Jings. We really, really, really must stop doing this. Our predictions are pure gash folks! To wit: this week, we continue with what is fast becoming a tradition by getting none of our predictions right.
Let's start at Pittodrie then. We had this fixture down as a 2-1 win for Rangers, based mainly on our opinion that, even though Rangers are pretty mince this season, Aberdeen are a full plate of mince and tatties. That in-depth analysis was further enhanced by the fact that Rangers generally don't lose to Aberdeen that often (only five times in the last 20 outings), so we felt we where on pretty safe ground with our prediction, a 2-1 win for Walter Smiths men.
So imagine my surprise when I finally got my RedTV livelink working 20 minutes after kick-off to find that Aberdeen had taken the lead thanks to a Lee Miller poachers goal. As an ardent Sheep, I was overjoyed, to put it mildly, even more so by the fact that Aberdeen where all over Rangers for most of the first half.
The second half, or at least the final 20 minutes was an altogether different story, as Rangers assaulted the Aberdeen goal. Some lucky defending, good goalkeeping and sloppy finishing meant Aberdeen held on to their slim lead, pouring more misery on Walter Smith following their exit from Europe earlier in the week.
A good win then considering Aberdeen played most of the second-half with only 10 men (Mark Kerr was sent off, the fourth Aberdeen player in four games to be sent off) , but it's another howler for the Inside Left prediction team. Isn't it really sad when you're betting against your own team?
Clyde against Livingston would have been a great game, and would also have been a score we probably would have got right. We went for a 3-1 win for Livingston, a quite conservative estimate we thought given the gulf of difference between the two sides. And we'd have been happy, no doubt, to record an easy tick mark in the predictions column if only that game wasn't called off due to heavy fog. Marvellous.
Meanwhile, up in Granton-on-Spey, the two worst sides in the Highland League battled it out for honour and glory. Fort William, regulars here on Inside Left, took on the mighty Strathspey Thistle, hot on the heels of their first win for over two years back in September. We went for a 3-1 win for Fort William, given their superior away form (played 8, won 1, lost 7) over Strathspey's home form (played 8, won 0, drawn 2, lost 6).
We nearly got the scoreline right; shame we picked the wrong team. In the end, Strathspey ran out 4-1 winners, all four of the home team's goals coming in a 20-minute spell in the first half. Fort William scored a consolation goal late in the second-half, but there was no time for a dramatic comeback, and the Fort ended the day back from whence they came - bottom of the table.
Our last predictor was the Battle of the Thistles between Partick and Inverness Caley. We went for a 2-0 win for Caley, given they're just after coming from another game - the Alba Challenge Cup final - while Partick hadn't played for weeks (and they lost that game anyway).
So once again we erred on the side of optimistic naivity and decided that a fit team, fresh from playing regular games would be better than a team that's been lounging around for the last week or so.
Well, thanks to Steve Lovell we where made to look complete tits again as Partick came back from a goal down to record a splendid 2-1 win that sends the Firhill club into third place in the First Division.
So, nevermind us: how did your team do this weekend?
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