'WELL SUNGLASSES
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11pm

What's this, ANOTHER win?  Yip, we defeated Carlisle 2-0 in this evening's friendly courtesy of goals from Stevie Craig and Keith Lasley.  Not surprisingly, Terry Butcher fielded the same starting eleven as the one which thrashed Ayr 4-1 on Saturday, namely:
Marshall, Corrigan, Hammell, Lasley, Craigan, Partridge, Craig, Leitch, Clarkson, Pearson, Burns.

No word yet on substitutes, I'm afraid.

James McFadden didn't feature tonight, but TB says his star striker could feature against Fulham at Fir Park on Saturday:
"The last diagnosis we received suggested he might be out for up to four weeks. But he has been working hard in the pool and has done very well.   James is running now and is free of pain. He is back in his boots and should be ready for some ball work in training this week.   Hopefully, James will take some part in proceedings against Fulham at home this weekend and that would put him in the frame for the Dundee game.   It is rubbish to suggest he is moving to another club or won't be fit. It would be a real boost for us if he was back in the side for the start of the season."

Looking back on the Ayr game, Butcher added:
"Alex did very well to get a hat-trick. But he had a hatful of chances and could easily have scored another hat-trick.   He is an experienced player and that will help him settle in. But he still needs to get used to a new system and a new batch of players, as well.   Like everyone in the squad, he has to get his fitness up to the required standard and will need some more time to recover his touch again.   But it helps having an older head like Alex in the side, and it is a big plus for us that he has started scoring already. It is always a big worry for a striker before the new season."

"I have been very, very pleased with the way things have been going in the pre-season in general. Steven Craig scored a nice goal against Ayr, too.   On top of that, Stephen Craigan fitted in well alongside David Partridge and looked solid. He is a winner. 

"Gordon Marshall is doing a very good job in goal. He organises his back four well and his distribution of the ball is excellent, as well. He starts attacks and gets the players pushing out. But the players who are returning here have done extremely well also and have stuck in and worked hard. We are all looking forward to getting things going."

At Ayr on Saturday our substitute goalkeeper was a mystery trialist.  It now turns out he was Barry-John Corr, formerly of Celtic, and is very likely to sign for us.

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