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Mait Peterson knocks home what would prove to be the decisive goal against Bonnybrig Eagles at Ochilview this afternoon.
At times it wasn’t pretty; at times Brook Street rode their luck; and they most certainly got that rub of the green that has been missing for so long when with fourteen minutes to go Rui Dias blazed a penalty wildly over the bar. But as Fermín Romero said beforehand, it was all about getting the win, and he certainly appeared to be more relieved than happy with the result when he faced the press after the match.
“We were slow to get going and Bonnybrig put us on the back foot straight from the kick-off. They had the edge in midfield and we could have been a goal down before we started to get ourselves into the game”.
He continued, “We took the lead with a really scruffy free-kick from Adam [Doyle] but no matter how ugly they are they all count. We were maybe unlucky not to go two-up just after the break but we were absolutely taken apart for their equaliser which was very disappointing given how well our defence had played until then”.
“However with about a quarter of an hour to go, we got what proved to be the winning goal and at the end of the day we achieved what we set out to do”.
He concluded by saying, “Now we are clear at the top we have the chance to build on it. We’re currently in an automatic promotion place but only just. We have to keep winning to ensure we have the best possible chance of automatic promotion”.
In the other matches, Paisley Pirates consolidated their third place with a 5-0 away win against Winbat, St Andrew Paisley recorded a 7-0 win in the Highlands against Eilean Donan Devils, but Badger Loyal Rangers’ recovery lasted only one game as they foundered in West Lothian, going down 4-2 against Livilions.
Ewan Knight scores his second goal in our 3-0 Tartan Cup win at Ochilview nine seasons ago, the only time the teams have faced each other.
Speaking this afternoon coach Fermín Romero said, “The pressure is on to secure maximum points as we want to be sure of an automatic promotion place. The main problem with this is that our opponents are thinking exactly the same thing”.
“I would have preferred to have played the first game at the LJG, but it is what it is. We just have to ensure we leave with three points and a psychological advantage”.
“This game could turn out to be a classic end-to-end game almost like a cup tie or a war of attrition. I don’t care much which it is as long as we get the win, and I’m sure their coach would say much the same”, he added.
He continued, “We have worked hard in training this week so it comes down to how we perform on the day”.
Balázs Polyák was a doubt for Brook Street following his foot injury on Wednesday however he has been passed fit and is available for selection should Fermín Romero wish.
Paul Hughes fires the ball into the net to put Brook Street into the lead against Livilions today.
Fermín Romero’s side were right onto the front foot and took the lead in the sixth minute when Paul Hughes stormed through before firing the ball beyond the outrushing Jake Furness in the Livi goal.
Diego Misuraca added a second twelve minutes later, but despite Adam Doyle rattling the crossbar and Joe Anderson having a header tipped over the bar, it was Diego who netted Brook Street’s third right on half-time.
Seven minutes after the restart, a fabulous one-touch move involving Joe Anderson, Kari Kienberger and Kalle Konkka set up Charlie Benham who ran through and although his initial shot rattled back off the crossbar, he had the presence of mind to volley the rebound home.
After firing a free kick over the bar in the seventy-sixth minute, just sixty seconds later Adam Doyle made amends by curling a peach of a free-kick home to put Brook Street five-up.
With nine minutes to go, Charlie Benham broke away from his marker and swung the ball across the Livi box. The ball fell behind Adam Doyle on the far side of the box 18-yard, but the Irishman brought it under control with one touch, wrong-footed his marker, swivelled and fired the ball beyond the grasp of Jake Furness and into the net to register his second goal of the game.
Then finally, with five minutes left, Charlie Benham broke through the centre of the visitors’ defence to wrap up the scoring with his second goal of the game.
“We weren’t firing on all cylinders today and I am slightly disappointed with the performance”, admitted Fermín Romero afterwards.
“We got a good result but I feel we were a bit off the pace”, he added.
“It was also a bit unusual three players got two goals each yet none of them are strikers”.
“In some ways that is good because it is sharing the load when it comes to goalscoring, but now Adam Doyle is our top scorer which is a bit odd”.
