Merry Christmas 2020!! Seany-Boy is on hell of a run of form.
14 goals in 9 games (inc. 2 Friendlies). Absolutely deadly.
Today we host a Stirling side who won their first game since mid November v 3rd-place Stenny last time out. They have a decent squad, but sit in 9th…Another one of “Those” games that will no doubt be tough to win. Do we attack, attack, attack???
Before then our Ressies beat Preston Athletic Res 3-2 – Goals from Ross Meechan (Another MotM), Liam Watt & Cameron McGinn….Getting really tough keeping Ross out of the team at the moment – He was playing in Centre Mid this game. Problem is, he shows as not suited to the role….
Thought this might be of interest – We had 12 players training at 8 or over last week, 3 at 9 or over and Dean Cornelius at 9.95!!!!! he will soon be the best player in the team (That we own – Nicolson is a fair way above everybody currently).
So to Boxing Day, where we entertain a Stirling side, that as mentioned above sit 9th but beat Stenhousemuir last time out, one of only 3 league wins so far (But they have 8 draws…)
I really want to get McGrath into proceedings so we are going 4-2-4 (With the potential to drop back to 4-3-3 relatively easily if its not working). Healy is in for McLaughlin, Barr is on the subs bench. Stirling are playing a 4-4-2.
HT Berwick 2 (Slaven 7, McGrath 30) Stirling 1 (Moffat 21)
An interesting start, we look a bit light in midfield but very dangerous going forward. And Seany-Boy opened the scoring in the 7th minute – Lewis Faulds running in unchallenged, dinking a cross to Slaven, whose flicked header was saved but back into his path for a tap-in. 1-0 Berwick. It should have been 2 a few minutes later, a Slaven header just wide. Stirling were getting a lot of the ball, but struggled to do anything but shoot from range. But they scored in the 21st minute, a long ball to Moffat splitting the defensive line, and he tapped in from 10 yards. I pulled the lines closer together to try and condense the play and it was 2-1 Berwick in the 30th – A Dunsmore corner flapped-at by the Stirling Keeper, with McGrath on hand to tap in. We are getting joy over the top, McGrath running on. 2-1 at the half. Interestingly Cowdenbeath are 3-0 down at half time at home to Stranraer… Stirling having the lion’s share of possession in the first half – not a fan of that, I think i’ll give it 10 before introducing Barr, going back to a 4-3-3.
FT Berwick 4 (Slaven 7, 79, 90, McGrath 30) Stirling 1 (Moffat 21) Att 510 (51 Away)
A good team-talk at HT and away we go. Stirling by far had the better of the game, so just before 55 mins Barr came on for McGrath, back to a more balanced 4-3-3. Stirling are playing the ball around like Barcelona…. McLaughlin on for Healy just before 70. We arte looking a lot better coming int othe last 20 minutes, just incessant fouling and blocking by Stirling have stopped us so far. But in the 79th Slaven made it 3 – a McLaughlin cross, initially headed by Slaven, parried poorly by the keeper, Slaven on the spot to poke it home (a la his first goal). Archie Gardiner for a shattered Cornelius with 10 left. And then the piece de la resistance, nearly everybody having a hand in a counter, ending with a Faulds cross to that man Slaven, who thumped a volley home to make it 4, and his hat-trick. 4-1 it finished, a really good showing in the 2nd half after the change back to 4-3-3. It was the Slaven & Faulds show in the end 🙂
A brilliant afternoon for Berwick, with a late-Christmas present from Cowdenbeath, losing 3-1 to Stranraer at home. 9 points clear with 17 games left.
And with that our month is done, and it wasn’t bad at all!!! Next up we are away to Annan (5th) who have lost their last 2 games, but won their 4 previously so it should be a good game. We will also go through the stats for the month, head into the transfer window and all that good stuff. See you soon.