Another point on the board, a further extension to Jimmy Mac's unbeaten record and another step on the road to recovery. All in all a point at Dens is undoubtedly a decent point, given our general shiteness this season that is! But I'm surely not the only Pars fan that feels we could so easily have been swaggering back down the road to
On a bollock-freezing day of the highest order both teams played out a very entertaining nil all draw, with both sides clearly going for the win. With the Pars team virtually picking itself in recent weeks - with Craw continuing to deputise in midfield for the injured Glass - a continuity seems to have occurred. Yes it's still the same group of players who failed so pathetically under Kenny's reign but since McIntyre parked his arse on the manager's chair an understanding has started to develop amongst the players. Communication has improved and all of a sudden Burchill's numerous pacy counter attacks are starting to look more promising with some of the players actually busting a gut to get forward in support these days - changed times eh!! All of which led to, in my opinion, one of the Pars most accomplished performances of the season. And had it not been for two blatant fuck-ups by Burch and Hamilton when through one-on-one with the Ginger Ninja in the home side's goal then we would no doubt be looking back at a fourth win on the trot and a further dent in the - albeit massive - gap between us boys and Hamilton.
Fairdoos Dundee had their chances and had it not been for a couple of tremendous saves from Gallacher - best piece of business for the Pars in years by the way! - then it could have been an altogether different story. But, and this scares the living fuck out of me, my confidence is starting to return when I nip along to watch the Pars these days. We have the most settled back five we've had in a long, long time! Woods and Murphy at full back look to have mastered the art of being both attacking and defending full backs, and Nipper and Chopper Harris in the middle have looked solid as a rock - both easily being our stand out players over the last 6/7 games. Harris looks commanding both in the air and on the ground and despite Thommo's obvious lack of pace his reading of the game has been invaluable in recent weeks - no doubt disappointing those moronic fuckwits out there who still continue to boo the lad week in week out!
In the midfield Morrison and McGlinchey once again impressed on the wings, with Morrison in particular looking far more accomplished than he has in recent times - although I still don't think he's the answer to the left-wing problem. Crawford, as he has so often this season, put in a power of work and Simmons, alongside him, grew into the game when he decided he could be arsed with it. Listen, I've got nothing against Simmons but for me he's too much like Lee Makel - and I mention that fanny's name through gritted teeth by the way! He's got an undoubted bag of tricks and ability but he so often can't be fucked to use them and looks so often like he'd rather be at home watching Gillete Soccer Saturday or at Homebase on a Saturday afternoon, anywhere but on that park! Up front the Burchill and Hamilton partnership continues to mature, not a fast rate I might add but improving nonetheless. Hamilton's dire lack of pace - I've seen corpses run faster than this guy - is an obvious disadvantage when Burchill breaks up-field and McIntyre, with a far better intelligence on the pitch, would be my first choice to partner Burch but you can't deny Hammy is giving his all in the last few weeks and in that respect you can't ask anymore really. But a new striker is a definate aye if we want to progress and make any real stamp on this league.
So, all in all, a decent performance and result, no doubt enhanced by nine or ten bottles of Newcy Broon! It wasn't perfect but then it wasn't shite either which is a massive improvement on two months-or-so ago.
As I said, my confidence is returning when watching the Pars which'll no doubt mean we get turned over in the next few games but for now I'll allow myself the smallest bit of optimism and actually look forward to this week's Scottish Cup tie at Partick..