Odd or not there is no doubt that the Irishman is on fire at the moment and has stepped out from the shadow of former set-piece taker Bogusz Cacek. Being in excellent form going into the double-header with the only other side with maximum points is no bad thing though.
Elsewhere, in the game of the day visitors Bonnybrig came back from a goal down to defeat St Andrew 3-1, Paisley Pirates capitalised on this to move into third place with a 7-1 win at home to Eilean Donan and Badger Loyal came out of hibernation with a thumping 5-0 home win against Winbat to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.
Joe Anderson heads home his fourth and Brook Street’s eighth goal the last time the sides met.
Fermín Romero’s side will be looking to make that four heavy defeats as the Brook Street coach indicated when he spoke to This is Brook Street this morning.
“We need to use these games to boost our goal difference. Our rivals have recorded big wins so we have to do the same”, he said.
“A big win would also set us up nicely for our upcoming double-header with Bonnybrig Eagles; two fixtures that could define our season”.
Fermín looks as if he will have a full squad to select from after Raúl Colen was passed fit for the game.
Kick-off tomorrow is at 16:30.
Kari Kienberger fires Brook Street into the lead for the first time in this afternoon’s game at the LJG.
Patrick Deckpasser stunned the home fans in the seventh minute with his goal following a scruffy period of play following a corner kick for the visitors, but the lead only lasted a minute before Adam Doyle exploited a poorly set up defensive wall at a free kick to level the scores.
With twenty-seven minutes on the clock Rafał Paul pounced on a mix up in the home defence to put the visitors back in front, and things got worse for Brook Street two minutes later when Raúl Colen picked up a calf injury and was forced from the game.
There was no mistaking Fermín Romero’s mood as he marched up the tunnel on the half-time whistle, but whatever was said did the trick as his side emerged for the second half with renewed determination to win and two goals within sixty seconds turned the game on its head.
With the game just past the hour mark Adam Doyle proved to be lethal from dead ball situations once again curling the ball into the top far corner giving Lino Amaya no chance and netting his second goal of the game.
Straight from the restart Brook Street won back possession and the ball was fed out to Charlie Benham. The alert winger saw the run from Kari Kienberger and played through an inch-perfect pass which the midfielder was onto in a flash. With the St Andrew keeper racing from his goal to narrow the angle Kari fired low past him to put Brook Street into the lead for the first time in the game.
Brook Street closed the St Andrew down at this point and the visitors only created one half chance in the remaining half hour. Fermín Romero’s side had chances to finish the game off, but squandered them through poor finishing.
“We had to battle today and we made things difficult for ourselves”, the Brook Street Coach said. “We have secured an important victory, but it could have been very much different and that first half performance was nowhere near good enough”.
Asked what he had said to them at half-time he replied, “I merely told them what I thought of their performance and gave them the verbal kick up the a*** they needed”.
“We were better in the second half but I shouldn’t have needed to do that. The players knew how important the game was and how important it is for us to get out of this Division. If they can’t motivate themselves for that, they maybe need to find another club as I will not tolerate another performance like that first half one”.
Having read the Riot Act at half-time, Brook Street remain out in front on twelve points just ahead of Bonnybrig Eagles on goal difference while St Andrew Paisley are back on nine with Paisley Pirates and Winbat wonderers back on six.
Craig Smart holds off the challenge of St Andrew’s Enrico Bani to fire Brook Street into the lead in the last meeting at the LJG.
“We are guaranteed a good game from St Andrew and they come here on a good run, so we’ll have to be on our game this afternoon”, observed Brook Street Coach Fermín Romero when he spoke to This Is Brook Street this morning.
“With three teams still on maximum points any slip-ups will prove to be costly, so it could make for quite a cagey game this afternoon. This is the classic six pointer”, he continued.
“We have to shut up shop at the back and find a way to unpick their defence”, he added.
Fermín has a full squad to select from after Paul Hughes was given the all clear on Thursday.
Kick-off this afternoon is at 16:30.
Banin Jiménez Iniesta shields the ball from his opponent in this morning’s match.
