Cove Rangers hit Hamilton for four as Ross County pull away
Hamilton were thrashed by the bottom side, Ross County won again, and Airdrieonians, East Fife and East Kilbride all won away from home.
By Barrie Moran,
The result that mattered most on MatchDay 14 came from the foot of League One. Cove Rangers beat Hamilton Academical 4-0, and they did it from tenth place. They are still tenth, on 12 points and with a game in hand, but they have now won twice in a row. The side in second place have not won in three.
Hamilton's grip on second
Hamilton's last five read L D D W W. Across those five they have scored six and conceded eight, four of them on Saturday. That is not the record of a side chasing a title. It is the record of a side holding second place because nobody behind them is close enough to take it. They sit on 33 points, and East Kilbride in third are on 21.
Up at the top, Ross County beat Peterhead 4-1 and went about it the way they have all autumn. They are unbeaten in five, with 18 scored and four conceded in that run, and they lead on 38 points with a goal difference of 40. With Hamilton losing, the lead grew on a day when County only had to do their own job. My view is that this is now Ross County's league to lose. What would change it is Hamilton finding the form of a few weeks ago while County drop points in more than one game. On these two sets of results, I see no sign of either.
Away days for the chasing pack
East Kilbride did what a third-placed side should and won 2-1 at Queen of the South. They have 21 points from 13 games and a game in hand on Montrose, who lost ground. Montrose lost 1-2 at home to East Fife, which leaves them fourth on 20 without a win in two. East Fife have now won two on the bounce and sit sixth on 15. That puts them a lot closer to fourth place than their position suggests.
Airdrieonians took the most entertaining afternoon of the round, winning 3-2 at Alloa Athletic. Before Saturday they had lost three in a row, so this was a win they needed. It keeps them fifth on 16.
The bottom four tightens
The scramble at the bottom is the closest thing in the division. Peterhead and Queen of the South are on 13 points. Alloa Athletic and Cove Rangers are on 12, and Cove have a game in hand. Alloa have now lost three in a row and Queen of the South two. Queen of the South's goal difference of minus 24 is the worst in the league by a distance, and if this comes down to fine margins, that number could hurt them.
Cove are the side I would least want to be level with right now. They are bottom on paper, but they have the game in hand, two straight wins and a 4-0 over the team in second. One good afternoon does not make a season, and Cove's last five still include two defeats. Still, nobody else down there produced a result like it on Saturday.