07.12// The Monday Ballbag

In another action-packed weekend of Scottish football, Aberdeen fail to capitalise on last week’s epic win against Rangers, Hamilton record a rare win but a tunnel fracas after their game with Hearts will keep the SFA busy this week. And it's a sign that all is not well in Scottish football when only 16 goals are scored in the Highland League and Fort William win again. Strange days indeed...

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee must curse his sides increasingly bad disciplicinary record. The Dons lead the yellow-card table (29, 9 more than their nearest rivals in the table, Celtic) and with five red cards this season are second in the red-card table; only Dundee United have done better (or worse) with 6 red cards this season. With a record like that, you can't see the Dons picking up the Fair Play award.

The latest of those red cards came on Saturday, as Jerel Ifil was sent off in his side’s 3-0 defeat against Celtic. Ifil, no doubt still fuming after gifting Tony Mowbray's men an easy second goal (Greece international Georgios Samaras taking advantage of Ifil's lack of concentration), took a wild lunge at Samaras to earn himself an early bath and the wrath of a clearly frustrated Mark McGhee.

While Rangers where clearly not on form when the Dons beat them last week, Celtic where a different proposition. It took several fine saves from Jamie Langfield to keep the score respectable, with the Dons recording only 1 shot on target all game, compared to Celtic's 13. Aberdeen had a good first half, but as soon as the first goal went shortly before the break (Scott McDonald getting behind Michael Paton - employed as extra full-back thanks to Aberdeen's defensive injury list - to fire home from close range) Celtic began to dominate.

Aberdeen where unable to turn their possession into any significant chances of note, and when Samaras took advantage of a Jerel Ifil mistake to put Celtic 2-0 up, the game as a contest was effectively over, even before Samaras powered his way past Considine for his second goal of the afternoon just a few minutes later.

Aberdeen next face Hamilton, Hibs, St Mirren and Falkirk, teams from which - Hibs aside - you'd expect the Dons to get some points. McGhee must be hankering for funds in the transfer window to rebuild his stuttering side and bring in players with creative vision who can do something with the ball once they get it at their feet.

Speaking of red cards, there were plenty of those on show at New Douglas Park on Sunday. Hearts captain Michael Stewart started proceedings; he was later joined by team-mate Ismael Bouzid. After the game however, which Hamilton won 2-1, tempers got heated, to put it mildly, as a full-scale steamie broke out in the tunnel. After order had been restored, Suso Santana and Ian Black plus club masseur Alan Robson where also red-carded, along with Hamilton's Leon Knight.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo claimed never to have been "involved in a worse finish than this" in his entire career (though judging by his sides current form, he should perhaps wait until next May before saying that), while Hamilton gaffer Billie Reid, taking a leaf from Arsene Wenger, didn't see anything, other than a 'melee'; he probably couldn't see past all the police, stewards and brawling players.

Elsewhere, Rangers (a paltry fourth in the red card league table) recorded a 3-1 win at Falkirk to keep them in the hunt for the title; the Ibrox team are two points behind Celtic but have a game in hand. Hibernian beat Motherwell 2-0 to maintain their grip on third place, though they're being chased all the way by Dundee United who beat St Mirren 3-2 in an exciting fixture at Tannadice. Kilmarnock put some distance between themselves and bottom side Falkirk with a 1-0 away win at St Johnstone.

The SPL table is a surprisingly close affair. Four points separate first from fourth, whole from seventh to eleventh we have four teams level on 13 points, with Kilmarnock just behind with twelve points. Falkirk, keeping with most pundit's predictions for this season, trail behind on 8 points.

Dundee extended their lead at the top of the First division with a 2-0 away win at Partick Thistle. Their nearest rival for the title, Queen of the South only managed a 1-1 draw with Inverness Caley. Dunfermline lost 1-0 away at Ayr to end their eight-game unbeaten run. For Ayr, it was only their second league win of the season. The game between Raith and Airdrie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

With most of the teams in the Second division not playing this weekend (anyone know why?), there's not too much change. Clyde record their first win for John McCormack, now appointed manager on a full-time basis. Those valuable three points came courtesy of a 1-0 win over Arbroath, the team just above them at the foot of the table. Alloa, who led the league earlier this season, beat East Fife 2-0.

Another team extending their lead is Livingston, currently four points clear at the top of the Third division. Their weekend win over Stranraer (3-0) keeps the pressure on the Berwick and East Stirling, the two teams nearest the Livi Lions. Elgin City where on the wrong end of a 2-0 score line against Berwick, while East Stirling recorded a modest 1-0 win against basement side Montrose; the Gable Endies sit in 10th place on 5 points.

Continuing on the theme of poor discipline, the fastest red card of the weekend was recorded up in Inverness, where Fraserburgh's Neil Main was dismissed after just three minutes (!) in their 3-1 win over Clachnacuddin.
Cove Rangers, league leaders going into the weekend, where in Scottish Cup action against Stenhousemuir. It proved to be a big ask for the Highland League champions, as they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat.

With Cove not playing, Huntly took advantage by beating Turriff United 2-1 to put them top of the league. Forres Mechanics earned their 10th shut-out of the season as they beat Rothes 1-0, and there was also a win for Buckie Thistle, who beat Lossiemouth 1-0. Neither Inverurie nor Brora Rangers claimed maximum points this weekend, drawing 1-1 against Keith and Formartine respectively.

Now, we'd normally make this a big news story, but it's beginning to become a bit routine. Yes, Fort William wins again. The Fort thumped fellow strugglers Strathspey Thistle 2-1, with all three goals coming in the last 10 minutes of the game.

It took Fort's Martin Kerr's sending off to spark some life into the game. First, Sean Ellis emulated Diego Maradona's splendid 2nd goal against England by working his way past most of the Strathspey side before lobbing the ball over the keeper from the edge of the box. Five minutes later, Strathspey equalized through Murray Toss, but with only a minute left on the clock, Drew Ferguson's shot from 18 yards out earned The Fort their first home win of the season.

Fort William are now third from bottom on six points, one point clear of Strathspey and two clear of bottom side Rothes.