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There's no letting up when Edinburgh City manager Mark Duell is around.

The Ainslie Park chief has been looking for new blood as the team gear up for their first crack at the Scottish Championship, and he's only gone and signed a former SPL striker. For arriving here is none other than former St Johnstone striker Greg Hurst who joins the club from relegated Alloa Athletic for an initial payment of £7,000 which will rise to £17,000 once the striker has played a set number of games. This represents the manager's first actual transfer fee paid out as he enters his third term here.

The manager is obviously delighted with his new acquisition to the ranks:


You can hear more from the gaffer and Greg in a special online interview HERE.

Also unveiled today are Lewis Macari, a central defender acquired from English Championship side Stoke City. The youngster is the grandson of former Celtic, Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Lou if you hadn't had guessed by the surname. As well as Lewis, the club have swooped to sign youngsters Marc Malloy and Harry Girdwood from Berwick, Annan's Zac Hannay, and non-league talents Mitchell MacDonald and Sean Slaven from East Kilbride and Spartans respectively.

Will more signings follow? We certainly believe so if the gaffer is around.

Jamieson joins Championship newcomers
3 June 2020

Scottish Championship newcomers Edinburgh City are wasting no time in strengthening their squad.

There's a new goalkeeper in town and it's former Livingston stopper Darren Jamieson who has today put pen to paper with the Citizens. The Livingston born 29 year old cut short his holiday to formally become an Edinburgh City player after his release from his home town club at the end of the season. Jamieson's arrival is sure to put pressure on current number one Callum Antell; the Welshman having been the undisputed choice between the sticks for the last couple of seasons where the Club picked up back to back successes.

The newcomer is happy to join the team:


Manager Mark Duell is very proud of this capture:


Also unveiled at Ainslie Park this afternoon is central defender Adam Devine who joins on a free transfer from Glasgow giants Rangers. The 18 year old came through the set up at Ibrox but failed to make an appearance for Steven Gerrard's team. Meanwhile goalkeeper Fraser Morton and defensive midfielder Marc Laird have both been released by Duell who is planning more signings in the days and weeks to come before the team return to training on Monday 29 June.

31 May 2020

Dear Edinburgh City Supporters,

It's the conclusion of what has been another marvellous season for ourselves.

I really can't believe that we will be hosting Championship football here at Ainslie Park next season. I have to literally pinch myself that season two was a bigger dream than season one every day when I come into my office. For a team that was expected to battle to hold their own and finish in mid-table, we ran away with yet another title putting all the favourites to the sword. It's just remarkable.

A lot of credit again goes to the players who have done everything that me and the backroom team have asked of them, and more. Blair Henderson seemed to revel in being captain this season and hit another 30 plus goals again. He really is a goalscoring machine whilst Craig Thomson is probably the best attacking full back outside the top division. But that aside, it's always a team effort and we certainly work hard as a team whatever is thrown at us. Your support for these guys is something else.

Now we head into real unchartered territory. We go into 2020-21 as the only semi-professional side in the Championship. I was really hoping the Board would share my vision that we should go full time to remain competitive. After Alloa were in the same position as us last season in the second tier and unfortunately just fell short by five points in staying up. However, Jim and the Board believe in the power of the underdog so I have to respect their thoughts. Maybe they might reconsider it if we manage to stay up. Our target is going to be 8th of course but anything higher will be an absolute bonus.

As regards the playing staff, the majority of your heroes will be part of the team for the new season. They deserve a crack at this level. We will be looking to strengthen the team if we can, but as always will not be held to ransom at all. We have a strict wage structure here and no player is bigger than the Club itself. The Club won't plunge itself into financial peril chasing people, we will have a playing staff which is within our means.

My current deal runs out at the end of this third season. Of course I will be happy to stay but let's not talk contracts until the day comes around, for now you (City) are my team and will be unless something radically changes.

Let's see what further surprises we can throw up. Everyone loves an underdog story right?

Yours in football,

Mark

Player of the Year:

No surprises with this award to be honest. "Harry" Potter certainly had an exceptional season. Wonder if Dunfermline will loan him out next season or will they realise that they have a natural goalscorer on their hands willing to lead their striking force? They must see something in him though as he's just signed a new two year deal there.

Team of the Year:

Pretty much a dominance there, eh? Imagine if Potter had not had the season that he had, we could have had a clean sweep. Super proud of all the players, they deserve this accolade.

