BarryLFC

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts 1st Raith Rovers 19 13 4 2 40 17 +23 43 2nd Brechin 19 11 5 3 44 20 +24 38 3rd Inverness C. Thistle 19 9 6 4 34 20 +14 33 4th St. Johnstone 19 9 4 6 30 19 +11 31 5th Clyde 19 9 2 8 31 30 +1 29 6th Falkirk 19 8 4 7 35 22 +13 28 7th Queen of Sth. 19 8 2 9 30 40 -10 26 8th Ross County 19 6 3 10 20 30 -10 21 9th St. Mirren 19 4 2 13 19 44 -25 14 </pre><pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">10th Ayr 19 0 4 15 8 49 -41 4 </pre>

retired_embartl

Poor first half, pretty sure you'll end it well, otherwise my tenner on you suviving the season at this rate at 100-1 is going right out the window :thdn:

BarryLFC

Right now I'd be happy to get 10 points!

BarryLFC

January

There was actually a semblance of solidity about us in the 1-0 loss in Dumfries, but whatever way you spin it, no goals and no points are worth nothing. I was genuinely scared ahead of the Scottish Cup game at Ibrox, but that it took Rangers until the fifth minute to score was somewhat of an achievement. Seventy-five seconds later it was 2-0 and a third wasn't long in coming. It was 7-0 by the 39th minute, but all that was forgotten as Steven Miller scored a goal four minutes before the break! Ragners won the second half 2-0, but we had scored at Ibrox!

The same XI that lost to Rangers took on St Mirren at Somerset, but even at home to the second-worst team in the league we were poor, losing two first half goals and three second half goals in a big loss. We added two players, right back Steven Masterton, in midweek after he was released by Killie and like most players I sign, I gave him a game on the Saturday whilst midfielder Kevin Rennie benefited similarly, at St Johnstone. A goalless first half was something of a triumph, but former Ayr player Paul Lovering made it 1-0 with less than half an hour to go to seemingly condemn us to defeat. But no! Stuart McGrady popped up late on to snatch an equaliser and we had our first point of the year. Happy day! Not that we then expected anything from our game at Falkirk on the last day of the month, and an injury to Steven Miller before the break was no encouragement. Still, we were surprisingly competitive and just after the hour took a shock lead as Stuart McGrady headed home and Andy Ferguson cross. Falkirk levelled though ten minutes later and it seemed a winner was inevitable when a potentially season-ending injury to Bowman reduced us to ten men. Still despite seeing three teammates stretchered off after tackles from the brutal Falkirk team, our guys were resiliant and won another fine point. I'd suggest however that it's all too little too late.

@ Queen of the South 3 January 2004
Roy 6; Lyle 6; Dunlop 6; Wright 6; Dowie 5 (Smyth, 60 7); Miller 7; Bowman 4 (Hardy, 60 6); Ramsay (c) 7; Mortimer 7; Brown 7; McColl 6 (Tait, 60 6)
Goals: none

@ Rangers 10 January 2004
Roy 5; Lyle 3 (Smyth, 88 6); Dunlop 6; Wright 4; Dowie 5; Miller 6; Bowman 3 (Hardy, 88 6); Ramsay (c) 3; Mortimer 3; Brown 2; McColl 3 (Tait, 88 6)
Goals: Miller 41"

v St Mirren 17 January 2004
Roy 5; Lyle 6; Dunlop 4; Wright 5; Dowie 4 (Smyth 45, 6); Miller 4 (Tait, 45 6); Bowman 5; Ramsay (c) 6; Mortimer 6; Brown 4; McColl 3
Goals: none

@ St Johnstone 24 January 2003
Roy (c) 7; Masterton 6; Dunlop 5; Wright 4; Dowie 7; Miller 5; Bowman 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 6; Tait 4 (Brown, 45 7); McGrady 7
Goals: McGrady 88"

@ Falkirk 31 January 2004
Roy (c) 8; Masterton 7; Dunlop 7 (Smyth, 56 6); Wright 7; Dowie 6; Miller 4 (Lyle, 28 6); Bowman 7 (inj 77); Rennie 7; Doyle 4; Tait 4 (A.Ferguson, 56 7); McGrady 7
Goals: McGrady 62"

BarryLFC

February

A 90th minute leveller at home to Ross County provided the high of the season to date, but even that was to be eclipsed as we visited leaders Raith. with time ticking away on a 0-0 draw we were sensationally awarded a penalty in injury time. Lee Hardy stepped up and saw his effort saved by the keeper, but a despairing lunge squeezed the rebound home and we had won at last! A tickertape parade welcomed us back to Ayr and the 4 fans that travelled were ecstatic.

