= Tam Balfour's Quality Blog =: February 2008

PS3

Ordered a Playstation 3 today - Anyone got any ideas for what cool games to get? No FPS games as i will use the PC for them!!

Fiona's 40th

Just to let you know that Fiona will be celebrating her 40th Birthday on Saturday the 8th of March - Venue and time to follow soon!!

Deek's Birthday

Just received a tip-off that Deek will be celebrating his birthday this Saturday. The location is Bannermans and about 8pm would be a good time to arrive.

Doom 3

Just battled my way through Doom 3 again - Greeaaat Game!!!

Falkirk 0-2 Hibernian

Hibs secured their first away win in the SPL since mid-November with a commanding display against Falkirk.

A 12th-minute own goal from Bairns defender Jack Ross handed the visitors a narrow interval lead.

Steven Fletcher went close to making it two just before half-time but he made amends by teeing up John Rankin to double the lead on 52 minutes.

Falkirk were out of sorts and Ian Murray almost made it 3-0 with a header which flashed just past the post.

Easter Road manager Mixu Paatelainen made three changes after Saturday's 2-0 home win over Inverness.

Captain Rob Jones was ruled out by injury and Abdel Zarabi and Guillaume Beuzelin dropped to the bench.

Martin Canning was making his debut while Murray and Paul Hanlon were drafted in.

The Bairns made two changes from the team that drew 0-0 at Dundee United.

Strike duo Pedro Moutinho and Billy Clarke were relegated to the bench as manager John Hughes went for a more cautious line-up, bringing in Russell Latapy and Stephen Bradley.

Hibernian almost went in front in the second minute, with the first attack of the game.

Dean Shiels rode a foul tackle to feed the ball to Colin Nish on the right, who quickly switched play to the left into the path of Rankin.

Rankin unleashed a swerving 30-yard drive which rattled back off the crossbar.

But the new-look Falkirk midfield soon came into the game.

After a stray ball ran through to Graham Barrett, only a superb penalty box tackle from Chris Hogg stopped the Irishman.

Hibs rose to the challenge and swiftly broke up the field to open the scoring after 12 minutes.

Shiels fed Nish on the right and his teasing cross was missed by Fletcher in the six-yard box, only forthe unfortunate Ross to knock the ball into his own net.

Buoyed by the goal, Nish and Merouane Zemmama tested Robert Olejnik with swift efforts as an entertaining contest unfolded.

Thomas Scobbie sought to get the hosts back on level terms but he curled an angled 18-yard effort over after Scott Arfield had fed him.

Falkirk's uncharacteristic poor passing was letting them down, with only a wild Gerald Aafjes shot to show for their efforts as the half wound to a close.

But it was Hibs who could have added a second when Zemmama robbed Kevin McBride and laid off to top scorer Fletcher, who turned inside before dragging a strike just wide.

But the Easter Road side didn't have to wait long to stretch their advantage.

Fletcher picked out Rankin just inside the Falkirk box after 52 minutes and he arrowed a left foot shot low past Olejnik.

However, Hibernian were soon forced into a goalkeeping change as Yves Ma-Kalambay gingerly walked off and Andrew McNeil took over.

Hughes also made a change, withdrawing a tiring Latapy for Moutinho.

But the visitors remained well on top and Murray came close to a third goal when he almost headed in Zemmama's corner at the back post.

Elsewhere, Hearts were Gubbed 4 - 0 at home by Rangers!!

WTF

Just been doing a bit o browsing on Youtube (as you do) and came across this video - Are the Axidents keeping something back from us? I think we deserve to know the truth!!! HERE is the actual page

Wheelie Bin Madness

It's seriously windy today and the wheelie bins in my street are having a great time!! :)

Hibernian 2-0 Inverness CT

Hibs scored twice in the opening five minutes of their SPL encounter with Inverness Caledonian Thistle to secure a comfortable victory at Easter Road.

A fine Colin Nish shot opened the scoring with just three minutes played after Merouane Zemmama sent him clear.

Steven Fletcher's low drive from the middle of the penalty area doubled the tally just two minutes later.

Inverness have now failed to secure a win from their last six games, while Hibs retain fifth place in the league.

Hibs were boosted by the return of influential midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin, while Inverness manager Craig Brewster made two changes.

Ian Black was recalled to the starting 11 and Romanian international Marius Niculae was also handed start.

In the opening minutes, Inverness striker Graham Bayne sent in a right-footed shot from 20 yards out on the left, but Yves Ma-Kalambay managed to tip the ball round the post.

Hibs replied quickly at the other end and set out their stall for the day when Nish picked up a pass from Zemmama and fired in a right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area to give the home side the lead with barely three minutes elapsed.

Moments later, Hibs' tally was doubled when Fletcher's low drive left Michael Fraser standing still for the second time in two minutes after some good work by Beuzelin.

With 16 minutes played, Ian Black attempted to pull a shell-shocked Caley Thistle back into the match with a long-range effort, but Ma-Kalambay comfortably held the miss-hit shot.

