WITH Storm Deirdre battering and blanketing parts of Scotland, causing travel disruption and frozen surfaces, just two of the five League Two fixtures survived on Saturday, both in the Central Belt.
With Peterhead’s clash with Albion Rovers one of those to fall foul of the weather – prompting the Peterhead Twitter to use ALL CAPS to inform us the match had been postponed – the stage was set for Edinburgh City to open up a five-point lead the top of the league. This in what is just City’s third season in the SPFL set-up.
Respect to Peterhead for announcing this in the tone of an embattled TV reporter fighting to stay vertical as a flying cow zooms past his head. https://t.co/uOfwcmW5vF
— The Terrace (@terracepodcast) December 15, 2018
They duly obliged with a 4-1 win over Elgin City – making the treacherous 340-mile round trip and the only other side in the division not to have made it beyond the clutches of League Two – who turned up at bleak and blustery Ainslie Park as one of only two teams to defeat the fourth tier pace-setters so far this season.
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The capital side started the campaign with a settled line-up, with Scott Shepherd and Blair Henderson in attack, Graham Taylor and Danny Handling wide and Mark Laird and Andrew Black in the centre of the park. The resolute back five of Calum Antell, Craig Thomson, Robbie McIntyre, Conrad Balatoni and Liam Henderson conceded three goals in their first nine league games before the injuries started to hit the squad.
Since then, Gareth Rodger has deputised well for Liam Henderson – who was used in midfield and left-back to cover for injuries before succumbing to injury himself – in central defence, while Allan Smith has filled in up front on occasion, with Shepard moving to the right to cover for long-term absentee Handling.
With Black and Liam Henderson both ruled out for Saturday’s visit of Elgin, thus leaving James McDonaugh with few central midfield options, Smith was used at the tip of a diamond with Laird in the holding role and Taylor and Adam Watson – making just his second start this season – as shuttlers.
They adapted well to the shape though the City manager’s options were reduced further moments before half-time when Laird hobbled off. Recent signing Danny Galbraith, making his debut, came on and slotted in well, breaking up play and picking passes, ending the day as one of City’s stand-out performers.
The real star of the show however was Blair Henderson. Again. While a lot of the plaudits have rightfully gone to Ayr United’s Lawrence Shankland for his 28 goals so far this season, Henderson, pictured, is just four behind. The former Annan and Stirling striker set himself a target of 20 goals at the start of the season and Saturday’s hat-trick means he has comfortably surpassed that with some of the year to spare and is well on course to pass double his initial target.
With an instinct for sniffing out space in the box and for carving opportunities for himself, as well as possessing strong aerial ability and a clever touch, the variety of goals scored by Henderson displays his talents as an all-round lower-league marksman.
Comeback maintains Raith’s dominant home form
STARK’S Park, February 18, 2017. Gary Locke, 14 games without a win, instructs his hapless charges from the dugout during a 1-0 defeat to Greenock Morton – a match that would prove to be his last at the club.
At the same time, Lewis Vaughan, on loan from Raith to Dumbarton, was just a week away from scoring the first of four goals he’d help himself to between then and the end of the season – goals that would keep the Sons up at the expense of his employers.
That was the last time Raith suffered defeat at Stark’s Park. Thirty-three home games have followed, 25 have been won and eight drawn.
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There have been several occasions when it has looked like ending this season, however, each time the side has shown the requisite resilience to keep the streak going. In August, a Kevin Nisbet penalty rescued a point when they were behind to rivals East Fife with 15 minutes remaining. The next month they were bailed out by an Iain Campbell own goal in the draw versus Montrose.
In October, a goal in the dying minutes from Nisbet (there’s a theme developing here) salvaged a draw in an eventful top-of-the-table clash versus Arbroath in October.
Then, on Saturday, came their most recent salvage operation. Raith were twice behind to Dumbarton before second-half goals from Nisbet, his 21st of the season, Euan Murray and Vaughan made it comfortable win in the end.
Bit of everything as top two clash
THE game of the day, both before and after Saturday’s fixture card had kicked-off and concluded, was at Somerset Park, where league leaders Ayr United hosted their closest challengers Ross County.
Bleak conditions lit up by some spectacular strikes, end-to-end football, two penalties, a County comeback and touchline antics that saw co-manager Steven Ferguson sent to the stands, meant that this six-goal thriller had a bit of everything.
Goal machine Lawrence Shankland netted twice more, taking his tally to 28 for the season, but the accolade of goal of the game went to County’s Josh Mullin, pictured, who produce yet another eye-catching finish. Of his eight goals since joining the club the vast majority have been stunning strikes – with his outside-of-the-boot curler versus Dunfermline the highlight.
1⃣7⃣ | @Joshuamullin7 is having the season of his life at Ross County - here's his six league goals in one handy clip! The two strikes against Ayr United are particularly glorious - pic.twitter.com/g3SaHTeY4G
— Tell Him He's Pelé (@tellhimhespele) December 17, 2018
In this match, both sides were required to come from behind, with County taking the lead before having to turn around a two-goal deficit in the second half.
And with all 10 Championship sides drawing at the weekend, it means that up and down the table it’s as you were in terms of points gaps between the teams.
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