Awards Night - Who won what

The night after the final league game of the season brought the annual Club awards.

For the second successive season attacking right-back Craig Thomson took the Fans Player of the Year award. However, unlike last season when Craig won that convincingly, it was a much closer affair this time out with skipper Blair Henderson only 2% behind. Craig had this to say when he picked up the award:


The goal of the season award was next up and we have been treated to many great strikes this season. However, there had to be a winner and the award went to central midfielder Andy Black for his effort against Stranraer in December when he drilled a superb effort home from fully 25 yards out. Andy had this to say:


There was a special award for the Signing of the Season and that went to striker Josh Peters whom we signed from Queen's Park.

Andy Black was back on stage afterwards as he took the Young Player of the Season award, an award which he admitted he was "privileged" to have his name on. The evening concluded with two team awards: one for the Club's Best Eleven as voted by the fans and the team of the season. The players then accepted their League One winners medals one by one from Chairman Jim Brown and showed off the League One trophy to a very appreciative and packed crowd.

April 2020 Monthly Awards

That was a weird month of results and it's certainly cost me my third monthly award. Big congratulations to the Montrose manager though!

Yet another award for the machine that is Potter, big props to captain Blair for finishing third in it. Potter, unsurprisingly, took the Young Player of the Month award as well. Greedy so and so...

The final five games of the 2019-20 season which has been as memorable as the previous one.

We began April with a trip to the Falkirk Stadium to face the Bairns. Could we go and inflict one more loss on our hosts? In an entertaining game, they took the lead just before the half hour when former Rangers midfielder Gregg Wylde curled in a free-kick. It had been coming though as they had started the game the better. However, we levelled in first half injury time when after a spot of pinball in the penalty area the ball seemed to hit left-back Michael Kennedy and ricochet into the net. A scrappy goal but not that we are complaining, a goal is a goal right? Two in eight minutes after the restart put Falkirk 3-1 ahead, David Norman and Greig Spence both finding the net. We had to push on and pulled one back when a superb Danny Handling pass picked out the run of skipper Blair Henderson and he finished confidently. Alas we couldn't find another so the Bairns took it 3-2.

Could we bounce back immediately with a win in our penultimate home game of the season against an Airdrie side we have enjoyed success over all season? Well it was a tight game, and didn't start too well as midfielder Dean Cairns opened the scoring for our visitors after just 10 minutes. The lead didn't last long, eight minutes to be precise. A loose cross field pass from defender Scott Robertson was intercepted by Handling and he in turn attacked the full back before crossing for the recalled Josh Peters to steer home at the near post. There was always going to be one more goal to decide the match and we got the game winner in the 33rd minute when Peters saw his shot blocked by the Airdrie defence but sit up nicely for Henderson who simply made no mistake.

I was expecting a tough away game at Stranraer next but didn't foresee the drama that would happen so late on. All the goals came in the final 23 minutes and to be honest; it felt like a real kick in the teeth. We took the lead in the 67th minute when once more Handling provided the cross and Henderson volleyed home superbly at the far post. We seemed to have the game under control and doubled our lead with just four minutes to go, Handling again the creative force and Henderson applied the near post finish. Game won, yeah? Well in the first minute of five added-on, they pulled one back when Liam Callaghan curled in a free-kick from out wide on the left that deceived young Gregor Penrice at his near post. Then we switched off again in the final seconds to allow Ian Smith, a former City loanee from 2017-18, to chip home the equaliser with our defence looking at each other in disbelief. A shoddy ending to a game we should have won.

A reaction was needed in the final home game of the season against lowly Forfar, and we made an excellent start with two goals in the first 13 minutes. The opener came after 6 minutes play when a Peters right wing cross was headed into the net by strike partner Henderson. A great example of two strikers working well with each other. The same two combined seven minutes later, Peters cross from the right and Henderson headed in his 30th of the season. Yet we couldn't add to our tally which would have killed them off, and when Declan Drysdale netted with six minutes to go then we had to hang on but thankfully we did that. It was a tense finish to the home programme.

The least said about the final game of the season though, away to Arbroath. Quite simply we didn't turn up! Craig McIntosh bagged a hat-trick against us and Ryan Wallace added the other as we slumped a heavy loss which angered me no end. I certainly had to bring the old SAF hairdryer treatment at the end. A very disappointing end to a great second season.

The final league table was as follows (Falkirk would go on and win the play-offs):

The final run of another unforgettable season.

