Firs Three

above: Kevin Haynes celebrates getting the first goal today.

above: Robbie Horn roars with delight at netting Berwick's second before half-time.

Berwick kept to their task of winning their remaining games by easily overcoming the Shire at Firs Park today. Arbroath and Queen's Park both won their games today but encouragingly Berwick put in a decent performance against their tired hosts to keep the title guessing game going.

Berwick had plenty possession with Robbie Manson, David and Gary Greenhill all creating chances for goals early on. The first goal came on 23 mins when Gary Greenhill crossed for Kevin Haynes to score.

Robbie Horn made it two before half-time when he got his head to a Chris McGroaty free kick first and cracked it into the net at the near post. McGroaty had won the free kick just outside the box close to the byeline and he whipped the ball into the danger zone between the keeper and his defence.

The second half was more pedestrian and Berwick missed a few chances to increase their tally before Coughlin introduced Ian Little, back from injury, for his first game in almost 12 months. It was Little who produced that wee bit piece of magic that unlocked the defence one more time and with the Shire stretched Steven Notman got the all important strike to cap a 3-0 victory.

The Run-in

So - 11pm, 21 March and the top of the table looks like this:

1. Berwick P30 Pts62 GD+ 18
2. QP P30 Pts 56 GD+25
3. Arbroath P28 Pts 55 GD+23

Below are the remaining fixtures. Clearly the key weekends are later on when Abroath play Queen's Park on 14th April and we play Abroath the following weekend. Arbroath have a tough schedule of 5 games in 15 days coming up. By the evening of the 3rd April all three sides should have played 32 games - 4 to go.

If all win all the table would be
1. Berwick P32 Pts68
2. Arbroath P32 Pts 67
3. QP P32 Pts 62

Remaining fixtures for the top 3:

Elgin (9th) v Arbroath 24/3

Montrose (8th) v Berwick 25/3

Arbroath v Shire (10th) 27/3

Albion (6th) v Arbroath 31/3
Shire (10th) v Berwick 31/3
QP v Stenny (7th) 31/3

Dumb (5th) v Arbroath 3/4
QP v Shire (10th) 3/4

Arbroath v Stenny (5th) 7/4
Berwick v Elgin (9th) 7/4
East Fife (4th) v QP 7/4

Albion (6th) v Berwick 14/4
Arbroath v QP 14/4

Berwick v Arbroath 21/4
QP v Elgin (9th) 21/4

Arbroath v East Fife (4th) 28/4
Dumbarton (5th) v QP 28/4
Stenny (7th) v Berwick 28/4

Diack keeps the dream alive

above: Gary Wood is congratulated by team mates Lucas, McGroaty and Noble after supplying a superb cross for Diack to head home the winner

Iain Diack headed home Gary Wood's cross to score the only goal tonight and give Berwick a six-point lead over Queen's Park with six games to go.

Berwick started brightly and put real pressure on the Shire defence. Gary Greenhill hit a couple of long range efforts and Gary Wood went close too. Shire had their best spell at the beginning of the second half as Berwick seemed to lose their way. Haynes drifted further and further out the game and the midfield joined him. With 22 minutes to go Coughlin took the decisive move to sub Haynes and Notman. Gary Wood went up front, Steven Noble and Scott Lucas came into midfield and immediately Berwick looked a better team. Shire did have a 3 v 1 break away and the lad should have been buried the ball beyond Gary but instead hit it over the bar from close range.

Diack and Wood clearly have an understanding which wasn't in evidence when Diack and Haynes were up front. This is particularly worrying given Gary's impending 4-game suspension. Diack's goal was his 6th from 10 appearances since he joined in January - what price Diack ending up as top scorer this season?

above: Iain Diack is guarded by Shire player Thywissen

above: Gary Wood - misses the crucial next four games

above: Kevin Haynes, below par tonight

above: Wood, Robbie Horn and Haynes line up in the box for a corner

Spice up your computer

You might enjoy this if you're into Wallpaper for your computer. Will try and do some more before the end of the season if there is any interest?

SFL: flatlined?

There is an interesting item about the SFL report into its future here from BBC News.

Part One: So far so good

Berwick took full points from the first of their double-header against title challengers Dumbarton. Robbie Manson, only playing after an eleventh hour reprieve from the SFA, got the first for Berwick but Coyne equalised almost immediately. David Greenhill pulled a decent chance wide of the post later on.

In the second half a Steve Noble free-kick was headed in by Iain Diack to put Berwick back ahead. Dumbarton battled hard and pegged Berwick back into their own half - defender David Craig should have headed home for a share of the points but ended up sending the ball over the bar.

Some photos from today below.

above: Steven Notman returned after his nasty injury. Is he pleased to see us? or is that a sign that things are still sore?

above: David Greenhill returned from suspension

above: Gary Greenhill also returned to the starting XI today after illness kept him out at Arbroath.
above: Haynes and Wood watch on in the stand.

above: Manson challenges

above: Keeper Gary O'Connor

above: A rainbow lights up the second half

above: Grant McNicoll also returned from injury

above: Players run to congratulate Iain Diack after he nets what turned out to be the winner

Chris McGroaty looks to prevent Chris Hamilton gaining any further ground