A MORE RELAXED CHRIS STRAIN
Petershill supporters can be forgiven for looking somewhat non-plussed as a result of co-manager Ian Currie saying he intends to boost team spirits by referring back to last weekend’s clash with Darvel when the Premier Division bottom markers return to Ayrshire climes to face Beith tomorrow.
Now it comes very easily to mind that the Peasy were on the wrong end of a 5-1 Recreation Park scoreline so this surely has to be him employing a bit of reverse psychology to motivate his playing charges???
Well not according to the explanation offered up by the long in the tooth gaffer Currie last night.
He insisted “I will hold my hand up and admit that Darvel came roaring out of the blocks and gave us a bit of a football lesson on their way to establishing a 4-0 lead before half time.
“But at the same time, there’s no denying my players made it far too easy for them through acting as if they were bystanders at an exhibition game because we simply looked on with admiration at their clever passing and movement when what we needed was a more aggressive `get in about them` attitude..
“During the interval it was stressed more than once to our guys that even the great football playing Petershill teams of days gone by had to firstly roll up the sleeves and do the hard graft to put opponents gas at a peep before turning on the style.
“And that message was taken on board by every single player because we were a team transformed in the second half and went on to both dominate and create the better openings as well as pulling a goal back through big Jordan Scott before a mistake allowed Darvel to grab a late goal.
Currie added, “Now we are fully aware a 1-1 draw for the second 45 minutes doesn’t earn us any points but if we can start against Beith in similar fashion to how we finished at Darvel then a result tomorrow is not beyond us.”
IAN CURRIE
Currie reports the Springburn outfit are in fine fettle for what is a third consecutive sortie into Ayrshire (and next up they are away to Glenafton ) with only striker Ross McPherson unavailable for selection.
He added, “Ross is still getting regular physiotherapy and remains a few weeks away from making a comeback however on the upside we have Christian Nade chomping at the bit on his return from suspension.
“His undoubted physical presence is sure to give us a welcome boost as is the likely return of our goalkeeper Stevie McNeil after serving a one match ban of his own…and not just because he is my co-gaffer and helps pick the team.
“Stuart Brown went between the sticks and did all that was asked of him against Darvel but experience is an essential asset for playing in these Ayrshire hotbeds and Stevie has it in spades.
Darvel’s victory last weekend marked Petershill reaching the halfway stage in their league campaign occupying the unwanted foot of the table position yet a defiant Currie is steadfastly refusing to accept a relegation fate is now looking a racing certainty.
He said ,”If you were a betting man then Petershill and Cambuslang Rangers would be your bankers for the drop with the third doomed team possibly coming from Rob Roy, Glenafton or Troon.
“But I’ve never been one to shirk a challenge and glad to say there are a few characters in our dressing room of a similar ilk so until survival is mathematically impossible then rest assured this Petershill team will be fighting and scratching for every point possible.
“I’ve no rationale whatsoever for thinking we can stay up…but what I see when working with this group of players is making me very happy.”
In arguably even better shape going into the Bellsdale contest are the Premier Division shock troops Beith who have defied the most wildly optimistic expectations up to now by accruing enough points to be sitting second top of the standings.
Diehard fans attribute the reason for this upturn in fortunes to the teambuilding skills of new manager Chris Strain whose reliance on long established aces Paul Frize, Connor McGlinchey, Nikky Docherty , Stevie Noble and Kenny McLean (the Mighty equivalent of Peter Pan) to play key roles dovetails perfectly with the further development of up an coming youngsters along with his introduction of new faces.
Chris confessed, “It’s been said by people more knowledgeable about the game than me that staying the same will lead to you going backwards and it’s a perfectly understandable assumption because every year there are younger and stronger players coming through the ranks.
“Beith have found that out for themselves through Danny O’ Neil establishing himself as an absolute cornerstone over the past couple of years as well as to a lesser extent Josh Fowler’s emergence last season from the youth ranks.
“He has come on a ton working one-to-one with Kenny on the training ground and has added a finishing touch to the great pace he always possessed and is now the club’s top scorer.”
Asked about Beith’s clutch of newcomers, Strainy revealed,
“My former Irvine Meadow team mate Derek Wingate gave me the nod about a central defender prospect at Muirkirk , who had previously played for Benburb Under 21’s, so before they were due to face Ardeer Thistle for whom my own son Ben plays, I asked my Dad (legendary former team boss Chris) to take in the game.
“He went there thinking he was doing nothing more than keeping tabs on his grandson but came away ranting and raving about the very same Muirkirk boy by the name of Scott Rough so I quickly concluded a transfer and he’s been nothing short of a revelation ever since.
The team boss added, “ Other recommendations who have improved our squad strength were the Bo’ness United midfield playmaker Declan Hughes, who hails from Dennistoun , and whose playing style is in the mould of a young Mark Crilly while the ex-Blantyre Vics and Benburb front man Andy Monk has established himself as another decent string to our striking bow.”
“Last but not least was our capture of Carlo Monti which I have to admit raised more than a few eyebrows given the rather acrimonious manner of his departure from Kilwinning Rangers when I was team manager.
“But for the record, Carlo’s fall out was more to do with a disagreement over financial terms with club officials rather than myself so he was only too happy to join me at Beith when he returned from a playing stint in Malta around the start of this season.