We might have done the unthinkable but there's still games to be played and finish with a flourish.

April begins with an away trip to Falkirk, the team most people had down as the Champions. We have had a mixed bag of results against them this season. From the Cup exit to beating them in the league, it's certainly been one extreme to the other. It's certainly been as unpredictable as the British weather. Hopefully we can see them off for one more league encounter and leave them wondering about their impending play-off battle.

Airdrie at home follow afterwards, and we have certainly had the rub of the green so to speak against them this season. They will, of course, be looking to finally break their duck as regards winning a game against us. I still believe we have the better side, despite them signing shed loads of new players in the second transfer window, and feel another win against them coming on.

Stranraer are next up, and they are so in need of points if they are wanting to retain their League One status. I'm expecting a tough game there, it will be one of those where the team who wants it the most: will come off that pitch victorious. I genuinely think this will be our hardest game out of the five we have left to play. Forfar present another banana skin the week after at Ainslie Park, and they will be quietly confident especially if winger Declan Drysdale is on song. We certainly won't have to treat them too lightly.

The season concludes on 2 May as we travel to Arbroath. They're a team we have beaten just the once this season, and we had to work hard for that. The other two encounters ended in draws, perhaps the pools experts will have this one down as one as well. It's certainly a testing last few games of the season.

Time to put the foot on the pedal and finish on a winning note. We won't be resting on our laurels now the title is won, every game has to be treated as a game we must complete in and try to take maximum points from. Winning games breeds confidence, and sets us up for the bigger challenges ahead.

March 2020 Monthly Awards

I couldn't make it three in a row. Might have done so if it wasn't for that crazy 5-5 draw with Montrose - my heart is just about recovered from that now haha!

A second place for Vice-Captain Graham but someone performs like what Potter did then it's not a failure. Potter took the Young Player of the Month gong as well, can see him getting Player of the Year maybe. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if I have admit it.

It's party time for City
16 March 2020

It's May 2016 and Dougie Gair's penalty has promoted Edinburgh City to the Scottish League for the first time since the original team played its last season in 1948-49.

However when Steven Finnie shrilled his whistle at 4:45pm on Saturday afternoon, yet another chapter was completed in this fairy tale. City had been crowned as League One champions at their very first attempt at that level and will be plying their trade in the Championship come August. And it is all down to the rookie manager they brought in at the start of July last year. Hartlepool born manager Mark Duell is the man that has made all this happen and he's certainly making waves in the Scottish capital. City are just one step away from joining their more illustrious neighbours Hearts and Hibernian in the Premiership. No wonder if you meet a City fan these days, they will tell you what a fantastic job the Englishman is doing.

Crowds are on the up too. City are averaging nearly 700 fans a game into the stadium they share with Spartans and who can bet against this increasing next season.

Goals from youth product Regan Lumsden, Josh Peters and former Hibs winger Danny Handling were enough to see Clyde off on Saturday in front of 652 fans and for almost 93% of them - it was the cue for the massive party to begin. Even injured skipper Blair Henderson was in the crowd, and his joy was unbridled at the end:


Chairman Jim Brown said "It's a special day for special people" but the mastermind behind it all was a bit reserved when we told him how much people place the success on his shoulders:


That bus shows no way of breaking down at the moment, but the biggest challenge is yet to come: can they keep the driver at the wheel? If these last two years are to be believed, they might a massive job on to do just that as his stock rises day by day. Until that day comes, City can party like the best.

A short month but a very defining one at that.

The month began with a final meeting this season with Montrose. We had beaten them convincingly on the opening day but since then they have had the upper hand against us with Michael Potter, whom they acquired on loan from Dunfermline, scoring goals for fun against our defence. This game would be no different whatsoever, but it was also not the best game for one's heart rate either. Now if you were a complete neutral though, it was brilliant entertainment.

This game started horrendously for us as we went two goals down in the first 17 minutes, a real wake up call. Strikes from Lewis McCann and Hearts loanee Jamie Brown (his first for them) did the damage and we were looking that we suffer a massive home defeat unless we bucked our ideas up. And buck our ideas up we did. Six minutes after that Brown goal, we pulled one back when Josh Peters got that all important touch onto a low Danny Handling cross. However, we went into the half break 3-1 down as Potter scored his first of the afternoon. However, the real craziness was to come in the second half. We had to make a change at the interval when Handling advised us he was struggling with a shin injury so we sent Scott Shepherd, who had played a lesser role this season, on as substitute. Youngster Regan Lumsden stayed up front with Peters.

