North Section Superleague

With a lot of players missing today the team was depleted but the 11 who took the field were more than capable of getting a result and if it hadn’t been for the abysmal officiating we would have got at least a point.

The lads made their intent clear in the first minute when we won a corner and Ush put the ball right onto Richard’s head but it went narrowly wide of the post. Hermes are a strong team and they came back into the game and after 10 minutes took the lead. A long ball was put into our box but headed out, only to one of their forwards around the corner of the penalty area, he curled a great show high over the defence and past Puds into the far corner, a good goal but he was given far too much time to take his shot.. From then on it was very much a battle, not physically but just that nobody wanted to put their foot ob the ball and play, it seemed to be getting knocked high and just never seemed to settle. It really took us until the next shot on target and it was a good done ! A long ball went down their left which Gibby chased down, Irvine tried to clear but the ball came back off Gibby and ran towards their goal where Dane was following up to put it over the line for the equaliser. Just after a long high ball into their box was challenged by Gibby on  their keeper and he seemed to get a knock and needed a heap of treatment, obviously still not right the lads put more pressure on him after the restart and just on half time their defenders headed back a ball to him that he couldn’t handle, the ball came back out to Ush about 18 yards out and he fired in a great shot into the net for 2 - 1 at half time.

The 2nd half was a non entity really, even with a sub in their goal who wasn’t a keeper, we never put any pressure on him and eventually we paid the price. After only 3 minutes a long ball down the left was crossed from the corner and turned in for their equaliser. After 22 minutes they went ahead with another long ball and cross, their forwards were causing all sorts of problem and our fitness was definitely in doubt. Eventually we made the keeper work when the ball was knocked on for Dane to run on behind their defence and put the equaliser away. At some point during the 2nd half the near side linesman seemed to be in a world of his own when Hermes crossed the ball into our box and was headed past the post for a goal kick, he decided it was a goal and started to run back to the centre indicating a goal, he then realised it wasn’t and pointed to an offside !! He hadn’t got a clue what was going on.

Then with 3 minutes to go the biggest cock up I have seen for years, and it cost us at least a point. Dane had the ball right in front of the dug outs, he was closed down by two defenders and backheeled the ball off them to win a throw. The same linesman indicated a throw to us, which it was but Hermes took the throw while we were getting ready to move up, instead of telling the referee it was our throw, even though he had flagged it our way, he just let them get on with it, with our lot standing bewildered they ran up the park and scored, absolute shite ! How these guys are given responsibility for refereeing Junior Standard matches is beyond me, they are ruining the game and if the SJFA cannot put out better standard of officials they should just stick to referees because the linesmen are a waste of time, some are just totally incompetent.

Right at the death we  could have equalised when a cross from the right fell to Dane in the middle of the goal unmarked but without knowing how much time he had he elected to head it towards goal where the stand in keeper held onto it, he actually had time to bring it down any bury it but it was symptomatic of the day,

We didn’t play well today, in fact we only had 3 efforts on target which is very unusual, but deserved at least a point for the way the lads kept going, but the lack of overall fitness also showed, which is unlike us, but to be beaten like that was wrong.

MAUD BEATEN BY INCOMPETENCE

Playing with a scratch team due to nine players out with various reasons, Maud kicked off and within a couple of minutes won a corner. Crossed in by Usher to be met by the head of Norris only to fly past the post. In the 7th minute Maud survived a scare from a Hermes free kick that was launched in but scrambled clear by the defence. In the 12th minute a loose ball not cleared properly by Maud's defence was picked up by McKinstry just outside the 18 yard box. Sending in a thundering shot straight through the defence and cruelly went in off the inside of the left side post to send Hermes into the lead. For the next few minutes, Maud were under pressure as a lively Hermes stepped up the tempo. Gradually Maud crept back into the game but Glendinning picked up a booking for an over enthusiastic challenge on the edge of the 18 yard box. Crossed in but Norris dealt with the dangerous ball only for it to be sent back in thankfully over the cross bar. Finally in the 36th minute a great ball out to the left wing was chased down by Stephen. With the goal keeper closing him down his shot came back off the keeper and struck him squarely. Heading goal wards Ballard sprinted in and nudged it over the line for the equaliser. A minute later a free ball hanging in the air within the 6 yard box was challenged by Stephen and Irvine in Hermes goal with the latter needing treatment for a knock to his shoulder. The game was held up for approx five minutes and finally resumed with a free kick to Hermes. Maud attacking the goalmouth put Hermes defence under pressure and a careless pass back to an already struggling Irvine who miskicked the ball out and deflected off Ballard. Falling to the feet of Usher who looked up and chose his spot well to send Maud into the lead just before half time. 

Hermes started the second half sharper as Maud's patched up team started to tire. In the 50th minute McKay beat a tiring Arthur and sent a cross from the right into the box for Hamilton to head in past Simpson. Maud were lucky to escape going behind when a good ball in from the left was headed past the post by Sinclair. Time and time again Maud came under pressure as the ball was sent down the right wing for McKay to go one on one with a struggling Arthur. Hermes persistence finally paid off in the 70th minute when slack defending let a cross from the left be bundled into the net by McKay. A long ball up field was won in the air by Norris who flicked onto Ballard whose solo run towards goal was well finished off to equalise the game in the 73rd minute. The game flowed from end to end as both teams tried to take the advantage. In the 87th minute a monumental cock up by the officials saw Hermes gain advantage from a wrongly given throw in. With Maud expecting to get the throw in, they were pushing forward and were caught off balance when Hermes attacked up the right from the given throw in. Breaking through Maud's defence McKay did well and finished off to put Hermes back into the driving seat. The clock ticked down and even a great chance by Ballard who headed straight into the replacement keepers hands could not get Maud the point they deserved. Some weird decisions by the officials including a goal given by the dugout side assistant that no one else including the ref saw totally spoiled the game for both teams. Next week Maud are at home to East End with a 2.30pm K.O.      

Grahams Report

Match Stats

(Not much!)