decide it's far too cold outside to venture into the ground straight away. As we're not sure which turnstiles will be open we ask at the main reception and while we're there we ask to be directed to the club shop. I think the fella on the desk may have misheard as he directs us downstairs to the Scotland shop. No Queen's Park stuff on sale here and asking the bloke on the desk for directions to the is like pulling teeth - painful. 'Go and ask upstairs' says the moody bugger. Turns out the Queen's Park shop is inside the stadium and not at the reception area.

After finding our way to the correct turnstile I'm amazed to find that it's only going to cost my dad £2 to get in, 2 quid!! I quickly inform him that he's going to be buying the pies when we do get inside.

When we do get inside it's weird, the stadiums massive, way too big for a Division 3 side. We've entered through turnstile P for goodness sake, how many other sides in this division are going to have so many turnstiles. It's the only one open mind.

This is the first ground we've been at that has a television inside showing live football, so while my dad buys himself a pin badge and two pies I watch Man United stage another of their late comebacks and draw two each with Aston Villa.

The pie turns out to be a decent effort, it's piping hot but is let down by his 'greasy bottom', so says my dad.

We make our way to our chosen seat for the game and it's only when we get in you notice the insignificance of only 400 or so folks in a ground that holds 52,000. The two sets of supporters sit within four sections of each other, the home and away fans are separated by plastic tape. Queen's Park home games must be the easiest games for the stewards at Hampden; in fact it seems as there are more ball boys than stewards.

Before the game kicks off we all stand for a minute's silence in respect of Remembrance Sunday.

The Albion Rovers fans are the first to sing us a song, which for the first ten minutes is the only excitement of the game. That and the fact that when the ball gets booted out of the pitch on the other side of the ground it takes two or three minutes for it to be found.

First chance falls to Queen's Paul Harkins when he dinks the ball over the static Albion defence and runs on to it himself and it takes a cracking challenge from Reid to clear it. The first shot on goal doesn't come until twenty minutes in but Ian Watt hits it straight at Gaston in the Albion goal.

It's all Queens and Watt is finding space and as a result he's getting a lot of the ball. After he makes a quick burst down the left wing, he squares a great ball straight to the feet of the on-coming Tony Quinn, whose shot is nearer the corner flag than the goal.

This seems to sum up the performance of both teams so far. Decent build-up play but in front of goal they offer nothing.

Albion are pretty poor and it seems like they've not improved since we saw them the other week being beat by Sunnybank in the Scottish Cup. Only Gemmell and Love show any sign of offering anything going forward. It takes until the final minute of the half for Albion to have their first shot on goal, and that comes from a free kick. And, I might add, a free kick that in my and every home fan in the grounds' mind shouldn't have been awarded. Referees have been given a hard time recently but this one - David Somers - made some poor decisions throughout the game.

Gemmell hits his free kick straight into the wall and then hammers the rebound straight into the chest of the the Queens' keeper Adam Strain.

At half time I nip down and purchase us some more nourishment and while I'm down there I take in some of the many photos on the walls showing Scotland perform throughout the years.

Within the first minute of the second half Queens have the ball in the net when Watt runs onto a through ball and curls it into the top corner. I'm as surprised as he is to hear the referee's whistle and see the linesman's flag up for offside; as he was clearly onside when he scored.

There's a gent sat four or five seats to our left who has been talking to himself throughout the game and he is outraged at the decision. One minute he's full of praise for the Queens team, the next he's throwing dog's abuse at the players. We reckon that he used to come with some friends but over the years they've moved away, unable to cope with his 'passion' for the team. At one point even the steward near us looks over and clocks him and she looks as nervous as we do.

A free kick is floated into the Albion penalty box after the hour mark and somehow Meggatt manages to head the ball straight into the ground at his feet instead of goal wards. Substitute Smith then has the best moment of the game so far when he goes on a run beating three or four Albion defenders before hitting a weak shot towards goal. That pretty much summed up the game so far, all talk and no action.

After this the Albion manager throws on a few substitutes in an effort to liven up his team's performance and it is one of these subs who turns the game in their favour. With twenty minutes to go, the Queen's defence give Gemmell too much time to shoot and although his effort was blocked, it fell to Hamilton who lashed the ball home into far corner with a sweet right footed drive.

The home fans and especially the bloke beside us were incensed at the fact that they had gone behind and many called for the manager to make substitutions and change things up.

Queen's won themselves a corner after a goal-bound shot was headed clear. From the corner Meggatt put a free header a yard or two over the bar. Watt was then taken out by Donnelly as he sprinted down the wing towards the penalty box. Many of the home fans were calling for a red card but that would have been a bit harsh. My dad and I agreed that bringing the boy down was the right thing to do as Watt would have been in on goal otherwise.

