A gentle morning; Tom slept until 11; I managed a quick trip to Lidl and get a washing on / out; before a sharpish lunch and then outwards for #awayday 9. (Tom and Alex are up to 11 and 12 respectively)

Onto a 19; a short stroll to Haymarket and a train to Albert Hubert Sherbert Larbert to take in Scottish League 2's 3rd place team (Stenhousemanure) take on 2nd place Stirling Albion. Tom didn't fancy HIbs at Parkheid (in hindsight a wise move - 30 quid to see your team mauled 6-1? no thanks) so scarves were donned and off to Ochilview we trooped.

A decent crowd (900 - odd evenly split between home and away)) saw Stirling sprinting from the blocks and inside 2 minutes were in front. 

Cue lots of noise from the young team but as time wore on Stenny got a foothold in the game and by half time were level. 

Much chatting with old acquantences (John, John, Mark, Ian - some of whom I went to school with !) and eventually an even encounter tipped Stirling's way with two goals in the last 10 minutes enough to send the home fans to the exits. News from the Albion Rovers v Dumbarton game confirmed that the Binos had ascended to top spot in the division! 

It was a happy march back to the station and a proud swagger back through town to the bus stop as passers by tried to figure out who we were.

What better way to enjoy being top of the league than a can of cheap cider and some spaghetti bolognese? Let's not get carried away; it's a long way off, but there's a wee glimmer of hope that this might at last be a season to remember. Mon the Binos!

The lads - checking the scores from the other games as we waited for the train back to Embra