The 10 best Scottish lower league players this week

It’s safe to say that 20-year-old Scott Stewart, hasn’t always been hugely popular among the Airdrieonians faithful. The right-sided player was often seen as powder-puff in midfield. And while his move backwards to right-full-back was initially scolded as a sign of desperation, the switch has proven to be beneficial to both player and club, and in the process, going some way to proving that football fans know diddly-squat. Stewart wasn’t on the scoresheet as Airdrie started the campaign with a 3-1 win over newly promoted Queens Park, but he was a pest at both ends of the park as Kevin McBride’s full-timers dispensed with Gus McPherson’s amateurs *cough* travelling expenses *cough*. Next weekend’s fixture with Livingston will be a fine indicator of Airdrie’s prowess this term.

It was difficult to ascertain what to expect of East Fife heading into this term. Should last year’s League Two champs be expected to challenge once more, or will the tougher opposition and loss of Nathan Austin mean that ambition should be pared right back? To be honest, after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Albion Rovers, we’re not really any wiser. Certainly the acquisition of Mark Lamont seems a sure thing, with the former Stirling Albion midfielder supplying assists for Kevin Smith and Jason Kerr to give the Methil Milan the lead twice. Surprisingly it was the defensive side of things where they were let down, with two comical Albion Rovers strikes ensuring a point apiece. On first impressions though, Gary Naysmith’s men have the nuts-and-bolts to be a decent addition to the League One talent pool.

Ayr United boss, Ian McCall can be a real sourpuss at times. On Saturday, while watching his side being outplayed for long spells by Gary Locke’s luminaries, he was involved in a tete-tete with Raith assistant Darren Jackson, then with the assistant referee, to whom he eventually bellowed: “JUST DO YOUR JOB.” Maybe Ian simply takes umbrage with people who have the word ‘assistant’ in their job title. But if the linesman had been bestowed with the right to reply, we’d like to think his retort would be something along the lines of: “Perhaps you should do yours Ian, your team looks dung.” They were certainly second best in a 2-0 loss to a Raith team who swayed between okay and ordinary in a match where Ross Callachan put on the kind of show which had lofty suitors chasing him a season or so ago. His opener settled Raith down, while his running power and energy made the home side look docile and plodding by comparison. Ayr need reinforcements. Do your job McCall .

Up until last Thursday, you’d have been hard pushed to find a Doonhamer predicting Queen of the South taking anything from the side’s clash with Dundee United at Tannadice. A low-key summer break on the back of an unfulfilling campaign, had most fans fearing the worst for Gavin Skelton’s side. That all changed as the weekend hovered into view though, when it was announced that the prodigal son, Steven Dobbie was returning to Dumfries. Suddenly, Dundee United away seemed like a surmountable proposition, rather than an implausible task. And it looked even more doable when they remembered Dundee United still had that risible back-line from last season, as Queens grabbed a deserved 1-1 draw. Midfielder Mark Millar patrolled the middle of the park with a willingness and authority which was all-too-often lacking last term and he’ll be an important facet if Q.O.S are to improve on last season’s mid-table mediocrity.

Alloa’s 4-0 win over Peterhead was described as a romp in some quarters, a word which is generally only removed from cold storage when the Sun newspaper wants to describe some sexual shenanigans perpetrated by some C-list celebrity such as an ex-Coronation Street actor or a former member of Another Level. It was a spot on description though as Jack Ross’s title favourites eviscerated the Blue Toon in devastating fashion, with Jordan Kirkpatrick, Iain Flannigan and Kevin Cawley especially, leading Jim McInally’s men a merry dance. The early signs are that Jack Ross and David Hopkirk will duke it out for the title, a contest which could be aptly summarised as Beauty and the Beast. May the best man win.

We presumed that this job opportunity would be the best thing to come out of Livingston for quite some time. After all, it’s not often that an amalgam of James Bond and Mission Impossible themes are applied to a man standing at Ochilview videoing Albion Rovers playing Stenhousemuir on Periscope. As usual though, we were incorrect. The Amber Machine swept aside supposed promotion rivals Stranraer by five goals to one on Saturday, with Scott Pittman the star of the show. Two goals and a virtuoso performance made him an easy pick and while virtually no-one enjoys seeing Livi win a game of football, it was pleasing to see a player whom we picked out as being a special talent two seasons back returning to form. With Alloa and Livingston both stating their intent on Saturday, League One could be a rare old dust-up this season.

If this is to be the Hibernian forward’s swansong for the Scottish Cup holders then it wasn’t a bad way to sign-off. His brace of goals in a reasonably comfortable 2-1 win over last season’s rivals Falkirk lay down a marker for both club and player. If Beanzema does depart then our best wishes go with him, but you do wonder if he’ll be yet another young Scottish player lost forever in the hinterlands of English football. Well we say forever, he’d almost certainly reappear in Perth roughly five seasons later after unsuccessful loan spells at Yeovil, Plymouth and Stevenage, but you get the drift. The defeat was a sore one to take for Falkirk, who unsurprisingly look the worse for wear without Will Vaulks and Blair Alston in the side. If Peter Houston stopped bubbling about conceding those three penalties a couple of weeks back, he could really do with adding a body or two.

It’s a hard-and-fast rule that any match which ends up a 4-3 win must be described as a SEVEN GOAL THRILLER, but the Pars return to the Championship was far more straightforward than the score-line supposes. Only umpteen injury-time penalties for Steve Aitken’s Dumbarton team brought some respect to the result, after his team had been torn asunder by Joe Cardle and chums. Admittedly Allan Johnston’s gems were helped along by Dumbarton appearing to think defending was a completely new and alien concept, with Frazer Wright at times looking every one of his 54 years, as Cardle waltzed his way to an opening day hat-trick. If the Pars can stop conceding two penalties per match, they may just do quite well this term.Written by Shaughan McGuigan (@ShaughanM)