Of course we were bound to get our comeuppance at home to Inverness, but it was a buoyant support that saw us take a 31st minute lead through Kevin Rennie and when Stuart McGrady gave us our first two goal lead two minutes into the second half, and our first three goal lead of the season eight minutes later there was at least one man who came. The game ended 3-0 and at least one man made a wholly predictable joke involving buses. The month ended with a game at Clyde where, of course, we lost 7-0 earlier in the season, but now we were looking to complete an unbeaten month, with a win perhaps even putting me in the running for manager of the month. In the end we picked up a brilliant 0-0 draw with Clyde's Simon Mensing sent off in injury time. It had been some month. Unbelievably though, two wins in four gave the top manager award to Ross County's Alex Smith, although we did taste some success as Kevin Rennie won goal of the month, with Graeme Brown third in the same category.

v Ross County 11 February 2004
Roy 5; Masterton 7; Dunlop 7; Wright 8; Dowie 7; Ramsay (c) 6 (Hardy, 83 7); McGrady 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 7; Ferguson 4 (Kean 45, 7); Brown 8*
Goals: Brown 90"

@ Raith Rovers 14 February 2004
Roy 8*; Masterton 5; Dunlop 6; Wright 6; Dowie 7; Ramsay (c) 8; Hardy 6; Rennie 7; Chaplain 5; Brown 7; McGrady 7
Goals: Hardy 90"

v Inverness 21 February 2004
Roy 7; Masterton 8; Dunlop 7; Wright 8; Dowie 7; Ramsay (c) 7; Hardy 7; Rennie 8; Chaplain 7; Brown 6; McGrady 8*
Goals: Rennie 31", McGrady 47", 55"

@ Clyde 28 February 2004
Roy 7; Masterton 5 (Lyle, 83 6); Dunlop 6; Wright 7; Dowie 6 (Smyth, 83 6); Miller 6; Hardy 7; Ramsay (c) 6; Rennie 4; Brown 3; McGrady 3 (A.Ferguson, 83 6)
Goals: none

retired_pahuja_satish

You're prolific!

BarryLFC

March

A 3-2 win at Brechin staved off relegation for one more week, and continued a bizarre run of form that now stretches to seven games unbeaten despite no wins in our first 27 games of the season in all competitions, but a 1-0 loss at home to Queen of the South the next week was a big disappointment to all concerned, and largely pinned on the injury that kept Stephen Wright out of the side. He was again absent as we travelled to Love Street to face St Mirren, a game in which defeat would confirm our relegation. With the score 1-1 an injury to Ludo Roy just before half time was a sickener, and despite taking a 2-1 lead we had to settle for a 2-2 draw, with results elsewhere condemning us to the Second Division for next season. Some consolation came in the shape of Masterton winning the Young Player of the Month Award, well deserved it was too.

@ Brechin 6 March 2004
Roy 8; Masterton 9*; Dunlop 7; Wright 7; Dowie 7; Ramsay (c) 6; Hardy 6; Chaplain 7; Rennie 7; Brown 4 (A.Ferguson, 74 6); McGrady 6
Goals: Masterton 11", 42", McGrady 77"

v Queen of the South 13 March 2004
Roy 5; Masterton 8; Dunlop 7; Smyth 7; Dowie 6; Ramsay (c) 7; Hardy 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 6; Brown 6; McGrady 4 (A.Ferguson, 86 6)
Goals: none

@ St Mirren 20 March 2004
Roy 5 (Hillcoat, 43 8*); Masterton 7; Dunlop 6; Smyth 5 (Black, 81 6); Dowie 6; Ramsay (c) 7; Hardy 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 7; Tait 7 (McGrady, 81 6); Ferguson 7
Goals: A.Ferguson 38", Masterton 52"

