8.10pm

Yesterday's result: Motherwell 1, Rangers 2.

Our season got off to a disappointing start with a home defeat to Rangers in yesterday's live Setanta match.  While it might sound like a closely fought encounter, the scoreline is in fact a bit misleading and we could easily have been 4-0 down at half time.  As it turned out, we were fortunate to go in just one down, the goal coming after just 8 mins when Sionko took advantage of a defensive lapse to score with a rebound off Graeme Smith.

The second half was much better, and while we at last began to compete in the midfield area we still seldom looked like scoring.  In fact, when Phil O'Donnell volleyed home the equaliser in 52 mins following good play from McCormack, it was probably our first effort on goal all afternoon.  We weren't on level terms for long though, with Prso heading home from a corner shortly afterwards.  A long range effort from substitute Scott McDonald which flew past the post late in the game was the closest we came to sneaking a point we probably didn't deserve.

Sadly, it doesn't appear as if we have learned much from last season, with our lightweight midfield being completely overrun in the first half. Surely a ball winning midfielder has GOT to be a priority before the transfer window closes at the end of August.  Similarly, our defence was all over the place at times, and I felt a bit sorry for young Bobby Donnelly being partnered with a clearly out of sorts Stephen Craigan in such a big game.  Paul Quinn also had a nightmare (his distribution certainly hasn't improved from last year either), while Jim Paterson is clearly not a left back.  And the less said about Jim Hamilton and Richie Foran the better.

On a positive note, Brian Kerr finally showed us he can play (and tackle!) a bit with his second half showing, and Ross McCormack showed more than enough to suggest he will be a decent acquisition.  Stephen McGarry also did ok out the right, and Graeme Smith was his usual immense self in goal.  Oh, and it looks as though Maurice Malpas will make better use of his substitutes than TB did.

Anyway, you can read what Ricky made of the game by reading his report.

 Maurice Malpas' post-match comments were as follows:
"It seemed like a normal day in the dug-out for me. I was frustrated and excited at times but I enjoyed it.  The positives I can take from the game are in our performance in the second 45 minutes.  I was disappointed in the first-half performance, we were a yard off the pace and stood off them at times.  It could have been done and dusted in the first 20 minutes, they could have got three or four in that time but we could have got something in the second half."

Brian McLean picked up a knock in training on Friday and will be out for three or four weeks.

Tickets for the St Mirren game on Saturday are now on sale from the Chapman Building, and priced at a ridiculous £20 for adults!

Time for a new opinion poll

Will we struggle to avoid relegation this season?