We start today’s post by looking at Ross Sinclair, our new Keeper (hopefully for the long term). He’s had a good start to his career at Berwick, Averaging 6.97, 3 League 1 Teams of the Week, 3 clean sheets out of 9 league appearances. He’s also applying himself really well as a Sweeper Keeper. Very steady, nothing less than a 6.9 in his last 10 games. he could be a big part of our promotion push this season.
We go to an old stomping ground from our Civil Service days, the IndoDrill (Where BSC Glasgow play) to play an Alloa side in 9th in the sort of game we need to be winning comfortably. Before then we have a change of month, and all that that brings.
Surprised to only get 2nd in the September Manager of the Month for League 1 – Edinburgh had the same record but have dragged themselves off of bottom spot.
The dynamics are good (Cohesion is still only average but I hope that will keep improving over the season), We still have over £400k in the bank and the board have my role at 66% (Very Secure).
And so we make the trip to Alloa knowing we really need to win to keep ahead of the large pack of teams on our tail. Alloa need to win to stop their rot (LLWLL last 5)
We go with the same formation, Palmer & Davidson as BBM’s today and Gerry Martin as an Enganche (A stationary playmaker) – I think he’s that good that he can pull it off, with McManus as the DLP(D) linking up with him, the BBM’s causing a nuisance. Mitchell starts up top. Alloa go with a 4-4-1-1, 9 newgens versus our 3!!! Lets go and get 3 points please.
HT Alloa 0 Berwick 1 (Cooney o.g. 13)
We’re in all white this afternoon and are straight on the attack. And we should have been 1-0 in the 3rd minute – Davidson dispossessing one of the defenders, but he ran it too wide, the keeper cut the angles and saved the shot well. Good start though. And we did go 1-0 up in the 13th minute – a wicked low cross from Gerry Martin turned into his own net by Cooney. A dominant half, but we only go in 1-0 up in the pouring Alloa rain.
FT Alloa 1 (Murdoch 48) Berwick 1 (Cooney o.g. 13) Att 499 (117 Away)
A couple of tweaks to roles at HT, Martin back to being an AP(A) – he likes to roam I think. Davidson as a CM(A). Alloa come out the blocks a lot faster than in the first half, and equalise in the 48th minute, Murdoch tapping in from 15 yards after a corner. 60 gone, Double subbage, Leitch for Davidson (BBM) and Slaven for Mitchell (TM(A)) with Martin going to Shadow Striker. If anything Alloa look the more likely to win, its very odd. McIntosh on for McManus for the last 15 or so as a CM(D), Martin back to being the playmaker, dropping it to Balanced. And a magnificent saveb y the Alloa Keeper from Slaven keeps it 1-1, 84th minute. Attacking for the last 5. But it finishes 1-1. Points dropped, but 9 games unbeaten now.
It’s an insanely tight table after a third of the matches. A few wins required now.
2 weeks until our next game – we play Stenhousemuir (10th) at home in a must win. See you then.