To be honest it has been very difficult to write anything about todays game, I pity Graham having to write something nice for the Buchanie !!

We started off fairly well, Kris starting again up front was through clear on goal on the edge of the box but he was hauled back, the defender however was only booked.  Gav took the Free Kick well enough low past the wall but the keeper saved easily. It was another 12 minutes before we got anything near their goal again, this time another free kick, this time from Zander on the rigth was missed at the far post by 2 of our lot but it was cleared for a corner, which came to bugger all. Then on 21 minutes Razor got the ball wide right, played in a great long ball to the near post where Ush had left his marker and headed it into the net, 1 - 0. That when the trouble started, instead of concentrating we looked like we thought the game was already won and switched off, the ball down the right past Stevie Powel was put into the box and finished off, 1 - 1. Three minutes later a long ball down the middle was not dealt with and after a couple of failed attempts to clear they put it into the net, 1 - 2. From then on we played awful, not managing to string 2 passes together and Hillhead just looked  more like a team who wanted to win more. There was nothing else in the 1st half that showed any signs things were going to improve.

Molby cam on for Kris at the start of the 2nd half, but the pattern of the game was the same as the 1st half, in fact had Hillhead any decent finishers, the good chances they had would have buried us. It took until the 27th minute just after Sisco had come one when he chased a long high ball into their box on the right but the keeper just managed to get a fist to it to punch it away. 10 minutes before the end we got a corner, it went right across and was then cleared to the edge of the box where Stevie Powell tried to control a rising ball with a shot but the keeper managed to tip it over. Just after that Sisco had a great chance when the ball went don their middle and came off a defenders head into Siscos path just inside the box but his rushed shot never troubled the keeper. Paul then had to make 2 great saves in the 40th minute to keep the scoreline down. We had one more chance near the end when Zander won the ball just on the edge of the box, his ball inside found Molby but his attempted shot over the keeper was well saved and that was that.

It was a pretty awful game to watch believe me, not much to write about and only a vast improvement next week against Stonehaven will help to show it was a one off.

Grahams Report

POOR DISPLAY SEE MAUD CRASH OUT OF CUP
Showing faith in the players, the management started with the same team as last week. Within a couple of minutes Milne found himself through only to be hauled back earning the defender a yellow card. From about 20 yards out Middleton launched in the shot through the wall but was easily held by the keeper. In 14 minutes a good cross in from A Davidson to the far post was missed by Maud's front men and cleared out for a corner which came to nothing. Good play from Maud with a free kick taken quickly by Middleton onto Rae who sent in a great cross for Usher to head into the net and take the lead to Maud in the 22nd minute. Almost immediately from the restart, Hillhead came flying up the park and a well crossed in ball caught Maud's defence sleeping and the strike in from Stephen had Leask in goals well beaten. A further 4 minutes later a launched ball down the middle was twice unsuccessfully cleared and finally put into the net by Strachan for Hillhead to take the lead. Keith then picked up a needless yellow for arguing with the ref followed by Ligertwood getting a yellow for deliberate handball. Maud were starting to look very shaky at this time and in the dying minutes Hillhead wasted a chance to further increase their lead. Going in at half time a goal down some words of encouragement were going to be needed to see Maud come out fighting.
The game restarted with Milne being replaced with the experienced Murray as Maud dug deep. Leask kept Maud in with a shout when he dived low to the left to deny Hillheads shot. Usher was replaced with Willox as Maud desperately tried to come into the game. Poor finishing denied Hillhead the chance to increase their lead but Keith tried his best. On a run up the right wing, he swerved past Rae but Leask saved the final shot. Both keepers were earning their pay as both were called into action time and time again. Powell was unlucky as he struggled to bring the ball under control and could only watch as the keeper pulled off a finger tip save to deny him the equaliser. A great ball up the middle found A Whyte but again a poor finish did not trouble the keeper. Winning a free kick, Maud's Murray launched it in quickly only for Ligertwood to head over the bar. Hillhead were denied a last chance with good defending by a well timed tackle from Arthur. Mauds last chance came when a pass inside from A Davidson was struck in high by Murray but an alert Farquhar saved the shot. Hillhead finished off the winners in a game that Maud were second to nearly everything so hopefully when they play Stonehaven next week back in league duty with a 2.30pm kick off we will see a vastly improved performance.