Montrose Preview

Manager Dennis Newall will again have to shuffle his pack for the game against Montrose. Johnny Walker's injury is likely to keep him out and Paul Tyrrell is again unlikely to take part. Paul Gaughan and Steven Blair are slowly making their recovery from injury, but tomorrow's game may be too early to talk of comebacks.

Both Jamie MacKay and Steven Dymock suffered knocks in the midweek game against Berwick Rangers, although neither are giving genuine cause for concern.Adam Owen, who impressed the boss on Tuesday, ould continue in the left-back role.

"Montrose is a hughe game for us," said Newall. "All we need is one result to climb four places in the league table. The players know the importance of the game and we will just have to see how they react."

Shire 1 Berwick Rangers 2

Shire came mightily close to causing the upset of the season at Firs Park on Tuesday night. But they could not sustain a stirring first half display into the second, and two quickfire goals from top-of-the-table Berwick Rangers secured them victory. However, the league leaders at least knew they were in a game.

Dennis Newall was a bit better off for fit players than he had been against Cowdenbeath. That meant a return to the starting eleven for both Jamie MacKay and Ally Graham. But Johnny Walker missed out, giving Adam Owen his league debut.

Iain Diack was hungry for goals and after five minutes his turn and shot from the edge of the box brought the game's first save. Shire looked the much more likely team in the early stages. Owen dired in a corner which Jordan Smith narrowly failed to connect with, and other chances came their way too. The pressure paid off on 28 minutes. Andy Brand's shotr from the edge of the box was saved but not held by O'Connor in the Berwick goal and Steven Dymock was first to pounce, knocking home the rebound from point blank range.

Within a couple of minutes Shire could have been two up. MacKay found Carl Thywissen unmarked at the back post but his shot went over when he looked liklier to score. Towards the end of the first period Berwick's Haynes and Little both came close. But at the half-time break few could argue that Shire were worth their lead.

Berwick stepped things up after the interval and within a couple of minutes could have levelled things, but a long-range effort from Gary Greenhill was deflected over for a corner. The Berwick goals were not long in coming. After 56 minutes they broke quickly and the ball was transferred ti Chris McGroarty, who beat Derek Jackson with a fine finish. Two minutes later Kevin Gordon made good progress down the left and whipped over a cross which Ian Little turned home for what proved to be the winner.

Cowdenbeath 5 Shire 1

Manager Dennis Newall had promised to try to give the Third Division's form team a run for their money. But his plans were blown out the water by pre-match injuries and a disastrous first ten minutes which saw Cowden establish a two goal lead.

With Ally Graham, Paul Tyrrell and Jamie MacKay all carrying injuries, Newall shuffled the pack, bringing in Steven Dymock and Derek Ure along with Carl Thywissen. The manager's game plan of utilising Iain Diack as a lone striker with support from Ure and Dymock seemed fair in the circumstances, but after just 34 seconds it was one he simply had to tear up.

Some sloppy play right from kick off gave Cowden's Gary Fusco the chance to raid down the right unchallenged. He then threaded the ball nicely through to Robert Downs who slotted the ball into the net past the unprotected Derek Jackson. Cowden should have gone 2-0 up in their very next attack, but somehow Ryan McCallum blasted over when it seemed easier to score.

Shire were only to survive until the tenth minute. A corner caused an almighty stramash on the Shire goal line and when the ball was eventually freed from the scrum of legs Downs stroked the ball home. The home team's Markus Paatelainen, the manager's bother, seemed to have the freedom of the midfield and he could have made it 3-0 on 27 minutes but was denied by a fine save from Jackson.

The visitors looked much more comfortable coming forward and Derek Ure's netbound effort was cleared off the line by Mark Miller. But Shire were undone again by dodgy defending on 31 minutes when John Ward rose unchallenged to head home Cowden's third.

At least Shire were causing some threat on the attack and that was underlined on 39 minutes when a quick break sent Dymock clear and he unleashed a thumping drive from the 18 yard line which beat former Shire keeper, David Hay. Any thoughts of an unlikely Shire revival were dashed in 44 minutes when the impressive Paateleinen got his head on Miller's free-kick at the back post to guide the home team into a 4-1 interval lead.

Shire's containment plan worked well after the break. Jackson was still the busier of the two keepers but the visitors had worthwhile efforts too. Diack might have scored with a header from a Ure cross and Andy Brand shaved the post with a shot from distance. But they couldn't keep Cowden out for the entire 45 minutes. After 62 minutes Downs crossed from the right, and although McCallum missed what seemed an easy chance in front of goal, Jackson tapped-in at the back post.