BarryLFC

April

Steve Masterton's second double in four games gave us a 2-1 win over St Johnstone as we looked to fill a spoiler role over the final six games of the season. Falkirk were next to visit Somerset, and though we couldn't hold on to the lead Brown gave us we did take a good point. David Craig, Jamie Doyle, Stewart Kean and Mark Campbell were released in the week as we began our preparations for next season. The team was unchanged for the trip to Ross County, but we were comfortably second best throughout. Earlier in the season we'd have crumbled, but Roy saved a late penalty and we took a decent point. If only we'd started out the season as strongly as we're finishing it. Raith visited next, bringing back memories of Stark's Park and Lee Hardy's bundled winner. Boyd Mullen made his first professional start on the right as Ramsay dropped to the bench. A red card for Rovers' Baltacha after 28 minutes was followed by one for Scott Chaplain after 32 as the referee lost control. At 10-a-side it was a wide open game and Raith scored first, just after the hour mark. A second Rovers goal followed as they adapted better to the wide open spaces, and the match was won.

v St Johnstone 3 April 2004
Roy 5; Masterton 10*; Dunlop 8; Wright 7; Dowie 5 (Smyth, 58 7); Ramsay (c) 7; Hardy 6; Rennie 7; Chaplain 7; Brown 5 (McGrady, 58 7); Ferguson 7
Goals: Masterton 71", 82"

v Falkirk 10 April 2004
Roy 7; Masterton 7; Dunlop 7; Wright 7; Smyth 7; Ramsay (c) 6 (Mullen, 79 6); Hardy 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 7; Brown 7; Ferguson 7 (McGrady, 79 6)
Goals:

@ Ross County 17 April 2004
Roy 9*; Masterton 6; Dunlop 5; Wright 6; Smyth 6; Ramsay (c) 4 (Mullen, 45 6); Hardy 6; Rennie 7; Chaplain 6; Brown 4; Ferguson 7
Goals: none

v Raith Rovers 24 April 2004
Roy (c) 5; Masterton 7; Dunlop 6; Wright 6; Dowie 5 (Smyth, 70 6); Mullen 5 (McGrady, 70 7); Hardy 7; Rennie 7; Chaplain 6 (s/o 32); Brown 6 (Ramsay, 33 7); Ferguson 7
Goals: none

BarryLFC

May

With just two games to play we were looking forward to the end of the season. The game at Inverness looked set to turn as we equalised with a penalty kick following a red card for Caley Thistle defender Stuart Golabek, and Graeme Brown added to that goal with his second, and ninth of the season, after the break. Inverness equalised again, but were then reduced to nine men when Roy McBain was sent off, and a McGrady header made it 3-2. Almost unbelievably though the nine levelled, so I hooked Ludo Roy and went for it. We drew, but I took some solace from the fact I was disappointed by that. We finished off the season by welcoming Clyde to Somerset. The visitors took the first half honours by two goals to Andy Ferguson's one, but Ludo Roy was again subbed, this time at the interval. Graeme Brown's tenth of the season pulled us level just before the hour, but there was no further scoring as we ended the campaign with a draw. We had been relegated, but our late-season form showed promise for the new year if I could keep the team together. Mark McColl, Steven Miller, Aaron Black and Jordan Tait were released as the clearout continued.

@ Inverness 1 May 2004
Roy (c) 4 (Hillcoat, 80 6); Masterton 7; Dunlop 4 (Lyle, 80 7); Wright 6; Smyth 6; McGrady 7; Bowman 7; Rennie 7; Mullen 7; Brown 7 (McColl, 90 6); A.Ferguson 7
Goals: Brown 36" pen, 58", McGrady 75"

v Clyde 8 May 2004
Roy (c) 4 (Hillcoat, 45 7); Masterton 7; Dunlop 7; Wright 5; Smyth 5; Mullen 7; Bowman 6 (McGrady, 81 6); Rennie 6 (Ramsay, 81 6); Hardy 7; Brown 8; A.Ferguson 7
Goals: A.Ferguson 19", Brown 57"

BarryLFC

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts 1st C Raith Rovers 36 19 8 9 63 37 +26 65 2nd Inverness C. Thistle 36 17 10 9 56 39 +17 61 3rd St. Johnstone 36 15 10 11 48 36 +12 55 4th Brechin 36 14 11 11 66 54 +12 53 5th Clyde 36 13 12 11 51 44 +7 51 6th Queen of Sth. 36 13 8 15 58 72 -14 47 7th Ross County 36 12 10 14 36 47 -11 46 8th Falkirk 36 11 12 13 55 45 +10 45 9th R St. Mirren 36 12 6 18 50 65 -15 42</pre><pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">10th R Ayr 36 4 13 19 28 72 -44 25</pre>