I have a confession. I forsook Locos’ midweek derby match against Formartine United to take up an invitation to attend the Heart of Midlothian v Alloa Athletic game at Tynecastle.
After a season of Highland League football the temptation to watch a higher standard, and in particular the promising young Hearts players, proved too much. Hearts won 3-0 and played well within their capabilities to do so. With the pressure off having already secured the Championship, and no doubt with one eye on the Sunday derby at Easter Road, they could be forgiven for taking things a bit easier.
A crowd in excess of 15,000 was some change from Harlaw Park and my thanks go to Katriona for looking after me during the game.
And….typical! After watching Locos’ recent run of defeats, I missed a good match and a 3-2 victory.
From what I can gather it was well deserved, albeit it was rather ironic that the team should do so with only 10 men after falling to 10-man Forres seven days previously.
Such are the vagaries of football. Locos still contrived to lose the first goal but co-manager Scott Buchan was upbeat afterwards about the team’s fighting spirit to come from behind twice.
And he was at pains to point out that Locos already are preparing for next season. With Neil Gauld and Mark Souter both starting after long-term injury, it confirms just how damaging Locos’ well documented injury problems have been this season.
The result also makes Locos’ final league match against Fraserburgh at Bellslea more meaningful. A win would allow Locos to leapfrog the Broch into sixth position, although Fraserburgh then have a final game at Fort William.
An added incentive will be to avenge the Aberdeenshire Cup defeat earlier in the season. Winning runs breed confidence, and vice-versa, and that contrast strikes me about Hearts and Locos.
Irrespective of the different playing levels, Hearts have that winning mentality and confidence. Locos have suffered in the opposite direction, but I believe the club has a good group of skilful players. Perhaps last week’s derby win will prove to be the springboard to success next season.