Eight minutes into that second half, we were back within one goal as Peters scored his second of the match following a well worked team move. Then it got crazier, a minute later we levelled. Andy Black set up Shepherd and he literally hammered one into the roof of the net. Surely that was the end of the madness? Er, not quite. In the 58th minute we had two more goals, one for each side. First of all we went ahead for the first time when Graham Taylor pulled the ball back for Kieran Stewart to volley home but seconds later Potter's second of the game made it 4-4. Could anyone grab a winner? Well with six minutes to go Montrose went ahead again when Potter completed his hat-trick. Surely no way back now? I just gambled and went for broke, we had to. In the fifth minute of seven minutes added on, the unthinkable happened. Shepherd provided the delivery and Taylor somehow got his head onto it first to put it into the net. A remarkable ending to an absolutely remarkable game.

With results going our way, we were on the brink of something special and it could all unfold in front of our own fans the week after when we hosted Clyde. The Bully Wee have been awkward opponents in the past and so it proved as it took us until the 41st minute to break them down. It was a move that started deep in our own half but ended with Peters unselfishly setting up Lumsden who broke a personal goalscoring drought with a confident finish. I was told after the game, it was his first goal in 11 months! Some terrific team work led to the second goal in the 55th minute, not one but three players harried the Clyde left-back so much that he played his pass straight to the feet of Peters who drilled it low into the corner. The party really started in the 70th minute when Peters nodded a Craig Thomson corner down and Handling netted with assistance from the post.

Twenty minutes later, the final whistle sounded. And it meant one thing: EDINBURGH CITY WERE LADBROKES LEAGUE ONE CHAMPIONS! What a feeling, and done with six games to spare.

A fortnight after that incredible game, we finished March off with a trip to Dumbarton. Confidence was still high, whilst our hosts were still scrapping for survival. It took us all of 2 minutes to open the scoring; Taylor latching onto a loose ball to confidently put it into the net. Our much changed side, I had given young keeper Gregor Penrice his debut whilst Calum Hall was given a first start of the campaign after some promising substitute appearances, went 2-0 ahead in the 48th minute. Stewart weighted a pass into Lumsden and the youngster obliged with a superb finish for his second in as many games. Liam Brown pulled one back just after the hour but we stood firm and recorded a yet another win.

The table at the end of March read as follows:

Clarke seething over Penrice snub
2 March 2020

Steve Clarke is not a happy man.

The Hibs chief is apparently very disappointed with the development of young goalkeeper Gregor Penrice who is on loan at nearby Edinburgh City. City are on the verge of a second successive promotion but that's not washing with the Easter Road boss. Clarke had this to say:


Edinburgh City refused to comment on this, but there was good news for them when skipper Blair Henderson's knee injury is not as bad as it was initially feared to be. The 24 year old, who limped off after just 11 minutes in City's 1-1 draw at Brechin, has just twisted his knee and will be out for a week which means he will miss Saturday's game at home to Montrose. Scott Shepherd and youngster Regan Lumsden are in contention to replace Henderson alongside Josh Peters but who knows who will get the nod.

A short, but yet again, all important month of games. If results go our way then who knows right?

We start with a tough home game against Montrose. They are really improved since we first played on the opening day, and in Michael "Harry" Potter they have a striker that can really hurt you as we know too well as he has scored a few against us. We will need to mark him tight and subdue as well as turning a performance in all areas of the pitch. One slip up and we could be done like a kipper, it might give those chasing a glimmer of hope that we are wobbling and nerves kicking in.

Another home game follows seven days later when we host Clyde. They have had a pretty up and down season since getting promoted alongside us, but they're just on the fringes of the play-off spots as we start March, We don't need to go into the game feeling it's won already. Guard against complacency and we will beat them, but it could be a case of roll ones sleeves up and battle for the points. We need to be up for it.

Struggling Dumbarton host us in the final game of March after a fortnight's break. They're battling for their League One lives at the moment, and I'm fully expecting a hard game. Again we need to avoid complacency if we are to avoid the banana skin which is in front of our eyes. Three points, and no less, is required.

Who knows where we will be after this, eh?

February 2020 Monthly Awards

Just like buses, you wait for one and then two come along at once. Well pleased with this one.