“And he’s lost none of his potential to be a matchwinner in every game he plays so getting him on a free transfer has been a godsend.”
Strain also saw fit to give mention to Beith’s veteran hitman Kenny McLean , out injured since damaging his cruciate ligament in an early season South Challenge Cup encounter against St Anthonys.
“ Everyone thought his bad injury meant Kenny at 38 years of age was finished but his determination to get back to full fitness is second to none and he’s already all of 3 months ahead of his planned recovery programme so don’t rule out him making an appearance before the season’s end.” said the enthusiastic to a fault gaffer before insisting “ Anyway, right now he’s doing us a fantastic turn in passing on tips to the strikers and I’m just delighted to have him around the place.”
His former employers Kilwinning Rangers, currently in fourth from bottom spot, get the weekend league action underway later tonight by hosting the visit of outright frontrunners Darvel whose manager Mick Kennedy will be looking for his troops to both open up an eight point lead atop the table and give themselves a massive confidence lift ahead of their next up clash (Monday 23rd January) at home to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup.
Third top of the pile Pollok are down at the remote outpost of New Cumnock to take on a Glenafton side whose defensive line up is set to include recent addition Dean Currie (son of Peasy boss Ian).
Also in East Ayrshire action are another of the fancied title contenders Auchinleck Talbot , strongly tipped to comfortably take the spoils against Cambuslang Rangers while a much tougher obstacle awaits near neighbours Cumnock in awaiting the visit of Hurlford United.
Meanwhile, the tie of the round in the Third Round draw for the West of Scotland League Cup competition, made earlier this week, just has to be the Beechwood Park coming together of Auchinleck and Glenafton.
The full draw is
Clydebank v Cumbernauld Utd
Shotts Bon Accord v Gartcairn,
Hurlford Utd v Forth Wanderers/Drumchapel Utd
Kilwinning Rangers v St Cadocs
Neilston v Yoker Athletic/Rossvale
Ashfield v St Rochs/EK Thistle/BSC Glasgow
Auchinleck Talbot v Glenafton
Rutherglen Glencairn v Craigmark
Ties to be played Saturday 25th February
PLAYING TOMORROW: (Kick Offs 1.30 PM unless stated): P.D.M Buildbase Premier Division. Rob Roy v Largs Thistle, Auchinleck Talbot v Cambuslang Rangers, Clydebank v Troon, Glenafton v Pollok, Arthurlie v Irvine Meadow, Kilwinning Rangers v Darvel(Friday 7.30PM), Beith v Petershill, Cumnock v Hurlford Utd. PDM Buildbase First Division. Shotts Bon Accord v Cumbernauld Utd, St Cadocs v Bonnyton Thistle, Neilston v Rutherglen Glencairn, St Rochs v Kilbirnie Ladeside,Johnstone Burgh v Benburb, Rossvale v Blantyre Vics, Drumchapel Utd v Thorniewood Utd, Gartcairn v Whitletts Vics. PDM Buildbase Second Division. Greenock v Glasgow Perthshire, Kilsyth Rangers v Forth Wanderers , St Anthonys v Renfrew, Craigmark v Yoker Athletic, Maybole v Ashfield, Glasgow University v Maryhill (Friday 8PM) Wishaw v Ardeer Thistle, Muirkirk v Glasgow Utd. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Finnart v Lesmahagow, Bellshill Athletic v Larkhall Thistle,, Irvine Vics v Girvan, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Dalry Thistle (Friday 7.30PM), Newmains Utd v Vale of Leven, Lanark Utd v Royal Albert, Saltcoats Vics v East Kilbride Thistle, Port Glasgow v Vale of Clyde, Newmains Utd v Lanark Utd, Lugar Boswell v Kello Rovers. PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. West Park Utd v Harmony Row, Threave Rovers v St Peters, Campbeltown Pupils v Thorn Athletic, BSC Glasgow v Eglinton,Glenvale v Kilsyth Athletic.
Regards
Jim O’Donnell
About Author
Another hammering for Peasy – this time at Beith! More significantly, they trailed 4-0 again at half-time ( Ian shades of the Darvel performance,eh? ), before a 7-1 final scoreline.
Fair play to Ian Currie, Stevie McNeil and Coach Kenny Hadden, they took over ( for the time being I remember), after the previous management stood down, but it would be interesting to hear what road
the Petershill committee are going down since, barring a miracle, they look destined to get relegated after coming up as champions last season.
Is there a timeline for the current status quo, or do they start taking applications for a new backroom team, get someone in place before the end of the season, and allow them time to build a squad?
For me, it’s not ideal having your first choice goalie as part of the management. He should be focusing on his own game, and working with a specialist Coach at least one night a week who knows him and
can work on strenghs and weaknesses from watching the Saturday games. Looking at the goals against record and the lack of a decent number of shut-outs for this time of year, that doesn’t appear to be happening.
Young Stuart Brown lost five against Darvel, and the more experienced Stevie McNeil conceded seven
at Bellsdale Park, so imagine what the former ( relatively new to this level) will be thinking about as the
management ponder their next team selection for another visit to Ayrshire!
Whatever course of action they take, the outcome should make for another excellent Jim O’Donnell article.
The all -round coverage, Jim, has been superb ✍️👍