David Currie goes around the grounds bringing the latest scores in the Scottish leagues.
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00:00Hello, good afternoon and welcome to the new season. I can hardly believe it and I can't
00:16wait. It might be a wee bit rusty right now but here we go anyway. Scores, reports, results
00:21and reaction for the next hour in the company of Julie Fleeting and Stephen McGinn. Welcome
00:26to you both. Now one match already over in the Premiership and another underway, plus
00:31four live in the Championship. So we'd best catch up with our reporters around the ground.
00:35We'll start with the early kick-off between Hearts and Rangers.
00:40A goalless draw in a game that from an early point looked like it would be anything but.
00:47Hearts fielded three summer signings in Penrice, Taylor and Danda and despite promising a rebuild
00:52only Conor Barron of the new Rangers recruits by Philippe Clermont began this one. Hearts
00:58with a better sight for much of the first half with Danda hitting the bar and Butlin
01:02saving from Penrice as well while Dessert has a couple of chances up the other end.
01:06It was a fairly even contest in the second half. Dessert struck woodwork and Clarke saved
01:11from Lawrence's spectacular effort. So these two have to set up at a point apiece from
01:16the opening day. It's not an ideal start we'd have to say if you're looking to win titles.
01:22There we go. So Stephen, lift off the new Premiership season or a bit of a damp squib?
01:31No it was an enjoyable 0-0. I think both teams should look at the chances they created and
01:35think they could have won it, could have lost it at the same time. But yeah for a 0-0 opening
01:40day it was reasonably exciting. We don't want too many of these 0-0's though, we'd show it to it.
01:46Better result for Hearts or Rangers? I think Hearts will be delighted with their performance.
01:50I think the way the game went and they did have opportunities to win the game they'll be
01:55disappointed. But I think before the game had started if you'd said they would have opened
02:00it up with a draw against Rangers then I'm sure they would have taken it. But plenty of positives
02:05from a Hearts point of view. I thought their front players were really dangerous. I felt that
02:10certainly in the first half they looked the most likely to score. But there was opportunities for
02:14both teams as Stephen said and it's surprising that it was 0-0. Let's head to Fir Park and see
02:20what's happening in the game between Motherwell and Ross County and let's welcome Jane Lewis to
02:25the show. Good afternoon, thank you David. Motherwell 0, Ross County 0. I have to say though
02:29Jordan White has just had a glorious opportunity to put the visitors here ahead but he blazed wide
02:36with a header over the bar I should say with his header. But I have to say the second half has all
02:41been about Motherwell. They've had loads of possession, they've had loads of chances as well
02:45as I say especially in the second half but they just cannot finish. While Ross County in the second
02:50half have been, while not seeing as much of the ball, they certainly have had opportunities thwarted
02:55by the Motherwell goalkeeper Aston Oxenborough. That save from Ronan Hale's free kick was absolutely
03:01superb from the Motherwell goalie really playing his part and keeping that one at bay. In the first
03:06half Motherwell, well they should have been in front, they had two glorious chances.