Queen's hit the free kick straight into the arms of the keeper who then booted a huge clearance forward. The ball took one bounce over the defence and Gemmell was through with only the keeper to beat. Instead of taking time to control it, he took the ball on the bounce and tried to lob the keeper and only managed to hit it well over the bar. A bit of composure and he could have wrapped things up for Albion.

In the final minutes Eaglesham raced onto a blocked Albion clearance and looked certain to even things up but the Albion keeper made a brave diving save at his feet.

When the referee blew for full time the restless natives called for the committee to make management changes.

Neither team really deserved to win this game, Albion were really poor in the first half and showed very little in the second whereas Queen's had plenty of the ball but did absolutely nothing with it once they got in to the penalty box.

Here's hoping that this isn't the last time we're back at Hampden this season, maybe one of our teams will make it to a cup final. Aberdeen are in the semi's of the League Cup and who knows they may turn their fortunes around and meet Kilmarnock in this seasons Scottish Cup Final - well you've got to have a dream eh!!?

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £11, Concession £2

Programme: £2

Attendance: 529

Pie: £1.60

Pie Marks: 7 / 10

Man of the Match: Dad - Robert Love (Albion Rovers) Me - Ian Watt (Queen's Park)

Final Score: Queen's Park 0 v Albion Rovers 1

Mileage: 97 miles

Fascinating Fact of the Day: Diego Maradona scored his first goal for Argentina at Hampden Park in a 3-1 victory over Scotland in June 1979.

Next Game: Excelsior Stadium (Airdrie United)

Day Twenty: Dundee (Dens Park)

Dundee v Partick Thistle

Scottish Division 1

Saturday 6th November

Driving down to meet my dad I realise I'm running a little late when he phones me to check I'm actually up and on my way. Still we leave Edinburgh just before 1pm so we should have plenty of time to get to Dundee.

We'd originally planned to go to Dens Park later in the season but seeing as how they've gone in to administration for the second time in seven years and are about £300,000 in debt we've moved the visit forward just in case they don't make it that far.

We drive up to the ground just before 2pm, it takes a while to find a parking space but we're walking over to the ground shortly after. We take a quick detour to the club shop so my dad can continue the tradition of buying a pin badge from all the teams in the lower divisions, and to help out with the crippling debt at the club. Whilst we are in there we buy a programme and are given two huge red cards free of charge. The significance of these will be explained later.

We decide to sit in the main stand in the hope that it may be a bit warmer than any of the other three stands, which are a bit more open to the bitter cold. My dad and I went in through two different turnstiles and found out that we didn't come out together on the other side, we did however meet up at the top of the stairs and after finding our seats in the stand my dad went off for the pre-match pies. It was decided that due to it's crunchy pastry, meaty content and temperature that a 7.5 out of 10 score should be given.

As the stadium fills up it's clear to see that the Dundee fans have come out in their thousands to show their support for their team, although we can't help think that if they turned out like this every week Dundee probably wouldn't be in the trouble they find themselves. As the teams run out the tannoy announcer asks us all to show our displeasure towards the SFL bigwigs who this week handed out a 25 point deduction to the club for going into administration.

This may seem controversial but I believe that Dundee desrve to be hit with a fine and a point deduction, I mean this is the second time in just seven years that they've found themselves in this situation. It would be unfair on the rest of the teams in this division if they were simply allowed to get away with it - as my dad said though it's not something I going to shout about at this moment in time.

The game kicks off and Dundee are straight on the attack but a header on goal is easily saved by the Partick Thistle keeper. Prior to the game when the teams were read out the Partick keeper was named simply as 'trialist', turns out it's Scott Fox; who up until Dundee found themselves in trouble was the goalie here at Dens. With the predicament Dundee now find themselves in, Fox was one of those players that was let go.

Three minutes in and some great work in the box by Dundee's Irvine, who controlled the ball on his chest and overhead kicked the ball across goal, his cross was met at the back post by O'Donnell but his shot went just wide.

The home fans are quick to welcome the Partick Thistle manager Iain McCall back to Dundee with a nice chant - You're a wee fat bastard Iain McCall and follow it up with a rendetion of You'll never see your tolley Iain McCall. All this hatred simply because he used to manage their local rivals Dundee United.

