1. James Tavernier (Rangers)
It was Scottish funny-man Limmy who opined some years back that in the case of Rangers the only thing more embarrassing than being eliminated from the Challenge Cup was actually going on and winning it. Whether you value the thoughts of a man who has some way to go before he reaches the status of other Scottish comedians such as the Krankies or Des Clarke is up to yourself, but Rangers nonchalant victory in the Petrofac Training Cup Final shows the club is now less of a laughing stock and more of a genuine Scottish power in waiting. The 4-0 win over Peterhead was, depending on your point-of-view, disappointingly one-sided, with James Tavernier Rangers best player on the day, a performance which featured a blunderbus of a volley from the right-back which doubled Rangers lead. The match was the first of two quickfire visits to Hampden for the Ibrox men, and although last Sunday’s supplied some silverware, this Sunday’s match may get a bit more media attention.
2. Stevie Mallan (St. Mirren)
Alex Rae’s St. Mirren clear-out will begin soon enough, and presumably there’ll be some players who he’ll be relived to see the back of. Jim Goodwin for example, who appears to be playing a spoof-parody of himself these days, or Steven Thompson, who must be tempted by the allure of the Sportscene studio rather than a November bus-journey to the Tony Macaroni. One player who Rae will be sad to see the back of however is Stevie Mallan, who has been a persistent stand-out in Saints job-lot of jobbers. Mallan proved his worth again on Saturday with his 12th and 13th goals of the season, showing just why Dundee recently offered about £9 and a year’s subscription to the Sunday Post for the midfielder. It’ll take significantly more than that to pry Mallan away this summer.
3. Graeme Holmes (Alloa Athletic)
Oh, Hibernian, when will this end? Well, if we’re going to answer our own question, it’ll probably climax with them being poked out the play-offs by Raith Rovers and being bodied by Dundee United in the Scottish Cup. The club now seemingly lurches from one fresh, merry Hell to the next, and on Saturday they become the first away side to lose at the Indodrill Stadium in any competition this season. For Alloa, Jason Marr was at his imperious best at the back, but his performance was probably shaded by Graeme Holmes. Presumably when the midfielder got home and turned out his pockets, he’d have found chewing gum, his phone, loose change and John McGinn, with the newly capped Scotland player having little time to breathe, never mind dictate proceedings. This result, and the midweek capitulation to Falkirk, leaves Hibernian third in a two-horse race.
4. Josh Todd (Annan Athletic)
With the League Two title now all but won by East Fife, and East Stirling girding their loins for a relegation ding-dong with either Lowland or Highland League opposition, the only aspect of the division still open to tender is the promotion play-off line-up. Annan Athletic, fresh from punching lumps out of Elgin last week, are now the most handily placed of the pack, moving up to second with a 4-1 win over Arbroath, thanks in part to a brace from Josh Todd. The pecking-order could barely be tighter though, with just one point separating the Galabankies, Clyde, Queens Park and Elgin. It’s been an odd season for Annan. They were top from September until January, but a run of just two wins from eleven fixtures appeared to have scuppered their hopes. However, with Todd, Smart Osadolor and Peter Weatherson all back amongst the goals in recent weeks, Jim Chapman’s team are hitting form at just the right time.
5. Mark Kerr (Falkirk)
As Mark Kerr approaches the twilight spell of his career, anyone whose watched him over the last few years must be wondering how the midfielder didn’t reach a slightly higher level in his prime. At 34, Kerr is the elder-statesman of this Falkirk side, but he never looks hurried or harried, never wastes a pass, rarely makes a mistake, and is constantly available to keep things ticking over. That was certainly the case on Saturday in Falkirk’s last-minute 3-2 win over St. Mirren, a result which took on even greater resonance, after Falkirk’s come-from-behind draw at Easter Road on Tuesday evening. With second place now a real possibility, Kerr might be able to rest his ageing joints for the opening playoff round.
