What a day

By the end of the day on Saturday I was absolutely knackered. A combination of a sleepless night (I would love to say it was due to a dodgy baked potato, or something, instead of pre match nerves, but who am I kidding), a nerve jangling 120 minutes (I kept finding myself literally on the edge of my seat during the match), the drama of the penalty shoot-out (which seemed to fly past) and then the sprint from my seat on to the pitch and then back again (I almost felt as if it was me who had won promotion when I ended up giving Kevin Motion a hug in the middle of the pitch) meant I was done in by the end of the day. And all for promotion to the 2nd division! For once I fancied getting to the match earlier than my usual 2.55 on the basis, that (1) it would be good to sample the pre match atmosphere and (2) I didn’t fancy having to debate with some glory hunter (ha) who had managed to perch themselves in my seat that it would be a good idea if they moved – this was going to be a day of celebration, not confrontation, I told myself. Best laid plans and all that – I left my wallet at home and had to dash back to get it. This was not good for the blood pressure that was about to be pushed to it’s limit. Fortunately I had left myself some wriggle room so that I still got to the ground in good time. I even managed to secure 2 seats next to me for my friends / glory hunters! The match itself was a tense affair. What did I expect? Ovenstone had slotted in to the back line as if had never been away. He had had an excellent season for us (well, three quarters of one) and it was good that he got the chance to be part of the promotion winning team, as he deserved it. My guess is that he won’t be with us again next season, but he will be fondly remembered. Otherwise the team was pretty much as expected. Of course Scott Bennett took all the plaudits for his penalty save but his performances, not just in the last match, but in the period after the Montrose debacle were superb. Having pencilled him down as one of the players who wouldn’t feature next season, all of a sudden he has made himself irreplaceable. And at the same time gone down in Stenhousemuir folklore. I had made arrangements to be collected after the match, not really considering what might happen in the event of Extra Time and even Penalties. However, it worked out nicely, as my 3 year old daughter arrived just in time to witness her first ever penalty shoot out. Fortunately, her mum was with her which meant that when I was leaping about like a buffoon on the pitch she was in safe hands. Safer than mine, obviously. She now has a new song to sing (which is great because it means I don’t have to listen to her repertoire of Grease songs quite as much) – “Stenny for ever, Cowden in the river” – I presume she means the Firth of Forth. As for next season, well we’ll enjoy the feeling for now before starting to worry about what might happen next. Personally, I would just like to thank the players and management for providing such a great day as Saturday.

Bricking it

I don’t think I have looked forward to a Stenhousemuir match quite as much as I am tomorrow’s match. The last match in an unpredictable season that seems to have flown past. Yet the last three games have been fraught, tense matches. It crossed my mind last Sunday at Hampden and then again at Central Park (one benefit of this play off final is at least I will get one season‘s grace from visiting that god forsaken place), that this is just not an enjoyable experience, yet I can’t wait for tomorrow. The last two matches, goal-less matches, have been tense affairs. The quality of the football on show has been abysmal. You wouldn’t pay to watch it. Yet I did - twice. Who knows what tomorrow will be bring, but it will be a day to remember, one way or the other, irrespective of the quality of the 90 minutes. I think we are going to do it.

Talking tactics

Sitting here at work on the day of the first leg, I can't take my mind off the match, so I am left with little option but to update this blog again.

I've been thinking back to Sunday's game at Hampden, and specifically to John's tactical substitutions. They worked a treat on the day - bringing on 'gritty' players like Thomson helped us to see the game out.

It will be interesting to see, though, whether he follows the same strategy will happen if we're lucky enough to find ourselves ahead in the second leg of the final. Personally I hope he doesn't - if we were to concede a late goal, I wouldn't be comfortable in those circumstances without Love and (especially) Dalziel. If we do end up having to play extra time and pens, we'll need our top scorer on the park.

Roll on tonight...