“I don’t think the result was ever in any doubt”, admitted Fermín Romero afterwards adding, “Their starting line-up featured seven players who played at the weekend while ours had none”.
Asked about his choice of the unfamilliar 4-3-3 as a formation he replied, “That was dictated by the players who had not had any gametime this week. It wasn’t through choice, more necessity that we played that formation. I wouldn’t have played it otherwise. Don’t get me wrong, 5-0 is a poor result, but if you’re playing a second string in an unfamiliar formation, it’s certainly a possible outcome”.
“At the end of the day our aim was to ensure all our players got gametime this week, and to that end we achieved our goal”.
Prior to the match Fermín had stated that his only concern whether his side won or lost was that his side didn’t pick up any injuries or red cards ahead of Saturday’s important league clash with St Andrew Paisley.
Unfortunately that was not to be the case as Paul Hughes picked up a slight knee injury in the sixty-fifth minute. He was withdrawn immediately and replaced by Joe Anderson.
Asked about the injury afterwards he said, “It’s not bad at all. He could probably have kept on playing but we weren’t taking any chances. He’ll be available for Saturday”.
Brook Street ran out 4-1 winners the last time the sides met at the LJG.
Brook Street had the upper hand that season winning both fixtures, but Fermín Romero is less concerned about progressing in the Cup and more about rotating his squad and winning three points this weekend.
“It’s always good to have a cup run, but realistically we’re not going to win it so whether we win or lose my only concern is that we don’t pick up any injuries or red cards. We want a full squad available for the game against St Andrew on Saturday.
Kick-off tomorrow is at 11:15.
Aldo Pellone fires Brook Street into the lead against Badger Loyal at Smith Stadium this afternoon.
Brook Street had the game won by half-time being 4-0 up at the time through goals from Aldo Pellone, Kalle Konkka, Diego Misuraca and Raúl Colen. Raúl Colen added his second goal midway through the second half and Kari Kienberger rounded off the scoring as the game entered stoppage time.
To be fair though Brook Street had played well within their abilities and had won the match at a canter. Rarely if at all did they have to get out of second gear and whatever is going on at Smith Stadium, Gers are in serious trouble.
“We set about our tast in a professional and efficient manner”, said Fermín Romero “and we got the result that our hard work merited”.
“We also got back into the groove following our defeat on Wednesday which was almost as important as getting the three points. We also got out of the game without any injuries or bookings which is only good”.
He concluded, “We have a Saltire Cup game on Wednesday, but I’m focussing on next Saturday’s league game against St Andrew which is far more important”.
St Andrew Paisley and Bonnybrig Eagles are still hot on Brook Street’s heels with Fermín Romero’s side only out in front on goal difference.
St Andrew had a fine 4-1 home win over Winbat, but Eagles’ 1-0 win at Paisley Pirates was the stand-out result, as Pirates now slip to six points off the pace. In the other game Livilions picked up their first points of the season with a 2-1 win at Eilean Donan Devils.
Connor Hutton celebrates scoring on our trip to Smith Stadium last season.
Gers have had a miserable start to the new campaign losing all their fixtures and were dumped out of the Tartan Cup on Wednesday. Indeed they have only recorded one win this season, a 5-2 win at Celtic FC 2014 in the Scottish Cup First Round. Unconfirmed rumours of internal problems at Gers persist as they have been fielding short-handed sides in each of their last three outings.
Brook Street are determined to pile on the misery at Smith Stadium but are aware that Gers are a wounded animal and probably at their most dangerous.
“They’ve had a very poor start to the season, but they’re at home and will be looking to get back on the rails against us this afternoon”, said Fermín Romero this morning.
“They’ve got their backs to the wall so are likely to come out fighting and we have to ensure we are ready to repel this and strike decisively when we go forward”.
“They’ve been on the wrong end of some heavy defeats and their heads definitely go down after conceding the first goal, so we have to ensure we score first”.
Fermín has a full squad to choose from and is likely to field his strongest available side. Kick-off is at 16:30.
This is Brook Street 