03:10Zach Robinson pinched the ball from Ross County defender Will Nightingale. He raced towards goal
03:15but he somehow shot wide and then after that Ross Laidlaw made a quite brilliant save
03:20throwing himself at a close range shot from Moses Abbey. Now I have to say the commentator's
03:26nightmare is on the pitch. Stamatelopoulos, I hope I've got that right, is on the pitch. I'm kind of
03:31hoping David between me and you that he doesn't score, it's 0-0 here. I was going to ask Jane to
03:36repeat that but I'm not going to bother. Stamatelopoulos, there we go. Stama henceforth,
03:440-0 for Motherwell. I was watching Motherwell last week in the League Cup game against Partick
03:48Thistle and it was clear to me they're kind of missing Theo Baer. Well last season when they
03:56lost Van Veen, he had been a massive part of their team, scored so many goals for them the season
04:02before. You felt that it was really big shoes to fill and they would struggle to do that and Theo
04:06Baer they manage so could they quite possibly come up with a third striker who's going to bag them
04:13goals for the third season in a row? We don't know. So far not off to a great start but certainly
04:19they've got plenty of possession. They have looked the more likely to score although as Jane reported
04:25there has been opportunities at both ends. Isaac Robinson, his last week's game chance,
04:30gilt-edged chance today. He looks just a wee bit off in terms of finishing but as one of these
04:35players you think oh when that clicks he could be really dangerous. Yeah and he was given an
04:39unbelievable opportunity to open his account in the league today and almost had too much time to
04:45think. That was a worry from Motherwell's point of view this season, not only Theo Baer but Blair
04:51Spittle. There's a lot of goal involvements you're missing out on and you're looking at the game
04:56today over the course of the season, no disrespect to Ross County but this is a game if you want to
05:02kick on from last season and not be dragged down you need to win and they've had chances to score
05:07and really disappointing in terms of that last bit, that clinical edge that they've just been
05:12missing today. So no goals so far in the Premiership in the two matches, one finished, one still
05:18underway. Let's drop into the Championship and hope for better. Chick Young I'm sure can bring us
05:23news of a goal fest in Lanarkshire, Airdrie, Ray Throvertick. I always answer your dreams David,
05:30you know that. Not a goal fest but one goal very recently and it's for Airdrie. It was a cross from
05:36the left-hand side and of all people Dylan MacDonald sneaked in at the far post and just
05:41knocked over the line Airdrie ahead. It's not been a classic I have to say. There's been a,
05:45there was some astonishing challenges in this game actually. Calum Verdice who last season was
05:49the assistant manager of Airdrie put in a challenge that I had to close my eyes. In fact
05:54the boot of Bruce Armstrong flew into the air about 20 feet. That was how severe the challenge
05:59was but not even a foul was given for that. So they've been in about it both teams. Game started
06:05well actually but it took a little bit siesta in the Airdrie sunshine later in the afternoon.
06:10But it's Airdrie who are looking at taking three vital points at the moment. As I said MacDonald
06:15the scorer and the newly named incidentally Albert Bartlett Stadium at Airdrie. You'll know
06:22that the gentleman is a local potato merchant so it's immediately been renamed the Tachyhad.
06:30Hi Sir. We'll stay in Lanarkshire and head to Hamilton. Ackie's at home to Air United this
06:36afternoon. Let's say hello to Leanne. Good afternoon David. Yes as it stands just now
06:41it's Hamilton. Ackie's now Air United 2. A first half advantage it was for the visitors. It was
06:46George Stanger that put them in front after a second phase from a corner actually found himself
06:51unmarked inside the six yard box and stabbed the ball home. Certainly to the delight of Scott Brown
06:56down in that technical area. Ackie's looked to respond. They had a couple of half chances. Kevin
07:00O'Hara were the best but that was met with a wonderful Charlie Albinson save. In the second
07:05half started pretty much the same. Both sides with chances. Frankie Missanda could have doubled
07:09the advantage early on and again another good stop from the goalkeeper and eventually Air United
07:16did find that second goal of the afternoon. It came minutes after Scott Martin was sent off for Ackie's
07:20to add to their woes. It was a second bookable offence for the midfielder and Anton Dowds was
07:25the man to capitalise on it. Great play from Marco Roos. He ran through the heart of the midfield.
07:30A lovely through ball. Anton Dowds latched onto it. Left footed. Shaped it beyond Albinson.
07:352-0 as it stands. Hamilton Ackie certainly with all to do with only probably 12-13 minutes left
07:40to play. Thanks very much Leanne. So Anton Dowds. No surprise there scoring for Air United in the
07:46opening league game of the season. He's now a permanent transfer there. He was on loan from
07:50Thistle last season. Yeah they'll be delighted to get him there and kind of a bit more settled then
07:56and I think Scott Brown coming in you'll really want this is going to be the first full season he
08:00had the opportunity then to shape his team. Certainly work with them in pre-season and
08:05really hope that they can then challenge for either a playoff spot or even better if they
08:11have a good season. Aye and not the gentlest of welcomes back to the championship for Hamilton.
