In Mr. Frampton's lab, technicians spent several hours this past week rubbing the branches and weighing needle loss from hundreds of Fraser fir samples, to weed out non-needle-holding family lines.
Standing 38ft-high and constructed entirely of old-growth Douglas fir, the acoustically perfect dome rises out of the dusty Mojave Desert like a UFO, embodying the extra-terrestrial elements that inspired its construction.
Manager Craig Brown admitted before kick-off that his decision to play Mark Reynolds despite illness had been a mistake and the defender, who wants a move from Fir Park this summer, was left out this time.