Meite goal the 'most important' of Cardiff career
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South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Oli Shaw sets Hamilton on the way to an opening day victory
Oli Shaw gave Accies, relegated from the William Hill Championship last season, the lead on the stroke of half-time before Charlie Telfer made sure of the win in the 62nd minute. Jason Brown bagged a brace as Peterhead brushed aside East Fife 4-1 in the battle of the teams promoted from League Two. Lewis Latona put the Fifers in front after 20 minutes but David Wilson drew level moments later, while Kieran Shanks struck from the penalty spot just before the half hour. Brown then put Peterhead in firm control just before half-time and then rubber-stamped an excellent start to the season a minute before the end. Cove Rangers, beaten in last season's Championship play-off final by Airdrieonians, started their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home by Queen of the South. Kurtis Guthrie put the Doonhammers ahead just after the quarter of an hour mark but it was not until the 81st minute that they sealed all three points courtesy of Kai Kennedy's strike. Alloa came from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win at Stenhousemuir. Dale Carrick put the hosts ahead after a quarter of an hour but Steven Buchanan and Kurtis Roberts struck either side of the interval to help the Wasps start their season on the right note. Billy McKay, Luis Longstaff and David Wotherspoon were all on target as Inverness eased to a 3-0 victory at Kelty Hearts. In League Two, Alistair Roy and Mark Durnan scored to help relegated Dumbarton collect a 2-1 win over Clyde, whose goal from Marley Redfern proved to be mere consolation. Annan, also relegated from League One last season, were grateful for Miles Gaffney's late winner after creeping past Elgin 3-2 in a game with a dramatic finish. Dylan Gavin's goal for Elgin was cancelled out by Gaffney before Aidan Smith headed home a minute from time. Keith Watson's own goal looked to have rescued a point for Elgin but Gaffney had the final say. Stuart Morrison's first-half effort ensured Forfar ran out 1-0 winners over Stranraer, who played the last half hour with 10 men when Evan Dunne was sent off. Russell McLean's double lifted Stirling to a 2-1 win at Edinburgh City, who bagged a late consolation through Robert Mahon's spot-kick. Cameron Russell's early goal and Mark Stowe's brace gave Spartans a 3-1 victory at East Kilbride, who had levelled through Keir Foster. Russell's day ended on a sour note when he was red-carded.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Brian Barry-Murphy hails youthful Cardiff after second-half fightback
Victory gave Barry-Murphy a winning start to his reign, having taken over in the summer following the Bluebirds' relegation from the Championship. He selected Cardiff's youngest team this century, only to see Posh take the lead through a Brad Ihionvien penalty in the 33rd minute. But skipper Rubin Colwill levelled with a fine free-kick shortly after half-time before 18-year-old Ronan Kpakio grabbed the winner. 'We saw a lot of potential out there and the style with which the boys played was evident throughout,' said Barry-Murphy. 'We didn't create as many chances in the first half as we would have liked given the positions we got into. When we arrived in behind their defensive line we had good moments but couldn't find the right selection. 'In the second half, the players' application and understanding to keep doing the same things and to repeat that was evident. I was pleased with that application overall. 'When you get to half-time and you are losing 1-0 in a game you feel you should be winning, it is very easy to start changing things because you think they aren't working. 'So I just reminded the players about how well they had done and told them never to take a step back. 'They told me they would do that and they were true to their word. They were really aggressive in how they wanted to win the ball back off a good team, who were really dangerous when they played beyond our pressure. 'They showed personality and I was very proud of their aggression on a day when so much was expected of them.' Sir Alex Ferguson was at the Cardiff City Stadium to watch his son Darren's Peterborough side. And Darren Ferguson felt he could scarcely have had a tougher start to the campaign. 'This was probably the hardest start to the season we could have had – Cardiff City away in their first game in League One,' he said. 'The free-kick for their goal was a fantastic strike and it was a big moment in the game because it got the crowd up. It changed the whole momentum. 'But it's the edge of the box and we gave it away. We should never be in that position in the first minute of the second half. 'We were poor on the ball in the middle of the park and the lads know that we weren't good enough. Too many times we turned the ball over again and we gave it back to them. 'If you're playing against a team that want to keep possession in the way they're doing, that's very expensive. You have to be good on the ball to stop them having it all the time and we weren't.'
