retired_lydiadiebolt

Bummer.

There's always the return match!

retired_destiny1124

very true Dixie

***

16.8.06
Peterhead (1) East Fife (5) Challenge Cup 1st Round
Peterhead- Graeme Sharp 90
East Fife- Gavin Holligan 13,20 Graham Gibson 18,45,61
MOM- Graham Gibson, East Fife

"Are you sure they won't give him to us permanently?" asked Gemmell with a grin.

"I doubt it Dave, but I will ask- all they can say is no," answered Grayling.

"Graham was terrific around the goal- 5 goals in the last two games is beyond anything I expected from him."

"It was nice to see Gavin Holligan come up with a couple too- he has been working hard since arriving."

retired_destiny1124

19.8.06
Montrose (3) East Fife (2)
Montrose- Paul McLaughlin 3,56 Jim Weir 20
East Fife- Stevie Nicholas 74 Craig O'Reilly 90
MOM- John Adam, Montrose

"Our backline was back to their bad ways, their poor play in the early going doomed us," lamented Grayling.

"Well, we did fight back, but you're right- we handed them the match," offered Gemmell.

"I was disappointed in John Dodds today. That first goal was all his responsibility when he failed to control the rebound."

"True, and the backline failures caused the second two goals."

retired_iva terry

looking forward to following your east fife side...fm 07 i presume

retired_destiny1124

Damien- yes, this one is FM 2007

***

26.8.06
Albion Rovers (2) East Fife (1)
Albion Rovers- Mark Stewart 36 John McGoldrick 41
East Fife- Craig O'Reilly 71
MOM- Mark Stewart, Albion Rovers

"I don't know what John Dodds was thinking on that second goal, but it was clear that he wasn't concentrating on the play," fumed Grayling.

"Their first one was a gift too- with our non-existent marking," sighed Gemmell.

"I really thought we might get back to even after Craig O'Reilly deflected past David Scott."

retired_destiny1124

30.8.06
Ross County (3) East Fife (2) Challenge Cup 2nd Round
Ross County- Branamir Kostadinov 16,24 Derek Adams 55-P
East Fife- Stevie Nicholas 63 Graham Gibson 67
MOM- Branamir Kostadinov, Ross County

"If we don't start as badly as we did, we would have had a good chance to win this match," said Grayling glumly.

"Kostadinov just blew past our defenders twice, but if Iain Ross plays either of them intelligently he would have had a lot better chance to actually make the save," replied Gemmell.

"I was mad at Sami El-Abd for giving away the penalty- even if it looked like it didn't matter much at that point. He didn't make a good choice when he challenged from behind in the area."

"I felt the same- and then that goal was the one that cost us as we rallied."

retired_destiny1124

1.9.06

"Did you hear the news yet?" asked David Gemmell.

"What news?" replied Lewis Grayling.

"Denis Boyle was Player of the Month for August."

"Wow, I knew he had been our best player- but I hadn't realized he was drawing attention like that."

"John Sutton was 3rd in Young Player of the Month balloting."

***

9.9.06
East Fife (3) Queens Park (2)
East Fife- Craig O'Reilly 14 John Martin 22,51
Queens Park- Frankie Carroll 1 Nick Phinn 81
MOM- John Martin, East Fife

"I have to admit, that was a very sweet win," smiled Grayling.

Gemmell nodded, "Especially against a club that had been unbeaten and unscored upon coming into this match."

"I am still upset about their first goal- both their forwards were offsides on the play- but they ignore it. The next time down the pitch for us O'Reilly is inches offside and they call that one."

"At least we won and don't have to worry about the call."

"True. John Martin played a terrific match today."

"Your move of Paul Walker to center mid made a big difference today- not the least because it got Martin into the lineup," said Gemmell teasingly.

"Luck comes in many forms," stated Grayling grandly before he lost his composure and started chuckling.

retired_destiny1124

16.9.06
Berwick (5) East Fife (4)
Berwick- Denis McLaughlin 27,39,45 Chris McGroarty 76 Kelvin Haynes 78
East Fife- Andrew Duffy 25,36,60 Craig O'Reilly 32
MOM- Denis McLaughlin, Berwick

Lewis Grayling hurled his clipboard against the wall.

"I am so p*ssed off at our backline...and John Dodds," steamed Grayling. "We had a match where all they had to do was play smart and play their position- and no one- not one of them- could."

"It was a pretty sad display and it ruined a terrific effort by Andrew Duffy," agreed Gemmell.

"Duffy was brilliant and so was Craig O'Reilly. That should have been enough, but it wasn't. The worst part was watching both Chibuzor Chilaka and Iain Vigurs head balls down in our area! Of course Berwick scores easy goals both times- that was just idiotic defending. I am seriously considering just tearing the backline down and starting again."

"That might be a bit drastic," murmured Gemmell.

Grayling sighed, "You're right Dave. Still, both Chilaka and Vigurs won't see the starting lineup anytime soon."

retired_destiny1124

18.9.06

"I think I have a solution to our keeper problems," stated Grayling to Gemmell.

"What solution would that be?" asked Gemmell.

"I signed 22 year old Craig Farr today. I knew him coming up through English football and Swindon had let him go at the end of last season."

"What are we going to do with our current keepers?"

"Dodds will be backup for now. Evans goes to the Reserves to get some playing time. I am not sure about Iain Ross."

"If you think it is best."

"I know you might not be sold on the change Dave, but we have *got* to get some consistent work from our keeper- and none of them has come close to giving that to us yet."

retired_destiny1124

23.9.06
East Fife (0) Stenhousemuir (1)
East Fife- None
Stenhousemuir- Gareth Hutchinson 32
MOM- Paul McNally, Stenhousemuir

Grayling just shook his head, "We played well, but another costly defensive mistake and we wind up with another close loss."

"We had plenty of chances to finish, but we did a lousy job of shooting today," offered Gemmell.

"Farr had a solid debut, but we left him without help on the goal as our backline got caught running around again."