After being shafted by the Refs in the last 2 games of October we need to turn the tide to stay in the play-off picture this month. 3 tough league games and what-should-be a nice trip up to the top of the country in the cup. My patience is being severely tested by FM19 currently…
QotS First up. I’m feeling a bit weak in midfield if we are playing 4 in there, so I’m looking to get in my 4th loanee…
5th November 2022 – Queen of the South (A) – Ladbrokes Championship
We make the 97 mile journey south-west to Dumfries to play a QotS side currently in 5th, 6 points behind us. They beat us at ours so we are looking to make amends.
Carrick & Slaven up top today, Gardiner keeps his spot as MacpHerson comes back in after suspension & mcManus takes Turner’s spot as he’s now suspended. Livingstone starting to become more of a regular at left back. QotS go with the OP 4-4-2.
FT QotS 0 Berwick 0 Att 1,646 (159 Away)
In our all-white strip today. QotS looking dangerous early on. And then only 1 highlight before half-time… 0-0, very dull.
And we get to 60 with nothing happening! Marku for Gardiner, Macbeath for Slaven, F(, Carrick to Poacher. Standard Passing, up the tempo a bit. And almost straight away we have the ball in the net – Macbeath offside though, and I think it would have gone in without him 🙁 A bit better now. Out of nowhere QotS hit the bar – the game is in a precarious state. MacIver on for McKay for the last 10-or-so, out to the right wing. The game is opening up. Loads of chances in Injury Time. But it finishes 0-0. Another point to the good. Sinclair with a 7.4!!!
Hamilton the only winners on the day meaning no real changes in the table.
Brora next up in 2 weeks in the cup – I’ll pop a friendly in next Saturday to see if I can try some tactics out towards getting a few goals.
Our U18’s beat Hill of Beath Res 3-1, goals from Tom Sutherland, Sean Mackie & an OG.
Ross Sinclair & his 7.4 make Team of the Week.
Our Reserves beat Heston Rovers Res 2-1, a brace from James Christie.
NEW LOAN SIGNING
Jack Paterson
- 22yo MC
- 5ft 8in
- Comes in from Kilmarnock
- IRL he’s moved to Troon FC (West Of Scotland Junior Prem)
Jack Paterson comes in until the end of the season as more midfield cover whilst we pursue this midfielder-heavy tactic with the 2 up top. Good passing, useful mentals and physicals, he should be a good option as a CM(A)
Friendly – Berwick 2 (MacPherson Pen 3, Carrick 53) Morpeth 0 Att 264 (8 Away)
Just the 15 shots on target today…
Our U18’s beat Upper Annandale Res 3-1, goals from Gary Fletcher, Kris Millar (Non-Player) & Kris Donnelly (Non-Player)
Now – The Motherwell Job has become available… Worth a punt? Currently bottom of the Premiership but with a £3M/annum wage bill and Okay Finances….
Our Ressies beat Airdrie Res 2-1, goals from Causso Darame & Paul McKernon.
That was quick!!!
Max wage is worrying – hoping that’s a bug. Finances show as OK
£63k/wk wages allowed. We will see where that goes.
19th November 2022 – Brora Rangers (A) – Scottish Cup 3rd Round
Today we make the mammoth 275 mile, over 5 hour journey to the far North to play a Brora Rangers side currently 11th in the Highland League. That said I’m putting a full-strength side out. IRL Brora won the Highland League last season but the promotion playoffs to League 2 were never held.
Paterson gets his first start, Turner is back in after his suspension. Looking for a really strong performance from the boys. Brora play with a 4-1-2-3 DM Wide.
FT Brora 0 Berwick 2 (Carrick 62, Mackie 84) Att 270 (49 Away)
Lots of Berwick pressure early doors, and we win a penalty in the 11th minute – Macbeath shoved by Wharton. MacPherson steps up, but Sharp saves brilliantly down to his left. Like a repeat of the Morpeth friendly, so many chances. 0-0 at HT.
60 minutes already, McKay off, Slaven on, 4-3-3, Turner up to Centre Mid.. Almost straight away we score – Carrick fed by Macbeath after a long ball forward by Livingstone. Macbeath really can’t hit a barn door – it’s embarrassing – hitting the post with the goal at his mercy. Just gone 70, Mackie on for Livingstone. Coming up to 80, Marku on for Turner. 2-0 in the 84th, a bit of a freak free-kick, Sean Mackie from distance, the ball bounces and sneaks inside the post. A GK mistake. It finishes 2-0, another 15 shots on target today…
£9k in the bank. The shocks were East Stirlingshire (Lowland League) beating Montrose (L1) 4-3 and Linlithgow Rose (Lowland League) beating Dumbarton (L1) 1-0.
And so the 4th Round Draw – What’s the betting we get Motherwell 🙂 🙂
Boring. Away at Dundee. Tough one too. Some all Premiership ties in there.
I’ve also decline talks with Len & the Berwick board to stay at the club. If the Motherwell job doesn’t come my way I’ll be staying though, this is a one-off punt. I’m showing as 5/2 favourite right now on the Job Centre 🙂
Our U18’s beat Lothian Thistle Res 3-0, James Christie, Paul McKernon & Thomas Dempsie with the goals.
Our Ressies beat East Kilbride Res 3-0, goals from Paul McKernon and a brace from James Doolan.
Deja-vu after my move to Dundalk yesterday in FM20.
