First home game of 2012

Published 27 Jan 2012 13:00

GREENOCK Wanderers host their first game of 2012 at Fort Matilda tomorrow.

Old rivals Lasswade visit on Premier League Third Division business in what promises to be another cracking contest between the sides.

The clubs have been locked together over the last three seasons and accompanied each other during consecutive promotions from the second division of the national league to their current position in the Scottish Premiership.

In truth though, the Midlothian side have been something of a nemesis club for Wanderers and in the seven matches played between the sides the locals have only won once and that was back in September 2009.

Currently Lasswade are sitting in sixth place in the league, two positions above Wanderers, and have won seven of their 16 league matches.

Their last outing was an unmitigated disaster at Ardrossan when they were thrashed 41-0 and that came on the back of being dumped out of the Scottish Cup 91-7 by top Edinburgh side Currie.

With league reconstruction, based on geographical location, set to go ahead at the end of this season, it is certain that Wanderers and Lasswade will play in different leagues next term meaning tomorrow's tie could be the last fixture between the sides for many years.

In the earlier meeting at Hawthornden in September, Wanderers were soundly beaten by an impressive home display that had the game over as a contest by half time and the Greenock men will want to make amends for that poor performance by gaining revenge tomorrow.

President Graeme Alexander said: "A special relationship has built up between the clubs over the last few years and there is a respectful rivalry now forged through all the close games we have contested over that period.

"Most of the matches have been tight but we were well beaten at Bonnyrigg earlier this season and we certainly didn't do ourselves justice that afternoon. We want to set that record straight and end the series of matches between the clubs with a win."

With no promotion or relegation to play for this season, club pride will become a major motivational factor particularly in stand-alone games like this one. Wanderers started the season poorly but have enjoyed something of a renaissance since October and have won five of their last seven league games.

Home form in particular has improved and they are unbeaten at the Fort in their last three league fixtures. The only blip was the recent away performance at Braidholm where they came up short against a highly-motivated championship-chasing GHA side.

A late selection will determine the starting line-up with the selectors giving injury victims Kieren Smith, Murray McDonald and Martin Lavelle every opportunity to stake their claim for a place. Skipper Matt Gray will once more lead his men into battle and he is aware that if his side is to emerge victorious then they must dominate the forward engagement.

Graham Paterson and Marc Coyle look likely to start in the front row and with Gray and second row partner Ali Abernethy in the boiler house, the signs are good that a strong scrum will form the foundation for a solid set piece performance. Much will be expected of Wanderers break-away trio John Stewart, Graham Mooney and Callum Robb. If they can make their presence felt at the contact zone then a plentiful supply of ball should come the way of half-backs Andy McDougall and Kenny Diffenthal. Thereafter McDougall and Diffenthal will choose their options carefully.

Tactical nous is their strong point and there is little doubt that they will use their knowledge of the Fort Matilda pitch wisely and to good effect.

Strike runners Brendan McGroarty and Leigh Tyley will carry much of the play into the heavy midfield traffic and at some point, irrespective of the weather, the ball will be spun wide and speedsters Allan Knox, Sean Connolly and David Watson will eagerly await the chance to have a tilt at their opposite man.

The usual large and vociferous Fort Matilda crowd will line the touchline and will encourage their side to lay the bogey of recent narrow defeats against the visitors and end the series of matches on a positive note. Make no mistake, the task will be a tough one for Matt Gray and his side but they can rely on a partisan home support getting right behind them for this one.

All winning and losing streaks come to an end sometime and if Wanderers can scale the heights of form they are capable of then tomorrow should be the day they eventually get the measure of their worthy adversaries from Bonnyrigg.

Wanderers v Lasswade at Fort Matilda kicks-off at 2pm.

Wanderers team: Sean Connolly, David Watson, Leigh Tyley, Brendan McGroarty, Allan Knox, Kenny Diffenthal, Andy McDougall, Marc Coyle, Stewart Alexander, Yan Young, Graham Paterson, Matt Gray (captain), Ali Abernethy, John Stewart, Graham Mooney, Callum Robb, Kieren Smith, Murray McDonald, Martin Lavelle, David Paton, Nick Wright and Matt Duncan.

Wanderers are sponsored by Texas Instruments.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 27 Jan 12

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