Ger's thoughts as Rovers leave the capital with three points

A birthday present just about gift wrapped from the boys!

They sometimes say that end of season mid-table clashes have a habit of petering out. However I’m sure if you were at Paties Road today, you’d have definitely gotten your monies worth. It had just about everything. From mistakes, well taken goals, speculative free kick attempts and some decent play in between, it’s fair to say we were more than happy to be leaving the capital with a hard-earned three points.

As games go, we’ve probably played a lot better and lost so as this one set off at a frantic pace I knew it was always going to be nip and tuck to the end. However, it did feel as though both teams were capitalising on each other’s mistakes from the outset. So analysing all four goals in the first half, from a defensive point of view, both sides will feel they could have done a bit better within those moments. Harry (McGill) and Joycey (Michael Joyce) posed a constant danger in the final third throughout and Mikey (Robertson) at the other end covered almost every blade of grass but we were probably losing the battle a little more in key areas as the half wore on. So getting in at half time we had to tweak it a little. The boys, to their credit, carried out the second half instructions and we found ourselves back in front with a two goal cushion. However knowing Ainslie as well as I do, I knew his South team were in no way out of the contest. And to their credit they fired back and put us under a lot of pressure as the clock ticked down.

Again games like today probably serve as a small reminder for myself and the coaching team on just how far this group has actually come. Missing six lads from the squad, which would more than dent most, the strength in depth of the group stood up to the challenge against a team that constantly asks questions of you. We had to dig deep at times and find another way today and I said to the boys afterwards, as much as they could and probably should be making things a little easier for themselves, games like today shows the real character of a group so I was really proud of them as we headed back to Peeblesshire with the points.

Next weekend sees our final game of the season at home to Stirling University, I honestly don’t say it cheaply but these boys deserve a decent send off for all their hard work this season. We’d love to have you with us for one final time at Whitestone Park as the season comes to a close.