Ten minutes in and a shot Harkins goes close for the home side when his half volley scraped the outside of the post. After Partick's first cross into the box is comfortably saved by Rab Douglas, he throws a long ball out to Nicky Riley who skipped past two challenges and played the ball to Leigh Griffiths. Griffiths took one touch to control the ball and rifled a screamer past Fox from easily 35 yards out. It was a belter of a goal, one of the best we've seen so far and Dens Park went mental.

Lockwood then smashed in another long range effort and although the keeper dropped it he was the first to the rebound to prevent his side going two behind.

It was a full twenty minutes before Partick really tested the home defence but Hardie's header was tipped over for a corner. From this Douglas dropped the ball under pressure and must have been releaved to see Doolan fail to take advantage and smash the ball over the top.

Partick Thistle were forced in to two substitutions due to injury in the first twenty-five minutes. Things could have been much worse moments later when Kinniburgh was lucky not to see red for trying to pull down Griffiths when he was the last defender. Referee Charlie Richmond let the advantage be played before pulling the game back and awarding a free kick. Some referee's would simply have blown up after the offence and both my dad and I agreed the Thistle defender was mighty fortunate not to be sent off.

From the resulting free kick on the edge of the box Sean Higgins saw his shot beat both the wall and the keeper but unfortunetly for him it went the wrong side of the post. This was the final action of the first half.

During the half time break we were treated to the stadium announcer thanking a succesion of supporters for their money making schemes to help pull Dundee out of the mire, a passionate speech by Stuart Murphy - who sits on the Dundee Board as the Fans representative - who complained bitterly about his sides treatment by the SFL and then four Dundee Legends were introduced to the crowd. I didn't catch all their names but the home fans greeted them as legends should be greeted.

The Partick Thistle fans on the other hand booed throughout all of the above.

Iain McCall must have given his side the full hair dryer treatment at half time as they started the second half much much stronger than there poor perfomance in the first. It was however scrappy for the first ten minutes or so as the nerves were beginning to show amongst the Dundee players, who must be awre they can't afford to drop any points.

The equaliser came just before the hour mark when a long ball over the top of the Dundee defence was chased down by Buchanan and he won a corner for his persistence. The Dundee defender Weston was raging at his fellow defenders for their failure to track back and clear the ball.

The corner wasn't cleared properly and fell to Brian Hodge on the each of the box and he did really well to keep his shot down and power it through the sea of bodies of front of him and in to the bottom corner.

Partick then sat back and were happy to try and hit Dundee on the break but this only allowed the home team to pile on the pressure and they crowd tried to play their part by singing non-stop. The referee was being kept busy as he made Partick's Paton the fifth player to be shown a yellow card.

Dundee's Irvine very nearly put his side back in front with a smashing effort from twenty five yards that Fox did brilliantly well to get down and tip past he post. The linesman then did something I didn't catch that annoyed the home fans and bench, so much so that the the referee had to come over and give Dundee manger Barry Smith a long talking too.

With five minutes to go 38 year old Rab Douglas made an amazing one handed save to tip a Boyle shot over the bar.

It looked like it was going to end one each but with five minutes to go a Lockwood shot on target was deflected into the net by on-loan player Jamie Adams and the place erupted. Honestly the noise was deafening and it was as if Dundee had won the league.

There was still time however for Douglas to make a world class save in the final minutes when he plucked a Kinniburgh header out of the top corner with a one handed save. Surely now Dundee would hold on for all three points. After what seemed like an age he blow the final whistle at 4.55pm and the home fans celebrated.

The home team walked off the pitch to David Bowie's song Heroes and they desrved such recognition as they all played for the colours today. Partick Thistle may feel a little disappointed to lose a goal in the final moments but Dundee were the better side throughout. It's along way back from -12 points but with performances like this the home fans can at least hope that they may catch Partick who are joint second bottom of the league with Striling and Morton on plus 12 points.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £19, Concession £10

Programme: £2.50

Attendance: 6022

Pie: £1.40

Pie Marks: 7.5/10

Man of the Match: Dad - Robert Douglas (Dundee) Me - Leigh Griffiths (Dundee)

Final Score: Dundee 2 v Partick Thistle 1

Mileage: 117 miles

Fascinating Fact of the Day: Dundee & Dundee United have the two closest stadiums anywhere in the world in professional football.

Next Game: Hampden Stadium (Queen's Park)

Day Nineteen: Albion Rovers (Cliftonhill)

Albion Rovers v Sunnybank

Scottish Cup Round 2

Saturday 23rd October

Another first for our adventure; we're off to witness a match between a professional and a junior side. Today Third Division Albion Rovers play North Junior Super Division side Sunnybank in the second round of the Scottish Cup.

