1. Darren Smith (Stirling Albion)
It wasn’t too long ago that we were pointing fingers at Stirling Albion and the Mo’ for entirely different reasons. Paul Hegarty’s Montrose sat second in the table at the arse end of October, while the Binos were something of a rabble, grubbing about in the lower reaches of League Two and looking a decent bet to be this term’s relegation candidates. Now though, thanks in no small part to hot-shot Darren Smith’s treble in a 3-1 win for Stirling, the two clubs are on opposite trajectories. The Forthbank club now sit just outside the play-offs, while Montrose have slumped to seventh. The hat-trick came somewhat out the blue for the former Stenhousemuir, Ross County and Motherwell forward, who has never been particularly noted for his goal-scoring form. If Smith has recovered from the injuries that have hampered his career over the last few seasons, then he may get the opportunity to put that right in the second half of this campaign.
2. Dylan Easton (Elgin City)
It’s a bold statement, but with every passing week Dylan Easton is starting to look like the best pound-for-pound signing in Scotland’s lower-leagues this season. Goodness knows where Elgin City would be in the league table without him – it certainly wouldn’t be as high as fourth. The former St. Johnstone winger was at his lip-smacking, sashaying best against Berwick Rangers on Saturday as Elgin squeaked the win by three goals to two. This was just their second away win of the term and just their sixth of 2015. Easton’s close control, mastery of the situation and vision were evident in both his assists during the come-from-behind win. With a reasonably favourable looking run of fixtures coming up, Jim Weir’s team could start 2K16 in an extremely handy position.
3. Peter Weatherson (Annan Athletic)
There’s just six points separating the top-five clubs in the brilliantly competitive League Two. It’s Annan that continue to lead the way, after a 3-1 win over East Stirlingshire, which featured a brace of goals from the evergreen Peter Weatherson. The 35-year-old shows no sign of slowing down – his double the 13th and 14th goals of what’s been a cracking season from the lower-league stalwart. It means he’s now scored in the last eight matches he’s featured in and it’s doubtful he’s scored any more impressive than the duo he rustled up against the Shire. With no defeats at home this season, the Galabankies Boxing Day clash at home to an equally in-form Clyde could be a an absolute rip-snorter.
4. Jamie Lindsay (Dumbarton)
Let’s be clear about this, we here at the Terrace don’t dislike St.Mirren – far from it. But we do take some enjoyment when they lose, as no other club’s fans can hold a candle to the Buddies’ mouth-foaming magnificence after a defeat. They absolutely excelled themselves on Saturday after yet another, a 1-0 gazumping from Dumbarton, who for the second week in a row produced a performance and victory which tipped a manager over the precipice. Ian Murray’s employment was terminated after a rank-rotten tenure which was perforated with words ending in less. His players were a mixture of talent-less and spineless, while his tactics and substitutions were at varying times clueless. As a result, he’s now jobless, after a defeat which owed much to the performance of Jamie Lindsay – the on-loan Celtic player who adds finesse alongside Jon Routledge’s steel in midfield. Alex Miller would appear to be the early front-runner for the St. Mirren post and who could blame the board for appointing him. After all, the last time they promoted an experienced assistant went exceptionally well.
5. Jason Marr (Alloa Athletic)
Christmas may be revered as a time for miracles but Jesus, Mary and Joseph, an Alloa win! It was only a matter of days ago that we assessed the part-time sides on the podcast, and we were in little doubt that they were more-or-less doomed. So it should probably come as no surprise that both Dumbarton and Alloa have started to stack up wins almost as soon as the words left our stupid mouths. The Wasps’ 1-0 win over Livingston closed the gap between the two sides to just three points. Although with their goal-difference more in the negative than Kerry Katona’s bank balance, the gap is essentially four. There was very little pretty about the win although much to admire with Jason Marr, restored to the starting line-up by Paddy Connolly, a major irritant to Livi. Solid and doughty in defence, he was the main reason Alloa kept those rarest of creatures, a clean sheet. He also helped deliver the match-winner, with his cross helping Robbie Crawford to his first Alloa goal. It’s a long way back for Alloa, but it’s a start at least.
