Stefan McCluskey, looking a bit more haggard than anyone born in MCMXC has a right to be.
Raith Rovers visit Cappielow for a Friday-nighter against Morton, on BBC Alba. It looks as if Morton, Raith and Queen of the South will be spending the rest of the season in a race for fourth place and the promotion playoffs, so today's game is key. Ahead of today's game, Morton hold fourth place with 24 points, and Raith are fifth, also with 24, but with a slightly worse goal difference. A win or a draw will keep Morton in the playoff zone. QoS play Hibs tomorrow, a tough match for them. Raith won the first meeting with Morton 2 - 1 at San Starko.
[Raith win 1 - 2. Morton goal by Samuel.]
How have Morton fared against Raith Rovers in the 21st Century?
2013-14 2D 2L
2012-13 2W 1D 1L
2011-12 2D 2L + a Scottish Cup win
2010-11 2D 2L
2009-10 2W 1D 1L
2006-07 3W 1L
2005-06 3W 1D
2000-01 1W 2D 1L + a Challenge Cup win
1999-00 2W 2L
Falkirk host Rangers tomorrow. If Rangers lose, expect the Premiership to expand to sixteen clubs Monday. [Oh ho! Falkirk win 2 - 1.]
The 2015-16 season is about half over. Is it too early to talk about the pyramid playoffs? League Two is pretty close, and the top club could still conceivably finish last, but let's say the last-place club at season's end will be one of the four with negative goal differences today: Montrose, Arbroath, East Stirlingshire, Berwick. Let's also say that one of the top four in the Lowland and Highland League standings today will make the pyramid playoffs: Edinburgh City, University of Stirling, Spartans, East Kilbride; Brora, Cove Rangers, Formartine, Turiff. How have the four League Two clubs done against these eight?
Arbroath: Brora 2W; Spartans 1W, 1D, 1L; the rest, never.
Berwick: Cove Rangers 1W; Formartine 1W; Spartans 1W, 1D, 1L; the rest, never.
East Stirlingshire: Brora 1W; Cove Rangers 2W, 1D; Edinburgh City 1W, 2D; Formartine 1L; Spartans 1W, 1L; the rest, never.
Montrose: Brora 1W, 2D, 2L; Cove Rangers 1L; Edinburgh City, 1W, 1L; the rest, never.
The new League Cup format is getting chewed over in all the fan forums. Here's my question. The winners of the Highland and Lowland Leagues are to be included in the group stage, meaning that now there will be Hi and Lo clubs in all three cups. But what if one of them wins promotion to League Two in the meantime? Who will take their place: the second-place team, or the demoted team, or what? Will the League Cup continue to be based on last year's league standings instead of this year's? In August everyone was agreed that it was a bad thing.
It's the Empress's Cup, quarter-finals:
Match No. 41: Nippon TV Beleza [4 - 1] Iga FC Kunoichi
Match No. 42: Albirex Niigata [2 - 0] JEF United Ichihara Chiba
Match No. 43: Vegalta Sendai [5 - 3 on penalties] Urawa Red Diamonds
Match No. 44: AS Elfen Saitama [0 - 2] INAC Kobe Leonessa
The FIFA World Club Cup concludes Sunday, with the final between Barcelona and River Plate. [Barca win 3 - 0.]
Also Sunday, Elazığspor [2 - 1] Karşıyaka.
Cumnock [1 - 1] Largs Thistle.
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