The Return Of Scottish Bell Cup 30th July

[MickeyPaul]

Shouldn't we all be getting on Hamilton then? Bet365 are known for honouring these bets. 6/1 at Queens Park......

[kompressaur]

I think its worth a chance Mick as they still have them up that way. Im just looking at prices with Tote

They go

11/10 Stranraer
6/4 Stenny
6/4 Stirling
6/4 Gretna

aye Hamilton 4/6. They gotta do QP but QP had a good fighting cup team last season. Youd expect with them losing Harvey and Carrol thought they aint gonna be the same side.

Gonna start at the end of last season today and slowly work my way forward.

[MickeyPaul]

I seem to recall Forfar also had a nice 1-2 win at Clyde last year in Challenge Cup and we were all on @ 5/1 or summat. :think I'm certainly considering them.

[Mr Chips]

I will get in touch with my mate who runs the Forfar website. He was up at nairn this weekend for friendly. Ask him how their doing. Good record in cups Forfar, have delat with St Mirren, Motherwell, Clyde recently

[Beanie]

Aye, Forfar might be a good 'un.

Gotta love those odds on Stenny though :loon

And I hope Betfair have these games up, cos I'll be looking to get matched at over 20s on East Stirling.

[MickeyPaul]

Well, Bet365 just weren't having it - they voided my Hamilton bet. They used to be quite honourable too. SO! Forfar @ 6.00 and my old favourites Stenny @ 2.37 look to be the ones I'll be going with. Two standard singles for me.

[kompressaur]

That was me Mick i phoned them. I did I needed my pic changed so i told them to change it. I'm a wee clype

I think i'll just be concentrating on Stenny and Strnraer Mick. Hopefully come the weekendf i'll have caught up with the pre-season more and i can get serious for the league. I have to admit to be thinking along the lines of singles and doubles on Forfar, Montrose, Elgin and Albion Rovers. The last 3 have got new teams together and could be anything. Best thing is is for me to start having a look. Wanna go see www.albionrovers.com as its a nice wee yellow site.

[kompressaur]

http://www.albionrovers.com/05-06/str23-7report.htm

2-1 home defeat by Stranraer Friday. I think that reads quite well for both sides. Stranraer got Moore back late last season and im pretty sure theyve strengthed their forward line in the pre-season.

21/7/05
Rovers Wins
Rovers beat Raith Rovers 4-0 in a closed-door bounce match at Bellshill tonight, coincidentally they beat Troon by the same amount in a similar match on Tuesday evening.

Players Signed
Scott Friel and Lee Wilson have re-signed.
Philip Creaney (22) midfield ex-Falkirk
Thomas Franch(22) forward ex- Symington Tinto
George Wallace(23) forward ex- Auchinleck Talbot
Jamie Ewings(21) goalkeeper ex-Motherwell
Tommy Lennox(22) midfield ex-Q.O.S.
Martin Bonnar(25) midfield ex- Hamilton/Queen's Park.

Young attacking signings. Can only be better than the mob they had in place last year. Gonna read up more on them but i think Albion could be interesting if anything this year.

14/7/05)

Accies
A Rovers side lost 2-0 at New Douglas Park tonight, as it was the first time the players had played together it's certain Jim Chapman wont be worried by the defeat. It wasn't an exciting spectacle but was no doubt a valuable tool for the Rovers gaffer to assess the approximate 20 players who took to the pitch in Rovers jerseys during the 90 minutes.

[kompressaur]

Forfar look pretty much the same team as last year to me. Report here from their Forfarshire cup final v Dundee utd. Both teams reported as being full stregth. Looks like Forfar created a few chances. On their day theyve the plyers to grab a few goals. St Mirren will stilll be relying on Keane no doubt.
http://www.forfarathletic.co.uk/offi...id=89&memory=0

Here's Forfar boss Fairley's comments last week before the dundee utd game-

“I was pleased with our overall performance on Thursday night, although we maybe should have finished with a better end result” said the manager looking back at last Thursdays 2-1 defeat at the hands of Brechin.
A Much changed side, featuring 4 trialists faced Montrose at Links Park on Saturday, with the 2nd half performance pleasing the manager once again. “We started the game with 4 trialists, and it wasn’t until we put on a couple of subs, that we started to look a better team.”

Former Aberdeen and Dundee striker Jon Voigt signed a 1 year deal prior to Saturdays match, bringing the squad total to 18 in strength. But with Paul Tosh recovering from back surgery, and missing the first few months of the season, Fairley has indicated he is not done in the transfer market yet.
“We’re still in the market for a wide player and another striker” indicated Fairley, with the manager going on to explain that movements on both fronts were possible within the next week.

Midnight Cowboy Voight is ok aint he? Lost their goalie Brown though since and he has been pretty influential last season. Next freindly they won 4-3 at Nairn. I dunno Mick. Nah theyll score more than they'll let in.

[crowie]

Short price but I like Ross County to take care of Montrose.

Ross had a good 2-1 win over a strong ICT side last Saturday. I read a few comments on the game at Over The Bridge and they all seemed happy with the full back Zadi who has now signed up. The other full back on trial, Cowan, ex Motherwell, also got good mentions and Robertston is trying to get a deal done for him in the next couple of days.