The Final Countdown

So, after a long hard season, it all comes down to two matches. All that stands between this Stenny team and promotion is a two-legged tussle with our old rivals from Cowdenbeath. The memory of 2006 - when Cowden pipped us to the title against the odds - remains etched on the collective memory of Warriors supporters, and the players will be desperate to ensure that we are the ones celebrating this time.

Sunday's game at Hampden - the second leg of the semi-final - was undoubtedly nervy towards the end, but we had been the better side throughout, and our passage into the final was nothing if not deserved. It was an excellent team performance, but two players in particular were worthy of special praise - Scott Dalziel, for the skill and tenacity with which he led the line, and Craig Molloy, the best 'midfield general' we've had for many a year.

I don't want to tempt fate here, but I really do feel that we are ready for promotion this time. Whether we will actually manage it is a different matter - Cowdenbeath will be formidable opponents - but I think the time has come to make the step up. I'm not just talking about performances on the pitch, but the club as a whole. We have an excellent team of coaches in place; we have good facilities at Ochilview (most notably the artificial playing surface, which is a great asset); and the club in general is run on a very professional basis. The current stability is a far cry from the way things were a few years back, and securing promotion would be a just reward for all the hard work of recent seasons.

All that remains, then, is for us supporters to turn up in numbers, and show our support for the players as they make one final push. I will not be able to make the first leg, but will be travelling up from London for Saturday's game: Virgin Trains, in their eternal wisdom, have opted to cancel all London-Glasgow services this weekend, but even if I had to walk 400 miles, I'd be there. Because I have faith in this team. It will undoubtedly be difficult, but I think we're going to do it. After five long years in the Third Division, this is our time. COME ON THE WARRIORS!

Hampden here we come...

Well, what a turnaround in recent weeks. The Board's Vote of Confidence in John has had precisely the effect everyone was hoping for: 3 matches, 3 wins, 6 goals scored, no goals conceded, and (most importantly) a play-off spot secured with a week to spare.

On a more trivial note, the recent upturn in our fortunes will hopefully represent a reprieve for the fledgling 'Warriors TV' service. I was beginning to fear that it might be withdrawn, on account of the fact that ever since it launched, our form had been pretty catastrophic - was it bringing us bad luck?! Fortunately it has made for much more pleasant viewing in the last couple of weeks, and is an excellent and much-appreciated service, especially for long-distance supporters like myself.

And the line-up for the play-offs could scarcely be more mouth-watering. If anyone has ever been tempted to bemoan the fact that whilst the play-off contenders in the English leagues get to play at Wembley, we don't routinely get to go to Hampden - fear not! Fate has declared that our opponents in the semi-final will be Queens Park, so the away leg will be at the National Stadium - always a favourite venue for away trips. The Hampden trip is on Saturday week, which means that the home leg is on the preceding Wednesday. As it stands, our dear tenants at East Stirlingshire will be away to Cowdenbeath on the Wednesday, thus avoiding any clash between our home leg and theirs, both of which will be at Ochilview. If Cowden were to overtake the Shire on the final day of the regular season, however, this would be turned on its head: ourselves and the Shire would both have our first-leg ties at Ochilview... presumably the Shire game would then be brought forward to the Tuesday?

The potential arrangements for the final, meanwhile, are nothing if not bizarre. (Hopefully I'm not jinxing us by talking about this?!) If both ourselves and the Shire win through, we will face a two-legged final, with both legs at Ochilview! I'm told the away goals rule doesn't apply in the play-offs, which is probably a blessing given the general ridiculousness of the situation, but the concept is nevertheless a tad strange. One thing is for sure, the prospect of two local derbies to decide promotion is one which both sets of supporters would relish; the Ochilview atmosphere would be nothing short of electric. There are, of course, various other permutations: a Stenny-Cowdenbeath final, providing us with an opportunity for revenge after they pipped us to the title in 2006; or, if we miss out, the prize of trip to Hampden for Cowden or the Shire.

Before all that, of course, we have a trip to Forfar to look forward to, for our final game of the league season. Here's hoping for a win to set us up nicely for the fun and games to come...