UNCANNY – 5.5/10 – This kid gets a pass because this kid grew up with Barcelona professionals and today’s culture shock might have been crippling for many. I don’t know if Barca found him out in the woods but he must have felt like a feral outcast for large parts of his involvement as the defence around him flustered and abandoned him to flurries of speedy assaults down our left. Yet he played to instruction – forged forward when he could and showed some quality; the cushioned header for the equaliser a peach of awareness and touch. His direct opponent was quite a stern test given the boy’s pace and energy, so all-in a fair enough debut under the conditions.
CALMAC – 6/10 – Irritated and tired about summed up the skipper’s demeanour and performance levels. His frustration was evident at the lack of urgency in our centre-backs’ distribution; appeared a man wanting this cup-tie decided as soon as possible. Not to be, and it was only really around the 64th minute when the real Calmac took some charge after a bit of respite. Then the game opened up for us as he closed-down their middle, utilising our additional midfielders (Arnie in tandem with Reo by then) to pin them in and finish them off. Finally.
HAKUNA HATATE – 5/10 – It’s good when Reo wakes up. Like for the equaliser, clipping in a delightful ball. Them in the final quarter of the game as he too benefited from Arnie’s inclusion and pushed on into higher spaces, giving Falkirk too much to cope with. But overall he was absent too often in a match he really should have been running.
SAINT BERNARDO – 7.5/10 – Thank Ghod (whose birthday it was last week) for big Paulo. Somebody at it from the off. May have had a hat-trick among sterling industry and real positive intent. As it was, demonstrated his foot-like-a-traction -engine finishing ability to prove the festive Skelping was but a taster. His drive and tenacity held the team together while the rest attempted to find their feet and get the pace. Does he now deserve a start? Clue: the answers’s similar to the one for ‘Does your average Zombie incubate rabies and syphilis all at once?’