My presence has been requested at my dad's house for 12.45pm, but for the first time this season I'm early. The reason being is that the Aberdeen v Hibs game is on the box. I must thank Emma for getting ready well under her usual time frame to drop me off for the 12 noon kick off.

We leave at half-time and I'm in a great mood as the Dons are already two up. I'm not getting carried away though as we've thrown a lead away more than once this season. It's an easy drive along the M9 to the Coatbridge turn off, made even easier by two further goals for Aberdeen. It's a shame we let them score two goals before the end but seeing as this is our first victory since the 21st August I'm not too bothered.

We drive into Coatbridge about 2pm and park near the ground. Normally we would sit in the car for a while but my stomach's rumbling away and I decide we should go into the ground and seek out some nourishment. Last week when I was short on cash my dad paid for me to get into the Inverness game so it's only right I return the favour this week (and probably the next few weeks too). However, when we enter the turnstile the attendant tells me concession tickets can only be bought at the next gate, I go to give my dad the money and he wanders off telling me to keep my money and buy him a pie instead. Cheers dad but next week I'm paying for us both, okay?!

Walking up the stairs into the ground we can see that Cliftonhill is a proper old-school ground; wasteland behind either goal, deserted, condemned terracing on the far side and a wooden stand that looks like it's seen better days. We ask for directions to the Club Shop and are told to take the stairs down into the innards of the stadium. Once we find it we're disappointed to hear that there are no pin badges on sale and amused when the attendant tells us 'they only got Albion Rovers strips in three weeks ago and you'd have thought the Red Cross had broken through'.

We make our way back up into the sunshine and head towards the Albion Rovers' cafe for some nourishment. Must admit the pie here is up with the best we've had so far and my dad scores it an eight out of ten and I decide to have a second in quick succession.

Standing beside the pie stand we get talking to a bloke, Martin was his name. Turns out Martin's an Edinburgh man, a Hibs fan too and of course I take much pleasure in reminding him of the score from earlier. He, like my dad, is a fountain of football knowledge and we chat to him for a while before the game kicks off and then he sits near us in the stadium. We had to make three attempts to find the correct vantage point. First time we sat in with the away fans, second time my dad couldn't fit his legs into the space available and even the third seat has areas that are blocked by the stanchions.

I'll admit to thinking prior to the game that this could have been the lowest attendance yet but I've underestimated the size of the away support as there are easily two coach loads down to support their team.

The game kicks off and the Sunnybank fans are first to sing us a song but it's Albion who are first on the attack; a great cross from Reid to the front post is caught on the half volley by McLeod and it takes a great save from the Sunnybank keeper Sweeney to turn it round the post.

Sunnybank shock their Senior League opponents with a goal after ten minutes. Albion fail to clear their lines and the loose ball falls to Nicky Gordon who drills it home from eight yards. Two minutes later they almost doubled their lead when from a corner a Fettes volley is cleared off the line. The locals are not happy!

Sunnybank fans are very vocal, although it does seem that they keep singing the same song - we're black, we're white, we're f***ing dynamite, we're Sunnbank, Sunnybank.

The first Albion effort comes after twenty-five minutes when a long free kick into the box is headed goal-wards but the keeper nonchalantly plucks it out the air with one hand. Nothing else really happened in the first half other than the Albion fans giving us a rendition of "They've only got one song" to the Sunnybank fans after another burst of the aforementioned song.

Oh, that and the fact I've nipped down for my third pie of the game only to be told there are none left. Och well a steak bake will have to do ha ha (editors note: he does get fed at home!).

Into the second half and Sunnybank went close after fifty minutes when a bullet header from Fettes was saved well by the Albion keeper Gaston, although if he'd directed it either side of the goalie he would have scored.

As the game progresses Sunnybank sit deeper and deeper in their own half inviting pressure onto them. They resort to kicking their opponents as the game descends into a right old fashioned blood and snotters affair. This is epitomised by Sunnybank's number four Gary Clark, he is, as my dad comments, 'a proper hatchet man'. Bartlett is booked for a wild lunge at the Albion right back.

Karma comes back to bite Clark as he's clattered in a challenge and has to be substituted, which is probably just as well for his assailant as I'm sure revenge would have been swift and deadly.

Albion blew two great chances on the hour mark, Gemmell's low shot is saved by Sweeney and the rebound fell to Hamilton who pinged it past the post. It's all Albion now and Gemmell again finds the side netting, and then he heads past the post. Sunnybank players are cramping up all over the pitch, although this is seen as a deliberate attempt to run down the clock by the home fans.

With ten or so minutes left the home fans cheer loudly when they hear the referee's whistle as they think a penalty has been awarded for their side. He has in fact blown as Canning has tried to do a 'Maradona' and punch the ball into the net. The Sunnybank fans take great delight in laughing at this misunderstanding.