08:16That was always going to be a tough one today you felt? Yeah off the back of the positives from
08:20getting out of the league last year. Obviously our rivals when it was at Falkirk last season and
08:25they fell short in the league and come through the playoff so well in the jubilant scenes up
08:29at Inverness and coming into a league season hearing about the pay dispute and going on strike
08:35and it sets off a negative tone and not getting that result at home today having a man sent off
08:41all of a sudden all eyes are on Hamilton and saying what's going on in there. Aye it was a
08:45problem with the internet banking I think we've all been there but apparently sorted out now but
08:49as Stephen's saying not the best of preparations for your return to the championship. No it's not
08:54it's I mean I'm sure they would have been trying to focus the players minds on the football side
08:58of it but that's never an easy thing to do and a tough game for them to come up against their
09:04United in the opener but as we say every single season there's never going to be an easy game
09:08in that league and none more so than this season when you look at the the teams that are in that
09:13league you don't really have that big club like you had last year in Dundee United. There's quite
09:18a few clubs that you could see going on and doing really well this season and it means every single
09:24game is important. I suppose in terms of this one Stephen expectations higher more expected of Air
09:30United in the championship this season than maybe of Hamilton here obviously Scott Brown in charge
09:35brought in a few established players good players and they spent a bit of money new stand. Yeah I
09:41think it's important that they are looking to get back into the Premier League it's been a long time
09:46and they're making all the right moves off the park I think they've backed Scott Brown I think
09:50George Oakley was a big signing for them I think George Oakley and Anton Downs is a partnership
09:55if they can keep both that is every defence in the league is going to know they're in a game and
09:59last night I'm looking at I'm looking at a really strong Falkirk team and thinking they could win
10:03the league but you start to look at the teams Airdrie, Rhys McCabe's really building something
10:09there you've got Air United I think Livingstone obviously not been mentioned a lot for getting
10:15into the league title they're starting off where it looks like a really solid win so
10:19yes it's such an open league. What about Partick Thistle and Morton you fancy their chances?
10:23Race as well we've got quite a few. I don't want Morton to be in the title I think
10:32Partick Thistle will be right up there obviously no goal so far but Brian Graham if you can keep
10:37him fit and he's going to get another 20 plus. Let's find out what exactly is happening in
10:41the Farhill Partick Thistle against Morton from our reporter there Callum MacDonald.
10:45Yeah DC just like like Stephen was saying there no goals here yet there's been a couple of big
10:49chances one for either side but Brian Graham mentioned that he's really struggled to get
10:53into the game this afternoon and the game's kind of petering out first half the best the best of
10:57the chances were in the first half J Emmanuel Thomas with Morton's after being fed by Ali Crawford
11:03who picked up on a slack back pass but the Partick Thistle goalkeeper Myles Roberts stood up well and
11:09managed to foil him with his feet at the other end a Waziri Williams shot was redirected by
11:14Scott Robinson but redirected wild wide and we had the classic loop from Scott Robinson over to
11:19the assistant referee hoping the flag would go up but it didn't the second half there's been fewer
11:24chances the game feels like it could be just petering out to a nil-nil draw but Partick Thistle
11:28do have a free kick and a right to throw in the box but currently Partick Thistle nil Morton nil
11:33Let's hear next from Amy Canavan she is watching Livingston against Dunfermline
11:37Good afternoon David yes for the first time since 2018 Livingston are playing their trade in the
11:42championship and while it's not where they want to be they've settled in quite nicely perhaps
11:46fittingly the first goal since returning the one which has them ahead here against Dunfermline
11:51came from Scott Pittman who's been through it all at this club hasn't he nearly a decade here now
11:55a good start to the second half from Livy there was a lot of pressure on the pars back line
11:59before Pittman eventually thrashed the ball home a chap in front of me actually screeched
