Banned

Kevin Haynes (above) looks set to miss the next five games after his sending off on Saturday, his second red of the season. Big Kev has been in great form - certainly in the games against Stenny and QP that I saw recently he was excellent. He'll be missed because it was the pairing of Wood & Haynes in November (after injury and suspension) that kick started this season and set us off on this impressive run.

Gary Wood has completed his three match suspension now and hopefully will return on Saturday against Elgin.

Excitement builds

It's been an exciting few days at Berwick as the young chap above can't hide. A win at East Fife last weekend saw Berwick go clear at the top of the league, with games in hand over most other clubs.

With seven league wins in a row now, John Coughlin has also, belatedly, been awarded the Manager of the Month for December. Congratulations to him. It really is a phenomonal run of results just at a crucial time in the season. MotM is often a jinx so let's hope there is no slip up this weekend.

News this week that Iain Diack has joined the club. The striker has played for several clubs at this level and has scored plenty of goals. His tally at Albion Rovers several years back now brought him to the attention of many and he signed for Arbroath and then Morton. More recently nine goals in seventeen outings last season when he joined Stenhousemuir during the January transfer window was a decent return.

One in, one out and Ryan McCallum has left the club and joined Arniston. I guess his failure to score meant that even off the bench he wasn't really a threat or enhancing the side and fell down the pecking order.

Above: Steve Notman

Above: Gary Greenhill
Thanks to Doug Stenhouse for all the photos in this post.

Spiders trodden

Two first-half goals saw Berwick go joint top of the league (with games in hand) and continue their fantastic run of victories in the League.

Gary O'Connor returned in goal after injury had kept him out since November. Berwick named transfer window signing Chris McGroaty, back at Berwick again after a short spell at Stranraer as a sub. He was joined on the bench by Sean 'Police Car' Paliczka who made his first appearance since the last time we played at Hampden.

Haynes and David Greenhill got the goals. Both had excellent games upfront. Haynes headed home off the underside of the bar after Manson worked hard to carve out the opportunity to cross. David, along with Steve Notman in midfield, did much of the running as Berwick played great flowing football on the greasy surface and the Spider's keeper was never going to reach his shot.

The black and gold faithful, high in the Hamdpen stands, sang 'Black and Gold Army' for fully 45 minutes as QP came out reinvigorated for the second half, punctuated only briefly with a rendition of "Feed the Groat and he will score" and "Nee Naw, Nee Naw" as the subs came on. Queen's were unlucky. They hit the post and failed to net when O'Connor misjudged gathering a cross towards the end.

I see a team getting stronger with the return of Notman and McGroaty. I see a team that John Coughlin has put together by blending signing from the likes of Spartans and Heriot-Watt Uni with guys from league sides and the remains of last season's squad. I see a team that can play Grant at left back or centre back, Robbie at right back or wing back. David Greenhill upfront or in midfield, Stuart Fraser at centre back or midfield and keep clean sheets with Flockhart or O'Connor and no one really bats an eye. It just works as a team.

Without tempting fate, don't plan anything for April that you can't postpone...

Beckham retires

So David Beckham has retired from all forms of football to take up something called soccer in the US. He's going to a club called Laga Laxy where they'll reportedly pay him £128M for what ever he's still capable of doing these days in soccer-world. Beckham claims he can still play at the top level and his move has got nothing to do with the cash. Aye right.