Gemmell really should have equalised with five minutes to go but a fantastic challenge from Donnelly just as he pulled the trigger meant it went out for a corner. Right at the end of the match a corner was again headed by Gemmell but again the keeper was up to the task.

At the final whistle the contrast in the two sets of supporters couldn't have been greater. The boos from the home fans were loud but not as loud as the cheers from the Sunnybank fans who rapturously cheer their team off the pitch.

The result's a fair one though, Sunnybank were the better team in the first half and could have been two or three up and far all the Albion pressure in the second they never really troubled the Sunnybank keeper. So it's the junior side who march into the next round and who knows maybe we'll catch up with them again.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £10, Concession £5

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 357

Pie: £1.50

Pie Marks: 8/10

Man of the Match: Me - Nicky Gordon (Suunybank), Dad - Nicky Gordon

Final Score: Albion Rovers 0 v Sunnybank 1

Mileage: 72 miles

Fascinating Fact of the Day: The lamps in the floodlights at Cliftonhill were bought from Cardiff Arms Park when it was knocked down to build the Millennium Stadium and the seats were bought when Third Lanark went out of business.

Next Game: Dens Park (Dundee)

Day Eighteen: Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Caledonian Stadium)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v St.Johnstone

Scottish Premier League

Saturday 16th October

My presence has been requested at my dad's house for 11am for the drive up north to Inverness. It was supposed to be a family occasion today but both my mum and my girlfriend have decided last minute to stay at home. It's a 3 hour drive to Inverness, so we should arrive around 2pm.

For the first time this season however my dad's desire to leave plenty of time for the journey pays off. We get stuck just this side of the Forth Road Bridge for about 20 minutes in road works and further up the road at the Bridge of Earn in a huge tail back as the main road from Perth to Dundee has been closed due to an accident. What should have taken us fifteen minutes takes us nearer an hour; we're then stuck behind caravans, lorries and 'Sunday drivers'. By the time we drive over the hill and into the town of my birth it's almost 2.30pm.

As such, we don't have time for our pack lunch or even to take in the beautiful scenery around the stadium. For those of you that haven't been Caledonian Stadium can be found on the banks of the Moray Firth adjacent to the Kessock Bridge. The picture above is taken from inside the ground.

It's the end of the month and I'm a little skint so after last night's begging phone call my dad is buying my ticket today. Admission price comes in at £45 for the two of us and he informs me that his has wiped out his funds so it's just as well I brought £15 otherwise I'd be doing this blog without the 'Pie Report' and a programme.

We enter the ground just five minutes before kick off and seeing as we've been unable to tuck into the sandwiches it's straight to the Pie Stand for us. We take our nourishment and find our seats just as the teams run out onto the pitch. The pie on offer is piping hot but suffers from a crumbly bottom and therefore 'points are deducted for its collapse-ability'. I think my dad might just have invented that word but he's the expert so who am I to judge.

It's a nice wee ground they've got at Inverness; with covered seating on three sides of the ground and a small uncovered seated area opposite the main stand. I would, however, recommend that if you do come to watch a game on a sunny afternoon that you bring a cap or sun visor with you as you'll find the afternoon sun shining straight in your face. Another thing I'd like to mention is that in the area we were sitting in there is a staircase leading down to the sign-posted toilets. Don't let this sign fool you though as there are no toilets at the bottom of the stairs, I mentioned this to the steward on my way back to my seat and she told me that 'the toilets don't actually open until the game kicks off'. What kind of a system is that? You have to hold on for the game to start before you can go to the toilet - weird.

It's the Saints who are first on the attack with a header just over the bar in the first two minutes. The already vocal Saints fans are in fine form and they are in fine voice and they have even more to sing about after 9 minutes Alan Maybury's long cross field ball is inexplicably left by the home defence and Colin Samuel runs on to it to stroke the ball into the far corner away from the dive of Esson.

They should have been two up after 20 minutes when Sam Parkin was through on goal only to shoot straight at the keeper. What a let off for Caley!

The away fans taunt their opposite number with a rendition of 'Caley, Caley sing us a song', but they get no response. Their next little ditty is 'going bust, they're going bust Dundee's going bust' which is a reference to the current troubles faced by their local rivals.

Liam Craig is next to try his luck for the away side as he unleashes a thunderbolt with his left foot that must have just scraped past the post.

Inverness are absolutely shocking, they can't string two passes together and show very little in attack. It takes until injury time at the end of the half for them to muster any threat. A Duff corner is knocked back across goal and lands at Rooney's feet but like his more illustrious namesake his form deserts him and he fluffs his sides only chance so far.

