7 Games left after today’s trip to Fife, we could be 20 points clear by 5pm with 21 to play for… We’re nearly there boys.
Before the game we have end of month stats and a few other little bits to go through
Our U18’s lost 1-0 to Lothian Thistle Res.
A decent number of rises this month – Harry Nicolson continuing on a pace. Lewis Faulds dropped off on a few though – strange. Overplaying him??
An OK month results wise (W2, D1, L1) but a pretty nondescript month from a stats perspective. High points are our shooting was good, on target %’s were high. Ross MacIver’s crossing is a worry for a winger…No specific Crossing training in FM19 that I can see so I’ve put him on passing training, that’s only an 8 so it will benefit him regardless.
Archie Gardiner gets Young Player of the Month for League 2 🙂
I got 2nd in manager of the month for February.
Finances still good – £27k loss in February, no home games at all…
Our Ressies beat Edinburgh City Res 2-1 in the Reserve League 2 – Ross’s Gilmour & MacIver with the goals.
Archie & Big Rod make the League 2 Team of the Week
And as it’s now March we’ve had a youth intake.
A nice mix of origins of the players – Not all Berwick based.
Golden generation 🙂 I may keep the top 4, then try and hoover up a load of really good kids from higher-division teams on release. The ‘Diamond’ Spencer Bennett is 5ft 4in 🙂 Andrew Todd however is 6ft 4in at 15 🙂 Centre Back material at its best 🙂
The youth Intakes have played the U18’s, with a decent smattering of first-team squad members and beaten them 3-1, 2 of the goals from beautiful counter-attacks.
I’ve signed the top 4, James Christie (AMRC, STC), Spencer Bennett (MC), Bobby Lowe (ML) and Andrew Todd (DC, DM, MC) – Interestingly all 4 are from Berwick 🙂
I’ve also been renewing my staff contracts starting from the end of the season – at the moment it looks like I will have all the current guys ‘n gal (Steph Wells, our brilliant Physio)
So to our last away trip of 5 in a row, this time to Methil, not surprisingly in Fife to face an East Fife side in a scrap for the 4th play-off spot (Stranraer in 4th are on 40pts, East Fife in 6th on 36 and Elgin, 2nd bottom are on 31). They beat Elgin last time out 1-0, but since the start of January they are P9 W3 L6, so their form has been inconsistent at best.
Balde hasn’t been performing on the left so I’m giving Tom Sutherland some time as a wide playmaker, allowing our centre mids to do what they do best, so we effectively set up as an attacking 5 and a defensive 6 with Andy Turner as the fulcrum. McLaughlin gets a game on the right (MacIver needs some time I think) and McIllduff some time at left wingback; as mentioned above Lewis Faulds may be a bit overplayed so he gets a rest this week. Slaven up top, McGrath to come on at some point. East Fife go with a 4-5-1.
HT East Fife 0 Berwick 0
We’re in our blue 2nd kit in the pouring rain (again), on what seems to be a very tight pitch (never noticed this before). The rain stopped after 15 minutes though, and the sun is shining, can’t remember the last time I saw shadows on the pitch 🙂 Berwick are plugging away but have been pretty wayward so far. 0-0 at HT, no shots from East Fife, pretty dire stuff.
FT East Fife 0 Berwick 0 Att 616 (73 Away)
Sutherland as that AP out on the left pretty much does what he wants – he’s in the centre of the pitch most of the time from what I can see. East Fife have really packed men behind the ball, its very difficult to break through. Barr on for Cornelius, Sutherland changed to an IF(A), Barr to DLP. 58 gone. East Fife had a shot, a good save from Allison. McGrath on for an ineffectual Slaven, going positive. Healy on for McLaughlin for the last 10, IF(A), Feels like a 0-0 TBH. East Fife pushing on a bit, having the better of the last 10, but it finished 0-0. A really drab game, I don’t think I’ve ever really dealt with a 4-5-1 particularly well.
15 points clear, 21 to play for so we’re still at least 2 games away from winning the league after Cowdenbeath & Stenny both picked up wins.
Next up is our first home game in 6 weeks as we entertain Annan . See you then.