Also looks like Ross are getting a new striker, Paul Robinson ex Newcastle and Wimbledon.

[MickeyPaul]

Report of St Mirren v Morton (Renfrewshire Cup Final - 23/07/05):

by Colin Orr

ST MIRREN’S good pre-season form came to a juddering halt at Love Street today as Morton lifted the Renfrewshire Cup for the third year in a row.

Saints didn’t really get going and were deservedly beaten by their local rivals who went ahead in the first half and never looked like surrendering the lead.

A first-half opener from Jim McAlister after a slip-up from Craig Hinchcliffe did the damage and an injury-time penalty from Derek Lilley put the seal on a depressing afternoon for the home fans.

The only consolation will be the cash brought in by the large visiting support, who had plenty to shout about and stayed behind at the end to see their heroes parade the trophy.

No game against Morton can ever really be called a friendly and this one was anything but as the challenges flew in from the word go. Both sides set out to win the game but Saints lacked firepower up front and never troubled the visiting keeper.

The front two of Stewart Kean and John Baird were out-muscled by the Greenock defence and not even the presence of Kirk Broadfoot up front late on as a makeshift striker made a difference.

The only real creative spark from Saints was provided by second-half sub Mark Corcoran, who stretched the defence with his pace down the left but couldn’t help carve out an equaliser.

The team looked lightweight up front and the Buddies support will now be praying that Gus MacPherson can bring in a new player or two to rectify this before the competitive stuff gets underway.

Saints lined up with Kirk Broadfoot in midfield and Ian Maxwell on the left of a back three. Fellow new boys John Potter and Mark Corcoran started on the bench.

Morton had new signings Derek Lilley and Andy McLaren in their line-up and both caused problems for St Mirren. The visitors did enough to suggest that – despite the presence of Gretna and Partick – this may be the year they get it right and manage escape the Second Division.

The opening period was far from the usual dull pre-season stuff but there were no clear chances until the 23rd minute when Kean’s shot was deflected into the path of Lappin, 12 yards out, and he unleashed a blazing half-volley that flew over.

The first save of the match came just soon after when a turn and shot from Chris Templeman forced Hinchcliffe to dive low to hold the ball. The same player should have done much better on 35 minutes but headed over from eight yards out.

Throughout the first-half there was little between the teams but Morton took advantage of a rare slip in the Saints defence to take the lead three minutes before half-time.

Hinchcliffe misjudged the flight of a wayward cross from Chris Millar, which looped over his head and came off the top of the far post. The ball bounced into the danger area and McAlister reacted first, stooping to place a powerful header into the net from eight yards out with the keeper stranded.

The start of the second-half saw a brief flurry of chances at either end. First, Hugh Murray headed a McGowne cross just over, before Alex Walker sent a half-volley inches wide.

At the other end, Broadfoot glanced a header just wide from a Lappin cross but after this, Saints struggled to make much impact on a well-organised Morton defence, despite pushing more bodies forward and bringing on the impressive Corcoran.

The visitors could have wrapped it up on 75 minutes when a stretched home defence were caught on the break allowing Lilley to put Jason Walker one on one with the keeper but the sub’s effort was well-saved by Hinchcliffe.

Broadfoot was pushed up front to add a bit of physical presence to the attack and forced a couple of saves from Morton keeper McGurn without seriously troubling him. Alan Reid also came close with a volley but Saints never really looked like equalising.

The misery was complete when Maxwell pulled Jason Walker down in the box and Lilley stroked home the spot-kick.

St Mirren; Hinchcliffe, van Zanten (McKenna 81), Broadfoot, Millen, McGowne, Maxwell, Murray, Reilly, Kean, Baird (Corcoran 57), Lappin (Reid 70).
Subs Not Used: Potter, Smith.

Morton; McGurn, Weatherson, McAlister (MacGregor 82), Harding, Greacen, A. Walker (Keenan 66), Millar, Finlayson Templeman (J. Walker 66), Lilley, McLaren.
Subs Not Used: Adam, Gonet.

[fasteddy]

bet365 have just voided my attempt to have the price on Hamilton...placed it yesterday...nae luck

[kompressaur]

Aye even slick got involved in that Eddy and got an email from them apologising etc. I feel like such a snoop Totally selfish. theyd have found out anyhow. Fcuk im turning into the bookies pal. Aye ok roll the jokes.

Stenny dont have a good recent record v East Fife



Differant teams now though. East Fife havent improved on last year from what ive read. Actually might as well look the now

[Bigkegman]

Found it at last - somebody said there was a post in which Komp proves he's working for the bookies !!!!!!!!!!!

[kompressaur]

I never even thought Kegman. I just thought i want my bet365 pic up and i want it right. Shit ...nah they would have seen it wouldnt they? Shit i feel real bad. My vbookie experiences with Mike Robbi in the early days of the comp have made me a changed man. I iant a man of the people im a snitch. A bookies runner. The scum. Ok i need to redeem myself. Ok Wed tomorrow 50/50 aussie/scots. Thursday 75/25 aussie/scots friday 25/75 ausie scots. K sorted.

I'll get your money back. When did we last hear that