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
I'm living the dream as a Celtic player but meeting Paul McStay will leave me lost for words
The Maestro makes his return to Parkhead on Sunday as he unfurls the 55th league flag Fan Bhoy Luke McCowan fears he will be struck dumb by the presence of The Maestro at Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon. The midfielder just hopes the champions' football will do the talking as they look to get another season off on the right note in front of one of their greatest ever players. Parkhead will rise to welcome Paul McStay as he makes a rare return to the east end of Glasgow to hoist the league flag after Brendan Rodgers' side clinched their 55th title back in May. The man dubbed The Maestro for his mastery of the ball, won three of those championships among eight honours in 16 years at the club in which he played 683 times to sit third in the club's all time record appearances charts. The one-club hero was voted into the midfield of the club's greatest ever XI. And while fellow midfielder McCowan is too young to have seen McStay strut his stuff for his boyhood heroes in the flesh, he knows his history. That's why he reckons Rodgers' side will use the 60-year-old's presence to inspire them to a flying start against St Mirren. He said: 'It will mean a great deal, it really will. Paul retired shortly before I was born but, of course, I know all about him. 'He is a Celtic legend, a one-club man who made nearly 700 appearances over 16 years and won 76 caps for Scotland. 'When the fans voted for the Greatest Ever Celtic side, he was picked to play in centre midfield – that tells you everything you need to know about him. 'He was in there alongside the likes of Henrik Larsson, Kenny Dalglish, Jinky Johnstone, Billy McNeill and Bobby Lennox. What a team that would have been! 'Paul is one of those guys who if you told me when I was a kid that I might get the chance to meet one day, I would have been so happy. 'Hopefully I will get that chance. I don't know what I will say to him, right enough. With a bit of luck something will come to me! 'It will be a pleasure, though, I am sure of that, and I think he is a great choice to unfurl the flag. He'll get a tremendous reception from the fans and if he can help inspire us to get off to a flying start then so much the better.' Two years ago this week, McCowan was running out for a Championship flag day at Dens Park as Dundee marked their return to the top flight with a 1-1 draw against Motherwell. His standout performances in Dark Blue meant that 12 months on he was making a £1million switch to Parkhead where he finished the Premiership season with trophy day celebrations after a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren. Coincidentally, it's the exact same fixture against Stephen Robinson's side that gets the campaign underway after the flag is raised today. And McCowan said: 'It will be a great day, for myself and for all the guys. I came here hoping to help the club win the big prizes and the title win is a proud achievement. 'The same applies to the Championship win with Dundee but obviously you want to progress your career as much as you can. 'At the same time, we know we have a job because we want to start this league campaign off with a good performance. 'It is funny to be starting with the same league game we finished off with. It feels like it was only a fortnight ago we were running out to play them. 'We weren't at our best that day. James Forrest bailed us out with a late goal, which got us a draw and made everyone happy because it continued his record of scoring every season. 'For this we'll look to start with a win, to get ourselves going and set a marker for what is to come.' Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is set to become Rodgers' eighth summer signing but the manager has made it clear he wants more if the Hoops are to continue progressing. How many of those new faces get the nod to start this afternoon remains to be seen. But one who is almost certain to be in the line-up is Kieran Tierney. And McCowan admits the 28-year-old's displays in training have shown he's lost none of the ability which made him a hero first time round. He said: 'KT was a top, top Celtic player before he went down south and now that he has come back up the road, he has slotted right in again. 'All the qualities that made him a success are there for everyone to see. He is a great player. 'The new signings are doing well, getting used to the new environment, the playing style and their new teammates. Obviously, there is a difference between training, pre-season friendlies and the competitive stuff. 'Like the rest of us they are really looking forward to the season proper getting underway. 'I've been trying to help them settle in where I can, just as all the lads have been doing to be fair. 'It is not the easiest time for footballers, right after you moved, so you want to do what you can to make them feel at home at the club. 'If you looked at a picture of me last year and one today there are probably fewer wrinkles on my face! The whole process is quite taxing. "It's not great when everyone is speculating about your future and you don't know where you are going to be playing and what your contract situation is going to be. Happily, I am not in that position!' Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