12:03stopped trying to walk it in just before that which maybe speaks volumes of the the build-up
12:07play that was involved in that after a fairly poor first half which brought about a few groans as
12:12well from the home fans who are back morning again they're two in a lap don't know what they're on
12:15about a Pittman's goal sparked a much sharper second half and then the second goal as I've just
12:20alluded to there came just a few moments ago actually and it was always on the cards Lewis
12:24Smith who joined in the summer after spending majority of his career at Aches his family are
12:28all around me he had the chance to score on his league debut they were certainly hoping that he
12:32would but instead he unselfishly played and Stephen Kelly to slam home in the first half Kelly saw a
12:38curling free kick from the edge of the box um go goal words but he was denied by Dennis Mehmet
12:43who is just about to again be called into action but nothing forthcoming the players have had a
12:49couple of their own chances to be fair in the first half Aaron Cromery skied an effort from
12:53close range high while first half substitute Rhys Breen watched his bending effort punched away
12:58by Shamal George but other than that there's not been an awful lot from Dunfermline in the second
13:03half these sides of course met in the league cup a matter of weeks ago Livy won that one 1-0 but
13:08as it stands here right now it's Livingston 2 Dunfermline 0. That's a decent start to the
13:13championship season for Livy by the looks of things and as Amy's saying the old warhorse
13:17Scott Pittman back among the score. Yeah I think players like Scott Pittman will be really important
13:23to Livingston it's important to have the players that have been there before and know what it's
13:28like to play for Livingston and exactly as they would have wanted to go off to a good start
13:33Dunfermline haven't had the best of starts so far in the league cup and this season so Livingston
13:39would have been fancying themselves at being a home game as well and at 2-0 it seems comfortable
13:44Is that just the one game on the grass in the championship and it's only on without a goal
13:48Stephen? Yeah dry day I think going back to the Thistle game I think these are the days if you're
13:55going to win that league these draws are no good when you're going to try and win a league
13:59these are the days you need to find a way not a lot happening not creating a lot of chances but
14:04find a way to win and ultimately that's what wins leagues. I saw part of this last week
14:09Julie against Motherwell and I thought they were excellent but they just couldn't not even Brian
14:13Graham could score as if he doesn't score they're in big trouble. He is a key player for them he is
14:19someone who they really rely on especially in and around the box and he's got so much experience
14:25particularly at that level so certainly he is a key player but they'll be hoping that they're not
14:29going to rely on him heavily and maybe look for other players to chip in with some goals as well
14:35Well Falkirk and Queen's Park were first out of the traps in the championship last season's
14:39invincible league one winners the home side in the first BBC Scotland live Friday night game of
14:44the season former Bairns skipper Stephen even without you the unbeaten league run continues
14:492-1 winners of a thoroughly entertaining game not only that but there was a guard of honour
14:55who doesn't love a guard of honour at the start of a game? Me! And there's the league one flag
15:02being raised before the game as well and it looked it looked like a really busy stadium
15:08I mean it was well noted how much they struggled they hit the real depths Falkirk is a football
15:14club and the fans feel like they've got their club back they've got a brilliant relationship
15:19with the club again it's really a club going places and it's a group of players it's a
15:24management team it's a set of fans that are used to winning games at the football stadium and it's
15:28so important that momentum that they've got going into the season yeah so they went one ahead there
15:32Calvin Miller with the goal but what about this one Julie? That's a special goal yes early on
15:38you can see Dom Thomas he's just trying to get it onto his left foot and the minute he gets onto
15:42his left foot it's always curling away from the goalkeeper it was an absolutely sensational strike
15:46I'm having to resist the urge with every fibre of my being saying early contender for goal of the
15:51season but I don't do cliches like that so it's a cracking goal Falkirk's winner Stephen Scrappy