It's a double celebration as Andy scoops the Player of the Month award, and so well deserved as he has been an outstanding performer in central midfield. Brechin's Mark Fotheringham, who bagged 6 goals in just 5 games won the Young Player of the Month gong by the way.

A hectic month with five games in the space of 28 days, can we keep up the unexpected challenge?

The month started with a trip to Airdrie, and you would have thought that they would be up for it considering they still have a slim chance for the title but at least a promotion play-off spot. However, we destroyed them again with a comprehensive win. They started off well with a goal in the opening 25 seconds when Gordon Watson, no not the former Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Hartlepool United striker, lashed the ball into the net. Our day got worse when left-back Michael Kennedy hobbled off after just 6 minutes with a twisted ankle sustained on a very wet surface; it would sideline him for the next 4 weeks! However, we regrouped and levelled in the 19th minute when Robbie Deas, a target of mine, diverted a Chris Humphrey cross into his own net. After that we controlled proceedings, and went ahead just after the half hour when a patient team move saw Andy Black drill home from the edge of the box.

The game was put beyond doubt after 71 minutes when another superb team move saw Danny Handling nod in a Liam Henderson cross at the far post; the winger had only been on two minutes! Then the icing on this cake was added five minutes later when skipper Blair Henderson headed in another well flighted Craig Thomson corner kick. A superb away win indeed!

A goal fest followed the week after at Forfar and for one player it was a game he wasn't to forget. That player was former Forfar striker Josh Peters, and it was he who put us two goals to the good within seven minutes of each other. First he opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he latched onto a long free-kick, catching his old side napping, to finish via the far post then some superb vision from skipper Henderson picked him out to volley in after 27. Dylan Easton pulled one back four minutes after that second goal and scored a second of his own nine minutes into the second half to level proceedings. We were wobbling for sure. The lead was regained in the 72nd minute when Handling crossed for Peters to nod down to Black to strike from six yards out. Eight minutes later we were 4-2 ahead; Graham Taylor with a fine cross from the left and Kieran Stewart headed in from close range. Experienced midfielder Terry Masson pulled one back for Forfar after 82 minutes but we secured the win after 87 when an another delicious assist, this time from Handling, saw Peters pull away from his marker and head in our fifth and his hat-trick goal.

Struggling Stranraer were next in a home game at Ainslie Park, but there was no way they appeared to be a struggling side as they really gave us a fright indeed. Ian Smith gave them a fifth minute lead from the spot after Matty Allan was adjudged to fouled Mark Ness in the area. They were though reduced to ten men in first half injury time when Liam Callaghan was dismissed for a late two footed lunge on Stewart; a dangerous tackle indeed. They were frustrating us and it looked certainties that we would on the end of a shock defeat until we somehow pulled victory from those jaws of defeat with two late goals. In the 88th minute, Handling squeezed the ball through to skipper Henderson who directed it into the net. They were stunned and you could sense the heads dropped after that as we piled on the pressure. The winner came five minutes into time added-on, we actually played EIGHT, and it was another superb free-kick from Thomson that did it. We certainly got away with that one!

One of our bogey sides would follow as Arbroath would come visiting and it was about time we beat them after two consecutive 1-1 draws. We got off to a flyer with a goal after just seven minutes; Thomson flighted in a free-kick and Liam Henderson was on the end to head home. Early in the second half, we doubled the lead. Substitute Calum Hall, on for injured Taylor, fed Stewart and he drove the ball home with a nice long range shot that left the Arbroath keeper helpless. We secured the win in the 74th minute when Handling hammered one in from the edge of the area that went in off the underside of the bar. Craig McIntosh pulled one back for the visitors with six minutes to go but it was just a consolation as we made it eight wins on the spin.

We concluded the month with a trip to Glebe Park to face Brechin. Unlike previous encounters, we didn't have it all our own way as the home side showed some resistance in defence and dangerous in attack. In the 22nd minute, we took the lead. Thomson with the corner, Peters with the nod down and then Black with the volleyed finish. However Kyle MacDonald's first goal for Brechin levelled matters just ten minutes before the half time break. Neither side could find a winner, but our main concern was with skipper Henderson who came off after just 11 minutes with some kind of knee injury. Hopefully it won't be too serious.

Latest table is as follows:

Next Game Update: February 2020 Awards

Five more games which will continue to have a bearing on how our season will pan out.

