Losing a goal after less than a minute of each half getting underway was clearly unacceptable. The side did well to claw their way back into the game after Hibs early two-goal burst, during which their very mobile strike pairing of Colin Nish and Ste
ven Fletcher had the Bairns back three on toast.
Young Mark Stewart, another product of Yogi's conveyer belt of youth, came on and within five minutes nearly grabbed two goals with a low shot and a rasping angular drive that cannoned of the post. I don't think I am alone in thinking that this young lad deserves a start, especially as the Bairns still have such a lengthy injury list. Who knows, we might just surprise Celtic this Saturday.
Brian Guthrie
www.bairnstrust.comMotherwellTHE weekend brought another game and another loss for Motherwell despite turning in a performance which, while not brilliant, didn't deserve to end in defeat. How long do we give it before we start panicking?
Football is a results driven business and though we could easily be sitting on four points just now, we have yet to get off the mark. We face a crunch game against Dundee United on Saturday but if we lose that we could easily have no points after six matches as a trip to Hibs is next before we face both the Old Firm!
It is hard to be sure what differences there are from last season. Mark McGhee will have his work cut out this week in trying to figure out a plan to turn things round. McGhee himself will be under pressure – not because Motherwell fans expect to finish third every year but since they expect value for money. McGhee earned himself a substantial pay rise in the summer and failing to register a point before the end of August simply won't be acceptable.
Derek Wilson
www.firparkcorner.comRangersAFTER the controversial sale of fans' favourite and player of the year Carlos Cuellar, Rangers couldn't afford not to invest in new players and the first of these to arrive, Pedro Mendes, pictured right, had an exceptional debut as Rangers enjoyed a relatively comfortable victory over Hearts.
Mendes added the grit and vision in the middle of the park that has been lacking badly in the opening games and if he carries on as he started then the support might have a new midfield dynamo that offers that bit of excitement. With more new arrivals promised in the coming days then on the playing side the Rangers support can probably feel a bit more relaxed on that front but it's obvious big problems still exist at the club.
Stephen Tyrie Rangers Supporters Trust
St. MirrenGAMES between ourselves and Kilmarnock are often goalless and while that was the case on Saturday, it certainly wasn't boring. Both sides created chances and hit the woodwork and it certainly wasn't your typical 0-0 draw.
However, for much of the game the Saints performance was a repeat of many last season, with nice, pretty passing but very little product in the final third.
We were the lowest scorers in Scotland last season and have now failed to score in our last five games. There was little evidence on Saturday to suggest we're going to improve on last season's goal tally.
While signings were made over the summer to solve the problem, hardly any of them played against Killie. The only new boy who could be classed as attack minded in the team was Tonet, with Tom Brighton and Dennis Wyness on the bench and Steven Robb injured.
Andy Dorman was only a sub and Craig Dargo is currently injured. Perhaps once they're both fully fit we'll start banging them in.
Stuart Gillespie
www.saintmirren-mad.co.uk HeartsHEARTS put up a reasonable performance at Ibrox on Saturday and while it would be hard to argue that we should have won the game, there was no doubt that some key decisions did not go our way. Some things never change.
Miko's first booking in particular was very harsh and he seems to have become a marked man by Scottish referees. I can't remember the last time a foul was given for a challenge on him.
Rather than dwell on the weekend Hearts must look forward to the next few games where they should be picking up points if they are aiming for an improved league position this season.
Games against St Mirren, Hamilton, Falkirk and Inverness should give Csaba Laszlo the opportunity to settle into his role and possibly introduce our new signings into the team. While we know these teams will be difficult opponents they were all in last year's bottom six.
Finally, good luck to all the Hearts players on international duty this week.
Derek Watson Hearts Supporters Trust
HibernianTHERE was a collective sigh of relief from both the Easter Road stands and the hibs.net message board as Hibs' fine 3-2 win over Falkirk lifted the spirits of all connected to the club. It wasn't so much the fact that 3 points were plonked on the SPL table, but more the fact that Hibs played the game at a great pace and with an attacking style rarely seen under Mixu's management to date.
So, a winning home start and an extra satisfying one for Colin Nish who responded to last weeks horror show at Kilmarnock with two well taken goals. How nice it would be if he could take that goal scoring for north with him, when Hibs travel to the Highland capital on Saturday.
No goals, no wins and not a lot to shout about from our visits to Inverness over the last few years, should give Hibs all the incentive they require to right that wrong. If they carry on the form shown against Falkirk, I'd be hopeful that the new found feel-good factor will last that little bit longer on our forum.
Eddie Henderson
www.hibs.netInverness Caledonian Thistle JOY - Sitting top of the table after a first ever win over Aberdeen.
Excitement - The prospect of seeing new signing Adam Rooney.
Despair - The weekend's performance and result in a nut shell.