Terry Butcher is going to have to give his players the full hair-dryer treatment at half time as they have shown so little in the first half.

At half time we're 'entertained' by some bloke who does keepy-uppies for the full ten minutes. My dad informs me that this same bloke was at the Kilmarnock v Dundee United game last weekend, and the best bit was when he was running along with the ball perfectly balanced on his head one of the Dundee United subs sneaked up behind him and swiped the ball off his forehead. Nae such luck here and I'll be honest I was more than a bit bored watching him perform. As my dad said 'he obviously has no actual skill with the ball as a player just a show man'.

St.Johnstone have a great chance to double their lead a minute into the second half when Jackson beats two defenders and sends a beautiful ball across the six yard box, any touch would have signalled a goal but to the home fans relief no touch is forthcoming.

Inverness seem to pick things up after this and only a crunching challenge from Mackay stops Caley from firing in a shot. The defender gets booked for his troubles and he would have been pleased to see the resulting free kick smashed straight into the wall. Grainger is next to booked for the Saints, although this is a harsh booking as he clearly wins the ball and its only an over the top dive that fools the referee into thinking it's more serious.

Saints sub Haber almost makes the perfect start when his forceful run into the box results in a cut back to Liam Craig who really should have done better that smash the ball high over the bar from ten yards.

The Saints fans have not stopped singing for the entire match and take the awards for the most vocal fans we've heard yet, they even offer to sing a song for the Caley fans.

Adam Rooney should have made them eat there words moments later when a cross ball was headed into his path only yards from the goal but Graeme Smith made a fantastic save to keep the ball out. Moments later however and Inverness did get the equaliser. Captain Richie Foran played a perfect ball into the feet of striker Hayes, he sold the out rushing keeper a wee dummy and stroked it past him into the empty net. The keeper in his attempt to save the ball caught the striker with his out stretched leg and was booked for his troubles. Hayes celebrated his goal lying prone on the six yard box and needed treatment before he could continue.

From being totally outclassed and outplayed in the first fifty minutes, it's Inverness who are now on top and from a Duff corner, Munro went very close with a header to giving them an undeserved lead and moments later Rooney also went close with a header.

The home fans are screaming for blood with about five minutes left when Grainger chopped down an Inverness player who was at warp speed on a run into the Saints half. Grainger definitely took a booking for the good of his side there as the Inverness player was bearing through on goal. A tactical booking no less.

The fourth official signalled three minutes of injury time but there were no more chances at either end and the game finished one each. Derek McInnes, the Saints boss, will surely feel that his side should have made their superiority in the first half count more as Inverness will feel this is a point gained as they really were awful for most of the match.

After the game it takes us a good thirty minutes to get out of the car park and back on the road. We decide on a quick visit to see the house I grew up in which is situated just outside Inverness. It's amazing how much smaller it looked than I remember it but the view over Inverness and the Moray Firth towards the Black Isle is breathtaking and I will be back to visit before too long.

Next week we're off to watch Albion Rovers v Sunnybank in the next round of the Scottish Cup if you're interested.

Finally I'd like to dedicate this blog to my Uncle Walter, who we were going to visit after the match in Inverness. He's in hospital at the moment and I, as well as my dad, wish him a speedy recovery.

The Statistics

Ticket: Adult £25, Concession £20

Programme: £2

Attendance: 4882

Pie: £1.80

Pie Marks: 6.5/10

Man of the Match: Dad - Eric Odhiambo (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) Me - Liam Craig (St.Johnstone)

Final Score: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 v St.Johnstone 1

Mileage: 312 miles

Fascinating Fact of the Day: Caledonian Stadium has the widest pitch in professional football in Scotland

Next Game: Cliftonhill (Albion Rovers)

Day Seventeen: Montrose (Links Park)

Montrose v Stranraer

Scottish 2nd Division

Saturday 9th October

I'm supposed to meet my dad at his house no later than 11.30am for the next game of our journey, we're off to see Montrose versus Stranraer today. Emma & I went to see The Charlatans last night and a few shandies were involved and I'm a little bit late. I forgot my Uncle Raymond was joining us for the game today and it's a pleasant surprise to see his motor parked in front of my parents' house. It does mean, however, that I'm relegated to the back seat for the journey north.

We make good time as always up the road and even have time to stop in at a bakers in Forfar. Last week when we were in town to see the Forfar v Airdrie United game but unfortunately we missed out on the famous 'Forfar Bridie' as inexplicably they'd run out of them pre-half time; so Dad's here to sample and take some back to Edinburgh. It's a break from tradition to have such a treat before we've even got to the ground, but while in Rome as they say.