Shortly after the 30-minute mark, Don Cowie drilled in a powerful left-footed effort from left side of penalty area, but Ma-Kalambay blocked and the ball drifted out for a corner.

Dean Shiels passed up a golden opportunity to extend Hibernian's lead in the 36th minute when he broke free in the centre of the Caley Thistle penalty area, but contrived to strike his shot straight at Fraser.

Following the restart, Inverness continued to push for an opening, and Niculae came close with a right-footed shot from distance in the 49th minute, but Chris Hogg got in the way and the opportunity was denied.

Moments later, Cowie followed up Niculae's effort with a long-distance effort of his own but Abderaouf Zarabi was on hand to provide an obstacle to the Hibs goal.

After the hour mark Filipe Morais missed an opportunity to extend the home side's lead with a close-range shot, but Inverness' Philip McGuire blocked at the tally remained at two.

Hibernian continued to enjoy the share of posession, but the chances for both sides dried up in the final 15 minutes and Mixu Paatelainen's side seemed content to rest on their lead.

With eight minutes left on the clock, Ross Tokely sent in a cross for Bayne, but the former Ross County man's header was blocked by Hibs captain Rob Jones.

Inverness had shouts for a penalty rejected by Kenny Clark, when Jones appeared to push substitute Markus Paatelainen in the back.

As the match neared a conclusion, Tokley again had an opportunity to salvage a consolation, but couldn't capitalise on a loose ball in the penalty area with Bayne waiting in the wings.

You Have Been Warned

Just to let you know that the Chinese Jocks will be playing at The Meridian (Leith Walk) on the 4th of April. It's Billy Bath's (Mark's) Birthday that very same day so we are looking for a good turn-out!! This will be a Shock and Awe gig and there will possibly be another one or two other bands on the bill so there is really no excuse!! Hope to see you there. 8>)

Medal Of Honour : Allied Assault

As there hasn't been very much to post recently I decided to have a look through some old CD's to see if there was anything worth watching on them and came across this compilation of 'Frags' from back in the day when The Balfours were kicking Butt on a regular basis. Ah - the memories!! I feel like reinstalling MOHAA again after watching this :)

Hibernian 3-1 Aberdeen

Hibernian came from a goal down to beat Aberdeen in an entertaining end-to-end match at Easter Road.

Zander Diamond gave the Dons an 18th-minute lead, slamming in a loose ball in the home side's box.

Hibs equalised on 49 minutes through Merouane Zemmama's 25-yard free-kick, before Dean Shiels got number two from a tight angle six minutes later.

Both goalkeepers made a string of fine saves, before Steven Fletcher headed a third seconds from time.

In the opening stages the visitors seemed keen to carry on from their fine midweek result against Bayern Munich.

Scott Severin tested Yves Ma-Kalambay with a long-range effort which the Hibs keeper tipped round the post.

Steven Fletcher - remarkably linked with Real Madrid recently - then went close for Hibs, firing wide from 18 yards out after being set up by Thierry Gathuessi.

It was an open first half, and Aberdeen carved out another chance when Ma-Kalambay dropped a cross in the box, but the giant Belgian reacted quickly to save from Jeffrey De Visscher.

Aberdeen made the most of their chances when Diamond capitalised on a mistake by Colin Nish to hammer home De Visscher's corner into the back of the net.

The Dons almost went two ahead when Hibs defender Chris Hogg headed against his own bar as he tried to clear the ball under intense Aberdeen pressure.

Alan Maybury was next to go close for the visitors as the Hibs defence was again caught ball-watching, but the full-back shot straight at Ma-Kalambay.

Chris Maguire then played an inviting ball across the Hibs six-yard line, but no Aberdeen forward was on hand to take advantage of more slack defending from the home side.

Aberdeen's half-time lead was quickly cancelled out within four minutes of the re-start.

Diamond was adjudged to have fouled Nish 25 yards from goal, and Zemmama kissed the ball before stepping up to curl it past Jamie Langfield.

With their tails up Hibs took the lead six minutes later.

Shiels appeared to have lost his chance when put clean through on goal by Fletcher's pass.

Langfield saved the Northern Irishman's initial effort, but he managed to hook the rebound back over the keeper and into the net.

The home crowd thought their team had grabbed a third when Zemmama had the ball in the net, but Nish had been flagged offside.

Ma-Kalambay then came to his defence's rescue to save from Maguire who was put through from a quick Severin free-kick.

Minutes later the Belgian goalkeeper again preserved his side's lead saving at the feet of De Visscher, who should have done better.

With 15 minutes to go Fletcher had a chance to wrap up the points after being teed up by Felipe Morais, but his shot was blocked by Langfield.

The Dons were cursing their luck with time running out when Stuart Duff watched his shot crash off the bar with Ma-Kalambay for once beaten.

Both sides had penalty claims denied in the final five minutes.

But with seconds to go, Fletcher headed in the third from John Rankin's cross, as Hibernian made it two league wins in-a-row.