North Region Superleague

A few changes again this week but the feeling was that we needed to turn some of the recent fairly good performances into wins, todays wasn’t going to prove one of those days.

The last couple of weeks we started off really well, not this week, even after 2 minutes it was clear Hall Russells were here to make a game of it and Scott had to make a good low save in the 2nd minute to stop them taking the lead, the free header from the resulting corned was another warning not heeded. On 6 minutes Richie took the ball in the middle from a quick free kick and threaded it through the middle to Shaun but it was too strong and ran through to the keeper.  Russells then went straight up the other end and put a ball in from the left which really should have been turned in but was missed. Our defensce was loking shaky already with their 2 quick forwards causing real problems with their movement. On 8 minutes Shaun got the ball in the middle and ran at goal before laying off to Zander who cut inside on the edge of the box but his curled effort just missed the far post.  The on 11 mins, Gav got the ball on the left, cut inside and also his a curling shot but it also missed the far post. On 18 minutes Zander won the ball on the left and dropped a great ball right into the 6 yard box and although the keeper got a touch it should have been buried into the back of the net but was cleared off the line and away, Gavin then took another free kick ion 24 mins to John who turned and shot but it deflected off a defender for a corner. On the half hour Richie tried his luck from 20 yards but it was deflected for a corner, that was swung in and again it should have been turned in but Shauns effort was bundled off the line. Then on 35 minutes they scored when the ball wasnt cleared and it was turned into the net. A couple of minutes later, we won another free kick on the left and Gav hit a great curling shot over the keeper and into the net for the equaliser. However another couple of minutes later we were behind again, this time from a simple corner of the left it was headed in by the unmarked forward, another gift from a set piece. Just before halt time we got a throw in on the left, it was put into John who turned and laid it off to Ross who blasted his shot just wide.

At half time Shaun came off and Bruce came on to change to a back4 and after a couple of minutes from the restart some really good interplay down the right saw Stevie run onto the ball in the box but his cross was just too high. After 12 minutes of the 2nd half we were 3 - 1 down, the defending was a mess and despite having ample changes to put their laces through the ball to clear it, there was too much fookin around and it ended up at the feet of one of their guys who picked his spot. Just after Zander fed Stevie into the box again but this time the keeper save. ANother 2 minutes and they should have scored again when yet more bad defending saw them break into the box again and only bad finishing prevented a 4th goal. The game was proving how much they wanted to win compared to us, every 2nd ball they fought for, every loose ball was won and any 50/50 was won by them. We had no shape and no desire and with the score at 1 - 3 that proved how bad we were. The defending in the last 10 minute was, I’m afraid to say, comical, and I don’t just mean the defence, the whole team were guilty. They scored 2 more easy goals and even though John won us a penalty 5 minutes from the end which Ross converted, it was no consolation for the 90 minutes of shite we had witnessed.

We do have a lot of talented players here but only 1 or 2 showed that today, we have to learn to battle for possession and not give the ball away when not under pressure.

Todays game was a lesson in how much we have got to do if we have any pretensions at all of getting close to the top, at the moment that is a long way away.

Match Stats

Grahams Report

SHOCKING DISPLAY SEE MAUD CRASH TO DEFEAT

This game kicked off in wet heavy conditions and within a couple of minutes Hall Russell had shown their intent when a hard low shot was fumbled out by Cowe in Maud's goal to concede a corner from the right. This was crossed in but could only be headed past the post. A slack pass by A Davidson was picked up by Hall Russell's midfield. Running down the right wing, he cut in and sent his cross out past the left post too far in front of the incoming striker. Both teams were playing attacking football as much as the conditions would allow but Maud's passing left a lot to be desired. Maud forced a couple of corners both of which failed to end up in the net. Good play in midfield by Ligertwood finished when his shot in was deflected for another corner. Crossed in and only 3 goal line clearances saved Hall Russell going behind. Finally in the 32nd minute Hall Russell's perseverance paid off when a lovely ball was delivered through Maud's defence for Shaw to latch onto and bury in the back of the net. A further 3 minutes later Maud won a free kick wide left of the 18 yard box. Up stepped Middleton and sent in a peach of a shot over the the wall and into the net through the keepers hands for the equaliser. Hall Russell forced a corner off Arthur and the cross in was poorly defended allowing Whitfield to head straight into the net. Maud won a corner crossed in by Middleton to Willox who laid it back to Ligertwood whose shot shaved the wrong side of the post.

After a blast in the dressing room at half time Maud reappeared for the 2nd half with Jamieson making way for B Davidson with Maud changing their shape to a straight back four. Nothing adventurous happened until the 59th minute when Hall Russell picked up a bad ball from Powell and let Shaw get his brace with a lob over Cowe to increase their lead. Hall Russell were denied a further increase in the lead when a great shot stopper from Cowe was blasted on the rebound over the bar by Barrett. Hall Russell stepped up a gear and were playing some good passing football in the midfield. Willox collected a through ball from Middleton but Duguid saved the shot. Shaw collected his hat trick when a long ball up field from Duguid bounced through Maud's defence and was sent into the top corner in the 80th minute. Hall Russell were on a roll when in the 83rd minute a simple diagonal ball through Maud's defence was picked up by Milne and buried past a helpless Cowe. Maud got a consolation goal a minute later when Willox was brought down inside the box and the ref awarded a penalty which was duly converted by Walker. The clocked ticked down and at the final whistle Maud were well and truly beaten by a very spirited and hard working Hall Russell side. Next week we are away to FC Stoneywood with a 2.30pm KO looking for a vast improved performance.