We park at the ground about five past two and after I've taken Raymond's picture outside, he and I take a wander into town whilst my dad stays in the car to read the paper. My Uncle regales me with stories about him and dad going to watch football when they were younger. He tells me that when my dad was a student at Glasgow University, they were drawn to play against his beloved Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup and my dad wore his university scarf to the match instead of the his Killie one. I'll have to get this verified when we get back to the car.

Raymond's been involved in football for as long as I can remember. He ran the Ayrshire Boys team for ages, he's been out in Australia coaching, scouted for loads of teams, including Aberdeen, where he got me a signed ball.

After a brief walk, we head back to the car and join my dad. We've already noticed that the turnstiles are back the way we came so I'm surprised when my dad wanders back down towards the players' entrance and disappears up the stairs. I've no idea what he's up to so I stay outside. When he doesn't reappear after five minutes however we join him upstairs. We've walked straight into the inner sanctum of Montrose Football Club and find my dad just as he's being introduced to the Honorary President, John Paton. Turns out he's a friend of Duncan Ferguson from Glenfords Ford Garage in Forfar, you'll remember him as he got us complimentary tickets for last week's game. This time he's gone one better and got us tickets and a place in the Director's Box.

The pre-match entertainment is therefore a wee bit different this week. This time we're in the the Willie Johnston Suite enjoying cups of tea; we're given a free programme and team sheet and part with a few quid to enter the half time draw. We only leave the warmth of the indoors ten minutes before kick off to take our seat in the Director's Box. As most of the other gents are still inside I take the opportunity to nip down to the Club shop to buy a pin badge for my dad (he's got a fair wee collection on the go now) and three pies for us to enjoy.

First impressions are not good as appearance wise it looks pretty shoddy. Never judge a book by it's cover and all that lark however, as the pie turns out to be a beauty. Nice crunchy crust, nae grease and plenty filling, so says my dad.

Before the game starts there is a minute's applause in memory of Norm Chrisite an ex-Montrose player and manager who passed away recently. Here's hoping he gets a winning performance from his old team.

The game kicks off bang on 3pm and it's a bright start from both teams. Looking around the ground we can see that there's a huge fence set up behind one of the goals to stop the ball disappearing into the adjacent gardens. From one of these windows I can see a bloke settling down to watch the game. As entertaining as the Director's Box may be, I'd happily swap the warmth of his home for the freezing cold of a Montrose afternoon.


Stranraer are first to threat with a corner but it's cleared easily. After five minutes the whole of the Montrose side of the Director's Box is up in arms at the near side linesman when he awarded a throw-in to Stranraer instead of the home side. This is not the last time this linesman will feel the venom of the home crowd.

Moments later a long-ball throw is flicked on by the huge Frenchman Armand One into the path of Winter who smashes it home from just inside the box. The whole ground and the home bench are on their feet screaming dogs abuse at the linesman, so much so that the Referee has to come over and speak to one of the Montrose management team stood by the dugout.

Stranraer have got their tails up however and Scott Agnew in the midfield is seeing plenty of the ball. My Uncle tells me the player spent some time at Rangers as a youth but never made it to the first team. He does possess a sweet left foot however, and he goes really close to adding to their lead with a deft lob which the home keeper, Bennett, scrambles to tip over.

Paul Tosh is the first to threaten for the home side; but his half volley on the turn falls the wrong side of the post. What's this, are my ears deceiving me, it's a song from the home fans. Twenty Five minutes in and we're treated to a song. I hadn't heard it before and can't remember it now but it felt good at the time to hear home fans getting involved.

The linesman, by the way, is still getting grief from all sides of the ground.

Armand One has some great footwork skills for his size, he's mostly all muscle but if he slimmed down a bit he'd be a fantastic player. From his hold up play he creates a chance for Craig Malcolm but his volley is punched clear by the keeper. A Connor Thomson free kick goes just wide for Montrose and minutes later the same player should have drawn his side level. A shot is deflected into his path and he's one-on-one with the Stranraer keeper, Mitchell, who does well to save with his feet and the ball's booted clear.

Ten minutes before the break, one of the Montrose centre backs, Sean Crighton, makes a total hash of trying to clear the ball and Craig Malcolm takes advantage to smash it home with his left foot from just outside the box. Calamity defending from Crighton and the home fans are thoroughly unhappy with their team's performance.