Shire 0 Stirling Albion 3

The Stirlingshire Cup Final ended in disappointment for Shire, but there was no disputing the better team won on the night.

Albion fielded their strongest possible side in an attempt to win the trophy for the third year in a row, while Shire made just one change from the side which lost in the league at East Fife on Saturday, Paul Tyrrell coming in for Carl Thywissen.

The Second Division team hogged possession from the start and certainly looked a lot faster then Shire as well as slicker in their passing. For all that, though, it was Shire who created the first real scoring chance after 17 minutes. Jordan Smith's long ball sent Iain Diack racing in on goal. He looked odds on to score, but Albion's young keeper Scott Christie pulled off a ma\rvellous save.

Three minutes later the Albion pressure told. A good passing movement put David O'Brien clear and he made no mistake from ten yards. For all their possession, the Forthbank team were rather shot-shy. But Shire, with less of the ball, had the clearer sight of goal.

Smith was unlucky not to connect with Johnny Walker's corner at the back post while Diack was again desperately unlucky with a shot which Christie beat away for a corner kick. Two minutes after the break any thought of a Shire comeback looked far off as Albion went 2-0 up. This time the impressive Steven Bell picked out the poorly-marked Chris Hay in the box and the big striker hammered the ball into the net.

Shire didn't give up and a minute later Diack had another indication this wasn't going to be his night when his shot from a tight angle came crashing back off the post. Steven Dymock was sent on for Scott Livingstone to give Shire some drive forward in the closing stages but it had little real effect.

The Firs Parkers deserved a goal for their efforts, but the one remaining strike of the match came from Albion's Bell deep into injury time. It was a personal disaster for Shire keeper Jackson, who allowed a fairly harmless looking effort from the edge of the box to slither under his body into the net.

Ochilview For Scottish Cup Thrills

Shire have been given a Scottish Cup first round trip to near neighbours, Stenhousemuir on Saturday 19th November. The Draw was made earlier at Allan Park, the home of Highland League, Cove Rangers.

Speaking to Zebra Diary after the draw was made, manager Dennis Newall said, " It's a difficult game, especially after our last trip to Stenhousemuir, but it's a cup-tie and there have been surprise results in cup matches before. It's a game that if we play to the top of our game we can win.

"There are no easy games at this stage of the competition, and at least we have avoided a potential banana skin like Forres Mechanics. We know all about Stenhousemuir, the trip there is nothing new for us, and that is to our advantage."

If Shire win it will be their first victory in the Scottish Cup since 1999, when a Gary Higgins goal gave them a 1-0 away win at Huntly. Funnily enough, that set up a second round meeting with Partick Thistle. If Shire win this one the reward will be a home game with either Albion Rovers, or Partick Thistle. Now there's an omen.

East Fife 3 Shire 1

Bad defending and poor finishing cost Shire dearly at New Bayview. They gifted East Fife three goals then missed a handful of golden chances to salvage something from the match. Although Shire started poorly and were largely outplayed in the first half, they dominated the second period and will be extremely disappointed to have taken nothing from the game.

Manager Dennis Newall stuck with his winning team from the Albion Rovers game, which meant Paul Tyrrell could only get a seat on the bench on his return from injury. The speed of East Fife's wide men and their danger from setpieces should have set alarm bells ringing early on. But Shire never got to grips with either.

There was little surprise that East Fife should take the lead from a corner. Pelosi whipped the ball in and after Hampshire's effort had been cleared, Bradford picked up the rebund and fired home from inside the six yard box, despite the presence of four Shire defenders on the goal line.

It was just as well for Shire that East Fife found it difficult to turn their pressure into clear-cut chances, although Iain Diack might have levelled things against the run of play just before the break with a near-post effort which Dodds in the home goal did well to keep out.

Whatever was said in the visitors' dressing room at the interval clearly worked because in the second half Shire were a team transformed. They took the game by the scruff of the neck and it wasn't long before chances came their way. But it was a worrying sign that those chances weren't being converted. Scott Livingstone could have altered the game completely when he received the ball six yards from goal with only Dodds to beat but he somewhow fluffed his shot.

On 66 minutes Diack raced clear on goal. He looked odds-on to claim his ninth goal of the season and although his shot was perfectly-placed he couldn't have bargained on Dodds pulling off a marvellous one-handed save low to his right. As luck would have it, four minutes later East Fife put the game to bed. Stephen Oates hit a poor clearance straight to East Fife sub Sean Paliczka who first-timed it past Derek Jackson. Even then, Shire could have responded but Livingstone blasted an easy chance to score over the bar.