That was the week that was for ICT fans this week. Having gained that first win over Aberdeen with superb performances by the likes of Ian Black, Dougie Imrie and Don Cowie, hopes were high for gaining another 3 points against Hamilton.
Yet the aforementioned players seemed somewhat absent, as the 4-5-1 formations played by both sides simply cancelled each other out.
Youngster Jamie Duff will surely come back a stronger and wiser player after his error lead to the only goal.
Can Mr Brewster and the ICT stars turn this around against Hibernian on Saturday? I for one think they can. We seem to always spoil their day whenever they visit, so why should now be any different?
Rob 'Gringo Jnr' Wilson
www.caleythistleonline.comKilmarnock IT HAS been a decent start to the season for Ayrshire's finest with a hard-fought victory over Hibs and a point from our last-ever visit to Love Street. I would probably accept a point from most away ties, and a well-drilled St Mirren are no exception. Killie were the better team in the first half with the Buddies dominating the second so a draw was a fair result.
The midfield were a bit off the pace with Mehdi Taouil having a bad game by his own high standards and new signing Manuel Pascali kept in check by an over-fussy referee. Obviously Paska's "kill 'em all" reputation had preceded him! We were in dire need of a midfield general type with a good first touch and a no-nonsense approach, and he appears to have it all, but, at this rate, he will do well to steer clear of suspension!
Our other new signing Conor Sammon obviously has potential but he still looks a bit raw. I would like to have seen Donovan Simmonds get a run out for the last twenty minutes or so to see if he could break the deadlock.
Barry Richmond
www.killiefc.comCelticSUNDAY'S draw with Dundee United was a more upbeat performance, played at a higher tempo than the opening fixture against St Mirren. Shunsuke Nakamura's return gave a more cultured, cutting edge to the side, particularly in the first half where we passed the ball forward at pace.
Jan Vennegoor Of Hesselink won every ball in the air against big, physical defenders. When Scott McDonald finds his range and confidence the goals will begin to flow again.
It appears that the recurring theme this year will be claims of refereeing decisions going in our favour – brilliant! I'm all for it. For years if we complained about decisions against us we were told "it evens out eventually" – this must be it at last.
As for referee Charlie Richmond's injury, it was caused when Naka was booted off the ball, sending him flying into the official. Maybe he was too sore to worry about the foul and anyway, he can kick him back in the next game.
Tommy Dornan CSA
Dundee United
SURELY it must have been more than just United fans who appreciated the irony in Charlie Richmond being helped from the Tannadice pitch by Neil Lennon and the Celtic physio on Sunday?
After the previous week's 'controversial' penalty award for Celtic against St Mirren, we were treated to yet another abject/incompetent/corrupt display of refereeing, which only serves to illustrate further just how futile a task it is to expect a level playing field against either of the Old Firm.
To add insult to injury, our manager Craig Levein has effectively been gagged by the so-called powers-that-be from commenting on practically anything other than the colour of the grass!
We were unlucky to fall behind before we had the mandatory stonewall penalty against Celtic/Rangers turned down and then a further two claims were also shot-down. I was proud of my team's performance but I am totally disgusted at the pointlessness of the SPL as a competition.
Hamish Mackintosh
www.dundeeunited-mad.co.ukHamilton Academicals OUR win on Saturday was as impressive as the 3-1 home victory over Dundee United because Inverness has proven a difficult away game for many an SPL side. To go there and win sets down another marker for Accies.
It was especially pleasing to see Richard Offiong get his first SPL goal. He is sometimes maligned by minority elements of the Accies support for supposedly being lazy. He can be as lazy as he likes as far as I'm concerned, as his strike ratio of one in every two games has made a massive difference to us. A glance at Offiong's career would suggest something has gone wrong somewhere. Promising youngster at Newcastle and playing at youth level for England, questions were soon asked after his career went wayward before he landed at New Douglas Park.
Sometimes it just takes the right club to get the best out of a player (look at Scott McDonald at Celtic). Offiong seems to have found the right club at Accies and long may the relationship continue!
Mark Falconer
www.setbb.com/acciesworld/ AberdeenSATURDAY'S victory at Motherwell is unlikely to remain in the memory for long.
However, to take all three points from a side the pundits reckon will be challenging us for a Uefa spot was most satisfying, especially as it saw the emergence of two potential Red Army heroes.
Ever since David Robertson left for Rangers, we've lacked a genuine left back. We've had plenty in the intervening 17 years who could defend, plenty who could overlap and cross but never one who can do both like Charlie Mulgrew. It's just a crying shame that just as we finally get a left-back we discover we don't have a right back.
Aside from the melodramatic media reaction to a headbutt that never was, Tommy Wright also made an immediate impression, with his style evoking memories of cult hero Dean Windass.
Hopefully he'll keep his cool this Saturday, though, as it's going to be hard enough beating Rangers' 12 men without being a man down.
Mark Alexander somewhere
www.aberdeen-mad.co.ukThe full article contains 2112 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
