Cinch Scottish League One Week 16: Three Things we Learned as Falkirk Sack Sheerin
The third tier returned to league action this week after last weekend’s Scottish Cup adventures.
With a new manager in, another manager out and teams fighting for points at both ends of the table, let’s look at this week’s results…
Queen’s Park hit Falkirk for six as Sheerin is sacked
Goals from Longridge, Connell, Fox, Longstaff and a brace from Brown ensured the home side a thumping victory over the Bairns, as Laurie Ellis’s men ended a six-game winless run in style.
The win lifts the Spiders into second place, behind fellow promotion rivals Airdrie and Montrose, who play on Tuesday night.
For Falkirk, this is their third defeat on the spin.
The Bairns now find themselves three points below Montrose in fifth and nine points off league leaders Cove.
The humiliating result proved to be the end of the road for Paul Sheerin as the club announced his departure on Sunday evening.
Sheerin was in the Falkirk hot seat for only six months. He is the club’s shortest serving manager since Owen Coyle in 2003, and with a win ratio of 34%, has the shortest win percentage since Eddie May in 2010.
The Bairns have been in freefall since their relegation from the Championship in 2019 and with the club in danger of a fourth successive year in League One, it is imperative that the board get the next appointment right.
The next Falkirk manager will be the club’s sixth appointment in four years.
Former Falkirk manager Paul Sheerin. Source - Getty Images
East Fife snatch a point in Crawford’s first game in charge
A late goal from East Fife’s Jamie Semple in the second half cancelled out Euan Henderson’s strike, as the home side drew with Alloa in Stevie Crawford’s return to Bayview as manager.
The ex-Dunfermline boss was appointed for the second time as manager of the Fifers on Tuesday, as successor to Darren Young, who was sacked a fortnight ago.
He was previously their player-manager from 2009 to 2010.
However, the draw keeps the Fifers five points adrift at the foot of the table, as Crawford begins the mammoth task of retaining the club’s League One status.
Barry Ferguson’s men remain sixth, five points of the promotion play-offs.
Alloa Athletic manager Barry Ferguson. Source - Getty Images
Goodwillie at the double as Clyde salvage point at Broadwood
Two goals within six minutes, from Russel McLean and Grant Savoury had the visitors ahead, before a penalty from the Bully Wee captain on the stroke of half-time halved the deficit for the home side.
The ex-Scotland striker struck again early into the second-half, as the home side fought back from two goals down to share the spoils with Peterhead.
Despite the draw making it one defeat in five games, Danny Lennon’s side remain second bottom.
However, they are still a single point below Peterhead and Dumbarton, who are in eighth and seventh place respectively.
In the weekend’s other league match, goals from Fraser Fyvie and Iain Vigurs gave Cove the three points against Dumbarton, as they stretched their unbeaten run to eight games and extended their lead at the top of the table to five points.
The remaining fixture will be played on Tuesday night at Links Park, as Montrose will look to bounce back from their cup replay defeat against Kelty Hearts at home to Airdrieonians.
Clyde striker David Goodwillie. Source - Getty Images
Scottish League One: Results
Clyde 2-2 Peterhead
Cove Rangers 2-0 Peterhead
East Fife 1-1 Alloa Athletic
Queen’s Park 6-0 Falkirk