GA Engineering Inter Regional - 2nd Rnd

 

Going in to todays game Kris had to contend with 4 regulars missing so a few changes were made in the back 4 with Mark Urquhart starting for the first time this season and a bit of a shuffle at the full back positions. Despite the changes the lads started off like a house on fire, after only a minute a great ball into the box from Graham found Gavin but his scissor kick was saved. It didn't take too much longer to get the first goal though and after 5 minutes Gibby got the ball and threaded it trhough the defenders into the box where John Willox his his shot off the post and into the net, 1 -0. 10 minutes later some great play between Stevie, Jason and Graham along the edge of their box results in a ball into Gibby who laid it off to Willox again but his shot was just wide. ANother couple of minutes later we got a throw on the right, it was played into the box to John who laid it back to Ritchie on the right of the box, he placed a fantastic ball across the keeper and high into the left side of the net, 2 - 0 ! At this point it looked like we'd get a cricket score because some of the linking play and the play in their box was great to watch, however ! After 19 minutes they got a free kick around 25 yards out, Paul made a great save full stretch to put it around the post for a corner but when the corner came in one of their players rose unchallenged and buried it into the net 2 - 1 and twitchy sphincter time !  We looked a little bit disjointed for a while although we were still pressing forward, their long punts up field were causing us problems though and we could see they'd gained confidence from their goal. After half an hour Stevie crossed from the right but Gibbys header was well wide of the mark. The 6 minutes before half time they got another daft free kick and this time it was met again by their players who headed it across Paul and it went in off the post, 2 - 2. Gibby had another chance before the half time whistle but the feeling by then was that we had thrown away a 2 goal lead that they didn't have to work too hard to pull back.

The lads started off the 2nd half just like the first, Willox nearly got a pen on the goal line but the ref didn't give it,  but then just after a great ball from Graham deep on the right went over their defence to John Willox and with a bit of twinkletoes he poked it past the keeper for our 3rd.  Just afterward an effort from Gibby challenged the keeper the ball came out to Ritchie who tried to lob the keeper but it was just over the bar. With12 minutes gone we got the 2 goal cushion again when Michael Rae put another great ball in from the left to Stevie who met it at the far post where he buried it into the net, 4 - 2.  Zander then came on and after 16 minutes he got the ball wide left, cut inside and went along the 18 yard line where his shot was deflected wide although the ref didn't see and gave a goal kick.  He did almost the same again after 27 minutes but his shot did result in a corner that came to nowt. After 32 minutes Andrew Whyte, who had come on as a sub and was booked with a minute, took a free kick from almost the half way line, it went high and although everyone thought it was going out, it dropped onto the post and out to Gav but his shot was, er, well wide !  Zander then took a corner from our right and this time it dropped onto the top of the bar ! However with 10 minutes to go another great ball from Razor dropped over everyone and onto Zander who brought it down and put it between the keepers legs for our 5th goal. With 7 minutes to go, Kris Milne cam on for his first taste of competitive action since he buggered his knee up against Buchanhaven Hearts on the 11th March 2006 so it was good to see him back in action again. Just before the end Gav had an effort just about saved but the game was over and we were into the last 16 on the Inter Regional Cup.

It was a great performance overall although we did lose our shape a bit towards the end of the first half, the second half was much better and more consistent and the lads deserved the victory.

It sets us up nicely for the East End game next week especially with everyone back so Kris, Mike and Billy will have a dilemma on their hand with so many to pick from !

 

Grahams Report

MAUD SAFELY INTO LAST 16 OF INTER REGIONAL CUP

With several first team players missing due to work commitments, Maud started this game with a reshuffled team. Off to a flying start Maud found themselves in the lead within five minutes when a long ball upfield to Ligertwood was knocked on to Willox who slotted home off the inside of the post. Willox nearly doubled his tally when a good pass upfield from Stephen was sent just past the goalpost. From a throw in on the left side to Willox who flicked on to Ligertwood on the right edge of the box whose shot across the keeper went high into the top of the net to double Mauds lead in the 17th minute. Luncarty won a free kick about 25 yards out, hit in by McDonald it was pushed out low to the left by Leask to concede a corner. Crossed in, it was headed into the net by an unmarked McDonald to pull one back for Luncarty in the 21st minute. Ist yellow fell to Gormley of Luncarty for not moving back for a Maud free kick. Stephen back defending a corner cleared the ball upfield as Luncarty tried to come back into the game. Taylor of Luncarty was replaced by Brown after a collision in a tackle. A good run up the right by S Whyte followed by a cross in was headed past the post by Stephen. A late high tackle by McDonald earned him a yellow in the 39th minute. A minute later a Luncarty free kick from the left was crossed in and hit goalwards by McRianley in off the left post for the equaliser. Maud woke up after the equaliser and good play by willox who fought his way into the box only to see his left footed shot go past the post. In the last minute a cross in to the far post was headed back in by Middleton onto Stephen whose header went high over the bar. 

Maud started the second half briskly and a call for a penalty from Willox on the goal line was waved aside by the ref. In the 48th minute a great cross in to the far post from Pirie was scrambled over the line by Willox for Maud to regain the lead. A minute later a high ball in was cleared by the keeper off the head of Stephen to fall at the feet of Ligertwood who tried to lob the keeper but it went over the bar. In the 59th minute an excellent cross from the left by Rae found S Whyte at the far post who made no mistake in burying it into the net to give Maud a 2 goal cushion again. A flurry of yellow cards was dished out as the tempo increased.  Arthur did enough to put off Gormley as he went one on one with Leask after a quick burst upfield and saw his shot go past the post. Brown required replacing after carrying on with a knock that could not be shaken off being replaced by Murray. A good run down the left by Davidson came to an end when his crossed ball in was deflected out for a corner only for the ref to point for a goal kick. Finally in the 80th minute again another excellent cross in by Rae picked out Davidson on the left who collected the ball and sent it through the keepers legs for Maud's fifth and the game wrapped up nicely. A further few chances from Maud all came to nothing as the clock ticked down towards full time. A great win for Maud which sets them up nicely for next weeks game at home against East End with a 2.30pm kick off.