More draws, with only Dunfermline winning in the battle at the bottom. This makes tomorrows game with Hamilton huge – they could go top, we could close to within 2 points of Dundee and go back 2nd…
23rd November 2022 – Hamilton (A) – Ladbrokes Championship
We visti a Hamilton side who last lost in September, to us 🙂 6 Wins and 2 losses since then. So we go into this one not expecting anything at all. A Draw would be amazing.
Slaven in up top for Macbeath – he’s our best finisher, Macbeath couldn’t hit a Cow’s Arse with a Banjo. McManus in midfield, Mackie at left-back. Not expecting anything today. Hamilton go with an Attacking 4-2-3-1 Wide…
FT Hamilton 2 (Sinclair o.g. 14, Platt 45) Berwick 2 (Carrick 44, 65) Att 4,190 (156 Away)
A quiet first 10 in the drizzle here in South Lanarkshire this evening. And then Hamilton get a free kick after a Dunsmore foul. The ball comes over, is hit against the post by Gastien, but rebounds off of Keeper Sinclair’s boot and in to make it 1-0 – No luck at all in the League these last few games. Hamilton on top, as is to be expected, Sinclair making some good saves. But we keep ourselves in it, and just before half-time we equalize – a lovely counter ending up with Slaven holding the ball up beautifully, laying off to his left to Carrick to score in the open net, Slaven having drawn everybody including the Keeper over :). 1-1. Kick Off Highlight. 2-1 Hamilton 🙁 Front to back really quickly, Platt on his own at the back post to tap in. Poor. 2-1 at the break.
Livingstone on for Mackie at HT (On a booking). Swapped McKay & McManus over as well. 60 comes up quickly – Paterson on for McKay. And we go and do it again. 65th minute, very quick counter, McManus firing the ball forward after a blocked Hamilton shot, Slaven getting the ball, picking out Carrick with a lovely cross, who scores beautifully on the volley 🙂 A bit of an FM-ing here, that’s our 3rd shot on target. 75 on the clock, Marku for McManus, Mezzala(A). Still fully expect Hamilton to nick this, we shall see… Injury Time… Hamilton pressure… But a Berwick break, and we get a corner – a minute left. But time ticks away. Another draw, but a really good one!
Rapidly approaching the halfway point in the season and we are still there-or-thereabouts. 6th placed Ayr next up in our last game of November.
And Ayr have just played 120 minutes beating Livingston on pens in the Scottish Cup 3rd Round Replay on the Saturday (We play on the Tuesday) so hoping for a few tired boys there.
Dundee & Hamilton both win, meaning we really need a win versus Ayr to keep pace.
Our U18’s drew 1-1 with Leith Res, Paul McKernon with the goal.
Michael Carrick makes the Championship Team of the Week.
29th November 2022 – Ayr (H) – Ladbrokes Championship
We welcome an Ayr side who beat us 2-0 at ours earlier in the season – the result that led me to this current tactic, so I’m hoping for a better showing. They are currently 6th, only losing to hamilton in their last 7 games, but they have drawn 4 of their last 5 games (In normal time).
Paterson for McManus, Livingstone for Mackie. A few tweaks tactically but nothing major. Ayr start with a 5-2-1-2 WB. Expecting this one to be interesting.
FT Berwick 4 (Slaven 6, 42, pen 66, Carrick 29) Ayr 2 (Ivison 25, Murdoch 84) Att 1,177 (119 Away)
Hoping for a bit more positive play today after a defensive display versus Hamilton. And it’s a good start, with plenty of Berwick ball. And we indeed take the lead in the 6th minute – an absolute swirler of a ball over from Paterson, after good work by Carrick, finds a Keeper in two minds – Slaven is there to nod home – his 50th goal for Berwick!! A bit quieter after the goal. And Ayr, with their first highlight, equalise. 25th minute – a free kick headed in by Ivison. Poor defending again. 1st goal of the season, of course. Show some Passion you dickheads. And it worked!, 2-1 Berwick, 29th minute, Carrick with a header from a Paterson corner 🙂 And it was 3-1 in the 42nd minute – nice play leading up to a Livingstone near-post low cross, McKay spraying a lovely ball out to Livingstone in the first place, tapped home by Seany-Boy. Really nice play lads! 3 goals from 5 shots, all on target. 3-1 at HT 🙂
Livingstone off for Mackie (On a booking, plus we have Livingston in 4 days) at Half Time. More of the same please!! Yet again 60 minutes arrives with no dramas, McManus on as a DLP(S) for Paterson (Booked), Turner to Half Back. 65th minute – Penalty to Berwick – Carrick pushed by McArthur. Slaven for his hat-trick… straight down the middle 🙂 He really is a player who belies his star rating. 4-1 Berwick. And it’s a perfect hat-trick at that (left foot, right foot, header) 🙂 🙂 75 gone, last sub, Macbeath on for Carrick. 84th minute, 4-2, a blunderbuss by Murdoch from inside the ‘D’. Was going to say how nice it has been to be comfortable in a match!! Kick-Off highlight… nearly a Slaven 4th, a superb volley from the edge of the area somehow saved at full stretch by Ruddy. And we get to Injury Time with no more highlights. 4-2 it finished, a really nice performance.
A vital win, putting 7 points between us and Livingston in 4th, who drew with Dunfermline.
That’s it for this month’s games – We just have tomorrow left of the calendar month – will Motherwell pull their finger out though?
Nope – we get to 1st December with no other news.
A good month – 5 points from the 3 (tough) League games and an easy cup win. Next Month Livingston is the hard game, followed by games versus the bottom 4 – Got to be gunning for 9 points at least. Or I could be moving to Motherwell with the next click of ‘Continue’…
Lastly here are the Key Highlights from this month’s games. See you soon.