6. Calum Crane (Berwick Rangers)
It’s not really a title that trips lightly off the tongue, but hats off to Berwick Rangers for coming out on top in the battle-of-the-managers-who-have-just-received-surprisingly-lengthy-contract-extensions. John Coughlin’s new two-year-deal coincides with Berwick’s run of conceding just one goal in eight games, while the ink on Barry Ferguson’s recently autographed three-year-deal was barely dry when Clyde slipped into their third rotten funk of the campaign. His Bully Wee team were arguably the better of the two sides in the first period, but the home team pulled away in the second in a 3-0 victory. Blair Henderson supplied the opening two goals, but it was young left-back Calum Crane who again impressed the most, with his two crossed deliveries setting up Henderson for both goals. Coughlin will already be planning for next term, but where now for Clyde? Well, fifth at this rate.
7. Kevin Cuthbert (Raith Rovers)
It says much about Kevin Cuthbert’s form this season that Raith Rovers fans now rarely mention former favourite David McGurn these days. “The Cat” had arguably his finest game of the campaign on Saturday, and it needed to be, denying Queens with four great saves as Rovers confirmed their play-off place with this 2-1 win. Admittedly he may have gotten a little lucky at the end, when, according to the Queen of the South Twitter feed, Derek Lyle sent a shit over the bar. Either this was a spelling error, or Gavin Gunning slinking off in a cream-puff wasn’t the only unusual sight in Scottish football last Saturday.
8. Craig Sives (Cowdenbeath)
You’ve got to hand it to Colin Nish. Electing to set up his side to be competent for around 60 seconds, then be a haphazard, ramshackle mess for the other 89 minutes, was an unorthodox but effective tactic at the weekend. Despite taking the lead after just 45 seconds, Brechin hemmed the home side in for much of the match, forcing Cowdenbeath manager into the early substitution of Declan McDaid for Chris Kane, a switch which was met by jeers and swearwords from the Blue Brazilians. However, the replacement scored the winner in Cowden’s 2-1 win, and Kane’s rush to make the shoosh gesture to the support suggested he may have been a bit put-out by their earlier protestations. Despite Kane’s intervention, Cowden were again reliant on central defender Craig Sives, who was unruffled and upstanding in the face of almost constant Brechin pressure. Cowden’s win may have been against the run of play, but it might just be enough to keep their heads above water.
9. Andy Ryan (Forfar Athletic)
“Mair like Michael Missit! Am ah right?” chortled and spluttered your Forfar-cheering auld boy, as the supporters bus headed back to the Angus region. Certainly this game would have have had a far different conclusion if Pars striker Michael Moffat hadn’t somehow conspired to miss a twice-take penalty in the final minute of this pulsating 2-2 draw between the champs and the Loons. Forfar forward Andy Ryan was bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed in a performance which, on another day, could have helped Gary Bollan’s men to all three points, as they threatened but ultimately failed to pull away from Brechin despite twice taking the lead against the Pars. With just one defeat in six, Forfar are demonstrating fine form as they battle to escape the drop, but they’ll need to turn single points into three if they’re to avoid the horrors of ninth.
10. Gary Naysmith (East Fife)
Despite East Fife winning Saturday’s match with Montrose by three goals to nil, it’s possible that both sides were able to take some positives from the result. East Fife’s were fairly straightforward, as another dominant performance inched them closer to the title, which will be delivered this week with a win at Clyde. Montrose on the other hand, avoided the same kind of red-faced scenario which befell them in February, when they were walloped 7-0 by Stirling Albion. It looked like a repeat was on the cards at one stage though, when the Fifers sprinted into a three goal lead in under 25 minutes, which included an excellent free-kick from Stevie Campbell. Gaffer and man-of-the-match Gary Naysmith was heavily involved in the third, his well-paced, languid pass allowing Nathan Austin to put the game to bed after barely quarter of it had passed. Naysmith and his Marvellous Methilites will be worthy champions.
Written by Shaughan McGuigan