February begins with an away trip to second placed Airdrie who have been bolstering their squad in the recent transfer window, and lie eight points behind us when we kick off. Should we win, the gap will widen to an even more astonishing 11 points and that'll be some deficit to be hauled in. We've done well against them so far this season, winning both games. I'm quietly confident that the team have more than enough about them to maintain this good run of form against a team that our closest challengers at the moment.

A second successive away game follows the week after, as we travel to Forfar Athletic. We've done well against them so far too but this won't be an easy game at all. They gave us a brief scare in the recent home game at Ainslie Park, and in Declan Drysdale a player who is certainly making people sit up and take notice. We need to be ready for it, but it's another game I feel we can win.

After two weeks on the road, we then have a couple of home games in successive weeks. This begins with a visit from Stranraer who start February in 10th and last place. it's a potential banana skin if you want to refer to it as such, we can't afford to be too complacent otherwise you know what will follow. A professional performance is needed. Then we host Arbroath the week afterwards, and they are one of the few teams we have had a few problems with. Twice we have played them so far and both games have ended 1-1, so they certainly know how to stifle us. It's about time we show them why we are where we are and why they aren't. A replica of the recent home win over Falkirk would be ideal.

The month ends with an away trip to Brechin City, another side we have done well against this season. If we play as well as have done so far against them this season then we'll be grand. Again, we need to avoid complacency. I can't stress it enough.

There will be just eight games to go after February is done with, it's all gearing up for an exciting conclusion that's for sure.

January 2020 Monthly Awards

At last! The only manager with a 100% win record and my first at this particular level. Liking this award a lot....

A well done to Kieran on picking up third place in this award. However, it's a second successive win for young Drysdale and he captured the Young Player of the Month award too.

A short and sweet month with three home games played.

We began 2020 with Brechin back in town. Once we more controlled the game from the onset and made them look very ordinary indeed. Mitch Megginson gave us a 29th minute lead when he latched onto a superb Chris Humphrey pass and then fired an unstoppable shot past the visiting keeper. Two minutes later we were 2-0 ahead and cruising; Megginson with a deep cross to the far post where strike partner Blair Henderson had pulled away from his marker to nod home confidently. The game was over moments into the second half when we scored our third. Craig Thomson with yet another well flighted corner and central defender Matty Allan powered in the header. Daryl Healy did pull a consolation goal back for Brechin in injury time; but that was that and three more points garnered.

The game was also the final game for Megginson in an Edinburgh City jersey as he departed for Championship side Queen of the South the following day. It was a transfer that I couldn't stop, he had set his heart on it so who is to deny him. Keeping him here against his will leads to an unhappy player and due to the close knit team we have here, possible further unrest down the line with other players. Mitch scored 15 times in just 29 games for us. I wished him all the best, and made it abundantly clear he's welcome back anytime.

With a space now upfront, I turned to Josh Peters for our next game which was also at home when we hosted Dumbarton. Dumbarton, who as you recall, had approached me to take over from "Yogi": took the lead after just 6 minutes when David Wilson found the net. Perhaps they were trying tell me to leave Edinburgh still? Not a chance. Anyway we recovered from this early surprise to take control afterwards and run out convincing winners. We equalised in the 34th minute when Peters collected Kieran Stewart's through ball, shrugged off a defender, and smacked the ball into the net. Two minutes later we were ahead, a superb curling free-kick from none other than Thomson. We made it 3-1 with our third goal in nine quickfire minutes, Thomson with another corner onto the head of Henderson who headed in from six yards out. The rout was complete two minutes into the second half, a scramble in the Dumbarton penalty area and left-back Michael Kennedy got the decisive contact to force the ball home.

A week off meant we could recharge our batteries ahead of the final game of the month when we faced Falkirk again at Ainslie Park. After the disappointment of losing to them in the Cup, this was quite simply us wanting our revenge. In soaking conditions, we took the lead in the 37th minute when Stewart drove in a shot that beat the keeper at his near post. Falkirk levelled just after the hour when who else but Kevin O'Hara found the back of our net. The game was anyone's after that, who would net the all important next goal? Thankfully it came our way with just 14 minutes to go; a great team move ended with Humphrey firing a low shot home. Buoyed by this we completed a superb win with a third goal in the 83rd minute, Henderson was brought down in the area by Harrington and then picked himself up to fire the resultant spot kick right into the corner despite the keeper going the right way. An absolute belter of a result.

The league table at the end of January is as follows:

Next Game Update: January 2020 awards