With eight minutes to go East Fife put an unfair reflection on the game when sub Johhny Mitchell fired in a third goal. Four minutes from the end, Steven Dymock, who had come on as a late replacement, was put clean through by Paul Tyrrell and he made no mistake with a perfectly-placed shot. How Shire could have used his composure in front of goal earlier.

East Fife Preview

Paul Tyrell looks set to be added to the Shire squad for the trip to New Bayview. The midfilder missed the 3-1 win over Albion Rovers two weeks ago because of a hamstring injury. Now, with a week's rest, he seems fit enough to return. Iain Diack and Derek Jackson have both been laid low with a bug this week, but it's expected they will have recovered in time to play. The only men certain to miss out on selection are Paul Gaughan, who is still sidelined with a groin injury, and Steven Blair, who may take another couple of weeks yet to recover from a similar complaint.

Diack And Jackson Hoping For Recovery

Shire returned to training after a weekend off without Iain Diack and Derek Jackson. Both missed the regular Monday night training after being laid low by a bug. It's a bit early to rule them out of Saturday's trip to East Fife, but manager Dennis Newall is clearly hoping whatever they picked up will have disappeared by later in the week. But young midfielder Steven Blair is unlikely to play any part at New Bayview. His groin injury will, it's estimated, take about two weeks to clear up.

Ally Graham Gets New Role

Veteran striker, Ally Graham, has been added to Shire's coaching staff. The 39 year old will continue in his playing role but will also now have a formal position in assisting Dennis Newall and Gordon Wylde at training and on match days. It's already been evident that his experience is making a difference to the team this season, and the new job allows him to develop the kind of skills required to continue in football once his playing days are at an end.

Shire 3 Albion Rovers 1

Iain Diack was the Shire hero with two goals in the opening 20 minutes which sank his former club. Diack's double lifts Shire to sixth place, while defeat means Rovers now take over the wooden spoon position vacated by the Firs Parkers.

Shire made four personnel changes from the team which lost to Elgin City. Derek Jackson returned in goal to replace Aaron Gillespie. Paul Tyrrell failed a late fitness test while Steven Dymock and Derek Ure were dropped to the substitutes bench. In came new signing Jordan Smith to partner Stephen Oates in the centre of defence, Andy Brand started his first game since August, while Carl Thywissen won a quick recall to the starting eleven.

Rovers made the better start and could have taken the lead in just three minutes, but striker George Wallace somehow hit a point-blank range shot straight at Jackson. Ten minutes later the same player set his team on the road to defeat by punching a Shire corner clear inside his own penalty area. His strange actions were punished by the easiest penalty kick award referee John McKendrick will ever have to make, and by Diack's confident strike from the spot.

If Diack didn't have much to do with the opening goal, the second Shire strike, on 19 minutes, was all down to him. He took the ball 30 yards from goal, turned the defender and lobbed the astonished Ewings in the visitors' goal with a perfectly-executed chip. From then on Shire were on easy street.

Andy Brand might have added a third on the half hour, but this time Ewings pulled off a great save from his low drive. At the interval Shire were well on top and fully deserved their two goal advantage. During the interval the Rovers players were kicked out of their own dressing room by irate manager, Jim Chapman, and they sheepishly hung around the centre circle for ten minutes waiting for the second half to start.

They could have pulled a goal back within a minute of the re-start. Scott Chaplain's free-kick swerved wildly, wrong footing Jackson, who had to look smart to claw the ball away. But that was the closest the visitors came to pulling anything back, and on 69 minutes Shire killed the game stone dead.

Ally Graham flicked on a long throw-in into the path of Diack. The Shire striker, with his back to goal, laid the ball neatly into the path of Brand, who shot for goal as he fell under pressure from a Rovers player. Despite that, the shot was true enough to beat Ewings and nestle in the corner of the net. Jamie MacKay sliced a clearance over his own head and into the net for a bizzarre own goal in 74 minutes, but Shire never really looked in any danger of throwing things away.

Shire : Jackson, MacKay, M. Tyrrell, Oates, Smith, Walker, Brand, Thywissen(Ure 84), Diack(Dymock 79), Graham, Livingstone.

Albion Rovers : Ewings, Friel(Reid 65), McGhee, O'Neill, Lennon, Bonar, Chisholm, Wilson(Chaplain 42), Wallace, Donachy, Mathie(Franch 61).

Referee : John McKendrick.

Attendance : 245.