Football and Rugby

FOUR Scottish Premier League sides and 13 SPL sides have been told by SFA disciplinary bosses to clean up their act.

And Hearts have been told to pay the £10,000 suspended from their record-breaking £50,000 fine at the end of the 2008-09 season.

In one of the worst starts to a season a total of 45 clubs from the SPL down to the South and East of Scotland have received warnings about their disciplinary records.

In addition to Hearts having to cough up cash in mid season, Highland League side Rothes have also been required to pay a suspended fine of £1,000, imposed in August of last year.

The two clubs who have to pay the rest of their fines have told that there was no evident improvement in their position.

A spokesman said: "The committee decided that the suspended fines which it had imposed on two clubs for their poor disciplinary records for season 2008/09, should be applied.

"Both of these clubs have received warnings in regard to their records for the first half of the season, as have a further 45 clubs. Warnings are issued to those clubs that

have an 'average points incurred per match' figure which is above the average for its League or Division."

Each of the clubs has been told that there will need to be an improvement in the

standard of discipline of its players in the remainder of the season or they face further sanctions.

When Hearts were fined £50,000 last year it was the fifth successive season that they had been fined and it is the highest ever imposed on a club for indiscipline.

At the same time last year 25 other clubs were fined, including a £20,000 fine for Hibernian, and 19 clubs were warned as a result of their disciplinary records.

The other SPL clubs warned aer Aberdeen, Rangers and Dundee United while in Division 1 Airdrie United, Ayr United, Raith Rovers and Ross County have been told to improve their behaviour.

Second Division clubs warned are Alloa, Clyde, Dumbarton, East Fife and Stenhousemuir wihile in Division 3 Elgin, Montrose, Queens Park and Stranraer have been issued with warnings.

In addition to Rothes in the Highland League, eight other clubs have been issued with warnings along with 12 of the 23 East of Scotland sides and six South of Scotland teams.

SIX South of Scotland League sides have been told to clean up their act before the end of the season or face big fines.

The warning has come from the SFA's Disciplinary Committee which has issued warnings to 47 clubs from the SPL to the South and East of Scotland clubs.

Stranraer have the worst record at the turn of the year with a total of 130 disciplinary points with five sendings off and 29 bookings. Nithsdale Wanderers have 110 with six red cards and 21 yellows so far. The other warnings have gone to Creetown, Crichton, Newton Stewart, and Wigtown.

Abbey Vale who were warning about their discipline in August last year have the best record with only one sending off and 15 bookings.

ANNAN Athletic chairman Henry McClelland has praised players and management after they came out top for discipline in Division 3.

The Galabank squad have the third best disciplinary record for the whole of the Scottish Football League or the first half of the season.

They have had only one player red-carded and 27 cautions during the August - December period of the season.

"I'm delighted that the players have shown restraint and it's good for the club and shows the discipline here," said Henry.

They have picked up only 86 disciplinary points since the start of the season compared with Elgin City who have had four sendings off and 39 cautions for a total of 147 points.

With Annan failing in the Scottish Cup manager Harry Cairney have been desperately seeking a game for tomorrow but without success.

The Galabank chairman said: "Harry has just not been able to fix up a game. We were left with a blank Saturday because of the cup but now we'll just have to concentrate on training in preparation for the home game against Berwick Rangers on Saturday."

If the weather relents this the Tuesday night game will the first at Galabank for the Division 3 side since December 5.

"It's a big strain on resources but we are lucky we don't have an overdraft like some of the clubs to service, although it is a loss and we don't do as well with midweek games.

"Some of the clubs must really be feeling it now and they will be looking closely at their finances in the coming weeks," he said and added: "We are lucky that we have the social club and we've had a couple of good fund raising events in the last few weeks."

Henry added: "We are just glad that there is a prospect of us getting back to playing football and it will be a big game against Berwick.

"We have to try and gather points now and keep on the tails of the clubs fighting for play off positions. Three or four wins can really make a difference and we are still looking to get up there."

STEPHEN McKenna says he can't wait to get back into action after six weeks on the sidelines.

His two match ban turned into a nightmare because of the Arctic conditions.

Now manager Gordon Chisholm has listed him in the squad for today's Dunfermline match.

Chisholm is hoping to make it three wins in a row at East End Park and the big defender could be back in action.

McKenna was banned in mid December and said: "I've only got myself to blame and missing the games is all part of the punishment, so I've no complaints.but the lads have done really well in my absence with good draws against Partick Thistle and Dundee, so I've no divine right to walk straight back into the team."

"I'm terrible at just watching matches and it's 'murder' sitting there in the stand as an onlooker. I like to be out there in the thick of the action."

