Kmcalpin

The Ox joins Dunfermline on loan until the end of the season.

Yes, and I'll hold my hands up for raising it again. Journos will raise it especially as it happened against St Mirren. Its time to move on. These incidents are ten a penny and this one mustn't overshadow what a great performance it was. We took St Mirren apart and rubbed their noses in it, in their own back yard. Truth be told it could have been more. 5 different scorers and another shut out. It doesn't come much better than that. I had concerns pre match that, given our busy schedule, we might be running on empty but JBA managed that well and even had time to sub the much used and probably exhausted Paul McGinn. These results don't come around very often and we shouldn't let anything detract from that.

Last night's great result reminded me of a game I attended in September 1966 at the old Love Street ground, when we thrashed the Buddies 5-0, with Bobby Campbell scoring all 5. Deja Vu.

We have to be consistent to call out this form of cheating, for thats what it is. Slattery's behaviour last night was a particularly bad example, but our club needs to call it out without fear or favour, and whats more, do it in public irrespective of who the player is or who they play for. Should we go a step further, and if its our own player, suspend them for a game or whatever? But, if we simply highlight the actions of our own players they'll feel singled out and picked on. A danger though, is that if we take unilateral action, other clubs, managers and players will laugh up their sleeves at us and continue to practice this particular dark art. As I said, it needs strong consistent action from the SFA.

Agreed, San. Its a stick on red every day of the week. I recall Martyn Corrigan being yellow carded at East End Park for trying to trip a Dunfermline player. No contact was made, and the player didn't fall. The correct decision last night was a red card for King and a yellow for Slattery. Richard Tait, rightly won a foul at Easter Road but was then booked for simulation. Slattery's reaction was 100% wrong but we see this very same play acting week in week out. Other instances of it in last night's game. Much of it at the behest of managers...there I've said it. It needs dealt with by the authorities but we mustn't single out Slattery. He wasn't the first and he certainly won't be the last. Every example in every game needs called out. Incidentally, not all managers are as honest as JBA.

Great result against a team of hammerthrowers. What a night! Never saw it coming.

Also 3 goals at 30 secs a goal.

5 now and Thor is off the mark.

4 it is! YAAAASSS!

Oh yes. 4 please!

Hope we've got enough gas in our tank to keep up momentum.

Off he goes! No, VAR to his rescue.

TJ does the business from the spot!

Great start. Will Just be allowed to reach HT? Saints won't like that.

My ambitions are more modest. A Hearts win. We won't finish in the top 3.

I agree. However, it would be a very tough encounter at the best of times, but I do fear tonight due to tiredness and exhaustion. JT and McGinn, for example, have played almost 3 full games each since a week past Wednesday. Other players like Cooke haven't impressed; Thor is still getting up to speed; and the likes of McGhee and Nicholson aren't fully match fit yet. I guess thats when the manager earns his corn in situations like today. We do have to stop giving up early chances; this is a worrying habit thats developed recently. The midfield also has to get itself sorted out. Due to injuries and suspensions continuity has been affected. Up until the Aberdeen games it seemed to be relatively solid, but then began to look vulnerable. St Mirren aren't a great side but they can grind out results, especially in Paisley. Our away form has been solid but not exceptional. Given that, I think a 1-1 or 0-0 scoreline would be a most acceptable result. Still, the team, but more especially the matchday officials, owe the fans one after Wednesday so who knows?

In the olden days, referees would take playing conditions into account when considering punishing "culprits". Not now though. No common sense being applied.

Primarily a centre back or right back, but can play defensive midfield (he was signed to play there under SK). Dundee fans liked him as he was always committed (but not in the Shinnie way). A friend said he'd run into a brick wall for the team. Can also score the odd goal.

I would think that Jordan McGhee is in line for more game time given that he's already made a few appearances from the bench. Probably not capable of lasting 90 minutes but could do a turn for 45 or 60 maybe?

The voice of reason Grizzly. Last night was a very eventful and traumatic cup exit and its not surprising that folk got a bit emotional and let off steam. I have no problem whatsoever with posters venting their frustration on here as long as they don't get abusive or personal. I do think though that expectations pre match were overly optimistic. Last Saturday I'd have put our chances of winning at 50/50, but by Sunday evening I'd estimated they'd dropped to 40/60. The Aberdeen we saw last Sunday was a very different outfit to the one we'd seen earlier in the season. Thats not to say they were world beaters as they're not. Had we lost, with a stronger team and no red cards then I reckon that there would not have been half as much frustration. To put matters in perspective there was a considerable meltdown on P & B as well. That frustration was also mirrored on socials too. Its football fans being football fans. Maybe double standards on my part, but I sincerely hope that the management team didn't get worked up or angry but rather are taking a cold, analytical and dispassionate view of the debacle to ensure lessons are learned and consequential changes made to ensure continuous improvement. We've achieved a lot under JBA but still have a lot to play for this season and improvements need to be made, especially in terms of away form which has been solid, but unspectacular.

Well done for the research sir. That might have been the earliest in Scottish Cup history! I wonder if other teams have comparable records?

Certainly not. According to Richard Gordon he's simply committed. Aye right.

I'm not suggesting for one minute that the incidents were exactly the same only that we've picked up 2 very early red cards in Scottish Cup ties twice in 4/5 years. Both spoiled the games as a contest, irrespective of rashness or sheer bad luck.

Whilst the decision to send off Oscar Priestman was technically correct, I think that the law desperately needs changed in the interests of fairness. Had the incident taken place inside the box then he would have been yellow carded and a penalty awarded. Thats an inconsistency to start with. However, I believe that accidental slips or Louis Laing type stumbles should not be punished in the same way. A free kick or, at worst, a free kick and yellow card should suffice. This unfair law has the potential to ruin games for the paying public.

Oscar Priestman's red card last night wasn't our earliest. Remember Bevis' one in 2022, when he was sent off in the first minute. This is becoming a habit and an unwanted one at that!