15:56but they won't really care who cares who cares I said earlier to win a league you have to find a
16:01way to win you have to a setback right from kickoff Falkirk's own kickoff which John McGlynn
16:05won't be happy about I actually missed the goal so speak to Amy, Amy Canavan at half time and
16:10make my way back up and I could hear the cheer from the away end but going for a pie and Dom
16:15Thomas actually texted me after it saying what do you think of that and said I missed it
16:19no I mean he's a big player obviously for Queen's Park but going back to that they just they know
16:25how to win they're used to winning games and it's so important it's almost like they've forgotten
16:30how to lose at the Falkirk Stadium and that's why I think they're a big contender. I was going to
16:34say but how do you rate their credentials for winning the league? I think if they keep the
16:4011, Aidan Esbitt was a big miss for them last night in midfield I think he's a he's a big player
16:45for them if they can keep that the bulk of that 11 fit for the season I think they'll be right up
16:50there I think whoever finishes above Falkirk would then win the league I rate them that highly
16:55obviously I'm slightly biased but John McGlynn has been building a proper team over the last couple
17:00of years a lot of the players he's worked with previously like Rafe and he knows how to negotiate
17:05this division. Are you equally as optimistic as Stephen is for Falkirk's prospects in the
17:10championship this season Julie? Well Stephen will know their quality better than anyone and he'll
17:14know what it takes in that league but certainly I was impressed last night then when they get back
17:22into the game I think there was only a couple of minutes before Falkirk went ahead again and
17:25that's really important as well to be able to get yourselves back in front at the right time and I
17:31think they will I think there'll be a really strong side I think they'll really add something
17:34to the league and make it that bit more competitive again. Yeah what about Queen's Park Stephen? Yeah
17:41well they I thought they knocked it about at times and I think they'll be disappointed the goal they
17:45lost the first goal and it was quite obvious they were trying not to they know the momentum Falkirk
17:52have the speed at which they like to play they were taking times over throw-ins I thought they
17:55could have done a bit better with the first goal and then you get back into the game at the start
17:59the second half that would have been the message from Calum Davidson go and start the second half
18:03well you can't start much better and disappointed the manner of what they conceded I don't think
18:09they'll be in the reckoning for the league and we've got a lot of young players I think they
18:13need a bit more experience and if they're going to challenge at the top end of that league. Who do
18:17you think they'd be aiming to finish then? I think that probably the challenge they'll talk about
18:22maybe getting the playoffs I mean in that league you're never far from a relegation battle or the
18:26playoffs so but I think I think they need a little bit experience if they're going to finish
18:31up there. Plenty of experience for John McGlynn I was asking Stephen what he was writing in that
18:34wee notebook there he wasnae too keen to tell me. Does anybody get to see the notebook or is that
18:40his eyes only? No but he'll not be shy to tell you. But I mean managing a year last season
18:47understandably so with that incredible invincible league season. And I think coming off the back of
18:52that I think what they'll have is a team that have a lot of belief in themselves so as Stephen's
18:58already spoke about they know how to win games and they'll not be fazed stepping up a league and
19:03competing at that level either and they'll have their sights set definitely on playoff spot or
19:08better. You spoke earlier about the Grassbitches sorry but is he only having the two Grassbitches?
19:13I mean you have a brand of football like John McGlynn has and Rhys McCabe they love their
19:17AstroTurf. You're not going to get to December or January well you might have Dimfermine or
19:22Moreton part of this so I know there's a few but you're playing a lot of the games in AstroTurf
19:26you know the pitch is going to be conducive to football and I think that that gives them a real
19:31chance. Right time for a brief pause in proceedings while I trot out the old trail boards for the
19:36first time this season so here we go. Tom always here with highlights of today's two