McKenna thught he'd be clear after the Ross County match but it was snowed off and he missed the big one against Dundee. "That was a real sickener

He added: "Neil Scally has come in and was brilliant against Dundee, so it's now a 'waiting game'. The gaffer has difficult decisions to make when it comes to team selection, so all I can do is work hard at training and wait for an opportunity.

"I think the manager's made three good signings those past few weeks. Leon Knight did brilliantly on Saturday considering he's not fully match fit and he linked up well with Homer

Chisholm said: "It's good to have Stephen for he was an ever-present prior to that two game suspension and he'll be back in the squad for the Dunfermline game. David Lilley has recovered from that wee knock at the end of the Dundee game and should be okay."

ANNAN STILL HUNT ELUSIVE STRIKER

QUEENS PARK 3 ANNAN ATHLETIC 2

ANNAN'S fine unbeaten record against Queens Park came to an end after the home team recorded a narrow victory on Saturday and the victory catapults Queens Park into fifth place and in sight of the play off zone for the first time this season.

Annan started well and for the opening 10 minutes Annan looked comfortable but apart from an early opportunity when Mike Jack released David Cox Annan did not really test keeper Hamilton in the Queens Park goal.

Queens Park after a nervous start were soon on the offensive with Annan being pinned back for long periods . Annan defended numerous corners but it was not until the 22nd minute that Kelly in the Annan goal was tested when a good effort from Chris Hamilton was confidently saved by the Annan keeper. The home team came close to breaking the deadlock in the 24^{th minute when Marin McBride forced another corner and from the resulting cross Barry Douglas connected with the cross only to see his header glance of the post and into the arms of Annan keeper Greg Kelly.}

Annan after a period of retaining the home side forced their first corner of the match in the 38th minute after Graeme Bell’s netbound shot was parried over the bar by keeper Peter Hamilton, David Cox’s near post corner was punched clear for another corner and from the resulting corner the ball dropped out to the edge of the box and John Macbeth finished with a glorious shot into the roof of the net to record Annan’s first goal for 2010.

It was a slender half time victory for the black and golds and within 2 minutes of the restart Annan had a great opportunity to double their lead when Kevin Neilson’s free kick picked out Scott Anson but the Annan striker showed no composure with only Keeper Peter Hamilton to beat . It proved to be a costly miss as Queens Park went straight up the field and Chris Hamilton eluded the challenge of John Macbeth to cut the ball back across the face of the goal for Martin McBride to stroke the ball into the net to square the match.

Annan once again went ahead in the 62nd minute when Chris Jardine’s penetrating pass picked out Steven Sloan and Sloan cut inside to finish with an excellent shot which the keeper could only parry and Scot Anson had the simplist of chances to tap the ball into the empty net.

Annan’s lead lasted 8 minutes when substitute David Murray made an immediate impact winning the ball on the bye line and setting up Frankie Carroll who curled the ball into the top corner of the net from 15 yards.

Queens Park went ahead for the first time in the match in the 75th minute. The goal came from a Barry Douglas cross played in from the left and Marin McBride ghosted into a good position which forced Macbeth into conceding a penalty which Barry Douglas converted.

Annan pushed forward in an effort to grab an equaliser, John Macbeth rifled over a shot in the 77th minute and Peter Watson came close connecting with a Chris Jardine cross in the 87th minute only to see the header go agonisingly wide. A minute later Annan carved open a the home defence when David Cox released Aaron Muirhead to the corner of the 6 yard box but the final effort when over the bar to end any hopes of the home team relinquishing their slender lead.

Annan manager Harry Cairney was honest in his after match assesement of the game we did not do enough to win the game we did not play well in the first half but to go in one nil up was a bonus but missed a great opportunity to make it two nil at the start of the second half and sods law they went straight up the field and scored. We probably did not deserve to win the game but I would still have liked to take something from the game. We gave away poor goals, something we don’t normally do and defensively that was a disappointment and contributed to the defeat.

Garner Spiers was delighted we have now won our last three games at home and now our home record is better than our away form, that was a smashing result we passed the ball well in the first half and created several corners but Annan scored the important goal, we got back into the game at the start of the second half but Annan get their noses in front again when they expose us defensively we then bring on David Murray and he wins the ball out wide plays a great ball into Frankie Carroll who scores with a great strike and then we go in front from the penalty spot.

Queens Park – P Hamilton, R Walker, B Douglas, R Sinclair, R Little, G Capuano, M McBride, C Hamilton, F Carroll ( M Daly 85min), T Quinn, R Holms (D Murray 68min). Subs not used P McGinn, R Dunlop, S Black.

Annan Athletic – G Kelly, A Muirhead, J Macbeth, P Watson, K Neilson, M Jack ( J Steele 70 min), S Sloan, C Jardine, D Cox, S Anson, G Bell. Subs not used A Inglis, L Sloan, C Summersgill.

Attendance - 484

Referee – Craig Charleston. Assistants Gary Sweeny and Gavin Duncan.