6. Iain Russell (Queen of the South)
He may be about as popular as rickets amongst opposition fans due to his propensity to fall over more easily than an inebriated toddler, but Iain Russell further endeared himself to his own supporters on Friday evening. He and Alex Harris were the two standout performers, in a fairly hum-drum contest that was dragged down by too many of those on show looking more like chaff than wheat. Russell’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Raith Rovers came somewhat out the blue. Rovers had held the whip-hand in a reasonably dominant first-period and the situation that was completely reversed in the second as they grimly hung on for a point. As the second-half of the campaign looms into view, the contest for fourth place has no clear favourite.
7. Chris Smith (Clyde)
It would be tempting to pick Scott Ferguson for his two goals in Clyde’s 2-0 win over East Fife on Saturday. Both strikes were very much in the extra-special category as Clyde won their fourth successive match. However, it was defender Chris Smith who was the game’s finest performer. Not just for his assist in Ferguson’s opener, but for another peerless performance which involved shackling Nathan Austin, one of the more prodigious forwards at this level. There’s few airs-and-graces in Smith’s style, with the defender apparently chiseled and hewn out of Aberdeen granite, while his snarling style hints that he’d probably slide tackle his Granny just to prevent a throw-in. Clyde’s form has been so good, that St. Mirren are rumoured to be sniffing around boss Barry Ferguson. How would Clyde fair without the man who holds the world-record for the most amount of face-touching during an interview? Much better probably.
8. Lee Kilday (Morton)
With Luca Gasparotto forced to sit this one out due to Rangers being his negligent parent club, it was felt that Morton would toil against the Championship table-toppers. Kenny Miller’s second minute goal did little to dispel the notion, but Duffy’s Decipels almost top-trumped Warburton’s Wibbly-Wobblers with a fine counter-attacking display. Kilday and his fellow defenders remained resolute at the back while up front and out the wide, they had the willing workhorses of Denny Johnstone, Stef McCluskey and Bobby Barr. They also benefited from a bizarre own goal from James Tavernier – who is starting to resemble Alan Hutton more and more each week – after he prodded the ball into his own net with his knee, during the 2-2 draw. Morton could make a bit of a statement in regards to fourth place this Friday night, when they’re at home to fifth placed Raith Rovers.
9. Greig Spence (Cowdenbeath)
After one, or to be more accurate, several defeats too many for Forfar Athletic, the board decided to relinquish Dick Campbell from his position on Saturday evening. Campbell had been Scotland’s longest serving manager up until that point, but when angry fans are leaving capitalised Facebook comments that involve ingeniously replacing the suffix, Athletic with PATHETIC, then something’s gotta give. Greig Spence was the scourge to the home side, scoring the game’s only goal in the 31st minute. Though, in truth, he should have had more after passing over two similar, gilt-edged chances. In his defence, he was denied on both occasions by old Grandfather Time himself, Rab Douglas. The result meant Cowdenbeath sprung above the Loons to seventh in League One, as the search starts for a new manager to guide Forfar Pathetic away from the relegation positions.
10. Ben Richards-Everton (Dunfermline Athletic)
Big Bad Ben may have his limitations as a defender, but his recent performances suggest he’s useful for more than just inspiring middle-aged Dunfermline strumpets to write lovelorn comments on the club’s Facebook page about the defender being “awffy braw.” The towering unit certainly came in handy for the ten-man Pars on Saturday. A curiously lifeless Ayr team eventually started to ask some question late in the game after Joe Cardle had been dismissed for being a bit of a silly-billy. Despite their numerical disadvantage lasting the majority of the second-period, they still managed to produce a winner which lifted them three points above their title challengers. In the aftermath, Ben took to Twitter to demonstrate that he’s a wordsmith as well as a baller and hunk, by tweeting: “Get the fuck in there!!!!!!” His unnecessary use of 6 exclamation marks almost saw him banned from this list.
Written by Shaughan McGuigan (@ShaughanM).