Sitting in the Directors Box you are surrounded by men who care passionately about their team, many of these fellas look like they've been coming here for years. The old boy in front of us for example is totally engrossed in the game and I bet here's the only place he'd behave in such a manner.

Montrose are holding on now, one more before half time and this game's surely over as a contest. The half time whistle goes and player manager Steven Tweed is going to have to give the hair dryer treatment to gee his team up to come out fighting in the second half.

Our half time consisted of cups of tea, scotch pies, mini muffins and a warm seat inside listening and talking to some of the characters in the aforementioned suite. My dad notices a strip hanging up in a frame on the wall. Nothing out of the ordinary you may feel in such a place, this one however has a signed pair of red frilly ladies underwear in there too, check the picture above for proof.

I take some time before the second half starts to wander round the ground to take in the view of the stand from the terracing. On the way I notice Lee Wilkie of Dundee and Dundee United fame sat in the front row of the stadium. Must be hard for him to come and watch games seeing as he had to give it up in April as a result of some horrendous injuries over the years.

The game kicks off before I can get back to my seat and Stranraer score their third two minutes after the restart. From my position I don't really see the build up play but my dad tells me its another assist for Armand One as he flicks the ball into the path of Malcolm who is wide open and scores his second of the game. Surely there's no way back for Montrose now. Two minutes later and the impressive Agnew strikes a free kick off the bottom of the post , that was so close to the fourth.

There are calls from within the Director's Box for Tweed to substitute himself. This can't be good when the Director's Box are calling the player manager off the pitch. Two minutes later however the same fans are cheering when Paul Tosh finds himself free and unmarked, probably as he looks offside, and floats a great lob over the Stranraer keeper to pull one back. The keeper is furious and he races over to the far side linesman to voice his opinion. The goal stands and Mitchell gets booked for his outburst.

It's amazing the difference a goal can make to a game and Montrose are pressing forward all the time now. My dad and I have seen Stranraer throw away a lead before and if they concede a second they can easily cave in. Ross McCord, the twin brother of Ryan McCord who we saw play for Airdrie last week, is getting on the ball in the centre of the park and making things happen for Montrose. Both brothers are on loan from Dundee United and they look like they and the 'Arabs' have a bright future ahead.

Paul Tosh goes close to getting his second just before the hour mark, when a cracking shot smashes off the bottom of the post with the keeper well beaten. The second goal arrives five minutes later when McCord smacks home a shot into the top right hand corner, again there are suspicions of offside. This time it's Hegarty who gets booked for screaming at the linesman.

Montrose are then denied a stonewall penalty when one of their players is clearly pushed in the back in the penalty box. The home fans are now the ones screaming at the linesman. None of them get booked though.

Moments later the Montrose right back tries to get Mitchell sent off by falling to the ground after the merest of touches. The referee is spot on when he laughs the claim away much to the annoyance of the crowd who think their player's a saint who would never dive. He's a cheat though and should have been booked.

Fifteen minutes to go and its three each! McNally powers home a header from eight yards which gave the keeper no chance. What a come-back from Montrose, they looked totally out of it after fifty minutes.

Stranraer had a chance with ten minutes left when Winter had his shot saved by the keeper's feet; he really should have scored from there! The man sitting to my left says to his friend 'we are going to lose this from here'. I turn and tell him not to be some pessimistic and he replies with 'ah but you three weren't here for the game we lost 5 - 4 then?'. He's correct, we weren't.

Scott Agnew almost confirms his thoughts in the last minute when his corner is swerving in, only to be tipped over. From his resulting corner, a header is cleared off the line.

The full-time whistle goes. That really was a game of two halves. The first-half was dominated by Stranraer and they will go away knowing they took the foot off the gas at three up. Montrose on the other hand must feel that this is two points gained. They were awful in the first half and brilliant in the second.

We are offered a cup of tea or post match beverage in the bar after the game but we're off down the road and home. Cheers to all the folks at Montrose for the hospitality shown and to Duncan Ferguson and my sister,Isla, for arranging the tickets. And cheers to you Raymond for joining us this time out.

Next week my dad and I are off to watch Inverness Caledonian Thistle if you fancy the trip?

The Statistics

Ticket: Free. Normal prices would have been £10 for adults & £8 Concession.

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 335

Pie: £1.30

Pie Marks: 7.5/10

Man of the Match: Dad - Scott Agnew (Stranraer) Raymond - Scott Agnew Me - Ross McCord (Montrose)

Final Score: Montrose 3 v Stranraer 3

Mileage: 190 miles
Fascinating Fact of the Day: To date Montrose have had the same number of draws home & away - 252.

Next Game: Caledonian Stadium (Inverness Caledonian Thistle)