Well that was hard work !!

After such a good start to the season it was disappointing to watch what unfolded today and it was a display totally against what had gone before it in the friendlies and against Broch Utd and Lewis.

Believe it or not i only wrote down 12 items of interest from the whole game, so I will try and make it sound interesting with some lies !

With John Ushder out with a hamstring strain and Gavin rested, Zander and Ritchie took their places. We started off okay with Zander putting an early free kick over the keeper but he held onto it, He then got played into the box wide left but he pulled his shot across the keeper and the par post. Hermes eventually got a chance after only 5 minutes when their No. 9 went past the defence like they were statues and although he got a shot on goal, Puds held it near the line. Our first real shot came after 12 minutes when a low corenr was played to Kev about 12 yards out but his shot wasn’t strong enough to beat the defender on the line who hacked it clear.

Then they scored, a simple goal really from a free kick on the left, floated into the box where their no. 11 got his head onto it unchallenged and buried it into the net. The rest of the half was pretty dire really, they had a few chances and were playing a lot better than we were. They had a few chances to score but a mixture of bad finishing and Puds saves kept it to one. We did have a quick flurry just before half time with some good work on the deck out on the left but it ended with Dane shooting over. Just to remind us they were still there Puds had to make another low save just before half time. So a good bollocking at half time and a slight change with Kev moving out on the right.

That change paid dividends less than 30 seconds into the 2nd half, the ball was played high to him around the half way line, he beat the defender to the ball and headed it onto Johnny Willox who played Dane into the box with a dropping ball, he controlled it brilliantly inside the box and scored with a low hard drive into the net, an excellent goal. 4 minutes later another ball to Dane over the top saw him take it on but his shot went over. The rest of the half was crap ! No efforts on goal and Hermes really should have scored again when they hit post and crossbar. Just when we thought we had got away with a draw, they came at us again, this time down the left, the shot came in from the edge of the box and although Puds made a great low save to keep it out, it came back out and they were quicker to the ball and simply put it past him for the winner.

This was a pretty bad display with the exception of a couple but hopefully the lads will play more like they can at Longside on Wednesday, well they had better !!

Match Stats

(Subs used marked in blue)

Grill League Cup Section 3

SHOT SHY MAUD LOSE OUT IN CUP GAME

For the first five minutes the game lowed both ways with neither team gaining an advantage. The first corner in the 11th minute fell to Maud. Crossed in from the left onto Norris whose shot was well cleared. Poor defending in the 13th minute saw Maud fall behind from a free kick from 45 yards out. Launched in from the left wing, an unmarked Robertson rose above all to head in past a stranded Simpson. Hermes should have doubled their tally a few minutes later if not for a great save by Simpson to deny them followed by a crashing shot coming back off the left post. Winning a corner from the right, it was crossed in to the far post where Norris headed it back into the target area but Arthur could only send it over the bar. Hermes were creating more chances and were making Maud defend their lines constantly. Again Hermes broke up the right wing, crossed into the centre only for the striker to shoot past the post. Maud won a free kick about 21 yards out. Blasted into the wall by A Davidson, it was cleared out and lobbed backed in to Ligertwood who was caught offside killing of the chance to equalise. Hermes stepped up a gear but poor finishing and some good saves by Simpson kept the score at a one goal advantage at half time.

Maud came out of the blocks at the restart when the ball was crossed out to Willox on the right, flicking it over the defender, it was latched onto by Ballard who slotted home past the keeper for the equaliser. Three good chances are wasted by Maud and a further attempt on goal by Willox who was blatantly held back denying him a chance on goal. All appeals to the ref fell on deaf ears as he started to lose control off the game. In the 59th minute Hermes broke up the right and sent in a thundering shot which Simpson could only palm onto the bar and ricochet back out and clear. A mistake by the referee cost B Davidson a yellow card for pointing the mistake out, the first of 4 very weak cards picked up by Maud. In the 67th minute Maud replaced Willox and McDonald with Jamieson and Hart to try and get back into the game. Maud's next 3 yellow cards came in quick succession. Again a corner by Hermes from the right and crossed in only for the free header to narrowly go past the post.  Finally in the 84th minute Hermes got the goal they had fought so hard for. Confusion within Maud's defence saw the striker send in a shot which went past the defence and into the net to take the lead. Ballard was unlucky at the end from a crossed in ball which was plucked off his head by Riddoch in Hermes goal. Full time came and ended a miserable performance by Maud who now need to get their heads up and look forward to Wednesday's game in the league away to Longside in what will probably be another hard fought derby. K.O. is at 7pm followed by an away game on Saturday to Glentaner with a 2.30pm k.o.   

Grahams Report