SlovSam
Private Member
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2003
As I am still unwilling to give any money to the Ayrshire 'Billy Boys' after their qualified board room and managerial support for ''Scotland's Shame 1872'' and 'Scotland's Shame 2012' so I decided to go the Morton v Alloa Scottish Championship match to assess the current situation of our two errant scallywags.:hmmm
My first disappointment was that Riordan wasn't playing though he was a subby but I was really surprised in the warm up to see what good shape he was in. A little thicker in the legs and body perhaps but he looked quite fit and strong.
O'Connor was playing though but he still looks just a bit on the heavy side though his fitness is improving according to the locals around me though if that was the case I kinda wondered what the start base had been.
As to the game itself Morton are quite a balanced team being poor at the back;poor in midfield and poor in attack as O'Connor struggled to make any impression apart from the odd nice touch and lay off. He did have a few opportunities but the timing just wasn't there and the reflexes and reactions are now just that split second slower.
I was a little surprised he was subbed after 65 minutes as he wasn't completely terrible but you couldn't help feel that it just about all over for him as he never really looked like he was enjoying much being out there.
Riordan on the other hand seemed to be having a bit of a ball as he seemed to be a bit of a star amongst the Alloa lads and was obviously the main man during the warm up as he smiled and laughed and joked.
I was quite chuffed for him and as the game developed really hoping he got on though at 0-1 up away from home and taking a bit of a pounding you would hardly expect the manager to bring on Riordan to shore up the midfield but the manager took a gamble and put Riordan on as the loan striker for the last 15 minutes and with his first touch Riordan found 2 yards of space to create a shot that was blocked.
Seconds later he was then berating and tut tutting his team-mates and shaking his heid as they failed to find him with a pass something he did on at least another 2 occasions before the game ended which must drive the manager and players mental.
In the last minute with Morton pushing forward Riordan then had the chance of the match as he ran from the halfway line for a one on one with the keeper but was brought down on the edge of the box just as he was about to pull the trigger for which the Morton player was sent off.
The significance of this wasn't the miss though it was that the Morton player made up around 4 yards on Riordan to somehow get back.
15 minutes on a freezing February day is hardly a shop window and while I cant quite see Riordan playing again in the SPL it was really nice to see a fit and healthy player just enjoying playing football again and remembering that two footed skill and quick thinking that made him one of the best players of his generation.
If he keeps focussed and motivated I could see him carving out a bit of a swansong in the lower leagues for the next few years.
Other asides were Morton have teenage girl cheerleaders which in February can only be described as cruel and what the @@@@ was Fenlon thinking of as ''Beardy Weardy'' Vine was also masqearding about on the pitch.
My first disappointment was that Riordan wasn't playing though he was a subby but I was really surprised in the warm up to see what good shape he was in. A little thicker in the legs and body perhaps but he looked quite fit and strong.
O'Connor was playing though but he still looks just a bit on the heavy side though his fitness is improving according to the locals around me though if that was the case I kinda wondered what the start base had been.
As to the game itself Morton are quite a balanced team being poor at the back;poor in midfield and poor in attack as O'Connor struggled to make any impression apart from the odd nice touch and lay off. He did have a few opportunities but the timing just wasn't there and the reflexes and reactions are now just that split second slower.
I was a little surprised he was subbed after 65 minutes as he wasn't completely terrible but you couldn't help feel that it just about all over for him as he never really looked like he was enjoying much being out there.
Riordan on the other hand seemed to be having a bit of a ball as he seemed to be a bit of a star amongst the Alloa lads and was obviously the main man during the warm up as he smiled and laughed and joked.
I was quite chuffed for him and as the game developed really hoping he got on though at 0-1 up away from home and taking a bit of a pounding you would hardly expect the manager to bring on Riordan to shore up the midfield but the manager took a gamble and put Riordan on as the loan striker for the last 15 minutes and with his first touch Riordan found 2 yards of space to create a shot that was blocked.
Seconds later he was then berating and tut tutting his team-mates and shaking his heid as they failed to find him with a pass something he did on at least another 2 occasions before the game ended which must drive the manager and players mental.
In the last minute with Morton pushing forward Riordan then had the chance of the match as he ran from the halfway line for a one on one with the keeper but was brought down on the edge of the box just as he was about to pull the trigger for which the Morton player was sent off.
The significance of this wasn't the miss though it was that the Morton player made up around 4 yards on Riordan to somehow get back.
15 minutes on a freezing February day is hardly a shop window and while I cant quite see Riordan playing again in the SPL it was really nice to see a fit and healthy player just enjoying playing football again and remembering that two footed skill and quick thinking that made him one of the best players of his generation.
If he keeps focussed and motivated I could see him carving out a bit of a swansong in the lower leagues for the next few years.
Other asides were Morton have teenage girl cheerleaders which in February can only be described as cruel and what the @@@@ was Fenlon thinking of as ''Beardy Weardy'' Vine was also masqearding about on the pitch.
