Match Stats

(Subs used marked)

GA Engineering Inter Regional Cup

This game kicked off in a howling gale across the pitch, i mean it was blowin a soddin hoooooooley !

James also had only 14 players to pick the team from and then Gibby had to pull out with a sore heel so down to the bare bones.

Having said that, which I did, the lads started off really well and the first 15 minutes we were playing some nice thoughtful football, finding feet and generally looking good without creating too many chances in front of goal. Eventually on 16 minutes Zander put a great low cross in from the left and Stevie Whyte threw himself at a great diving header near the penalty spot but it flew past the post. However on 20 minutes we took a deserved lead when another ball from the left by Zander got to Richie, he played it into Dane who was coming in on the left and he finished clinically to put us 1 - 0 up. On 26 minutes Puds had to make a great diving save after a cheaply concede corner was headed goalwards. Just after we should have scored again when Dane and Stevie knocked it about on the edge of the box with the ball eventually going in to John Willox but his shot was brilliantly saved by the keeper when it looked like a certain goal. On the half hour, Stevie nearly scored when he came in from the right and hit a cross/shot (you choose mate!) that went over the keeper and came off the foot of the far post. It wasn’t long before the 2nd goal came when Zander got the ball in the middle on the edge of the penalty area and played Stevie in on the right and his low shot across the keeper was buried into the net, 2 - 0. An almost identical build up a couple of minutes later, this time with Dane playing in Zander on the left and his rising shot from 18 yards flew into the net with the keeper helpless. Just before half time Richie had a shot that was narrowly over but we were well in control by now and when the half time whistle went it was pleasing to have a good cushion.

Iain had to get swapped out for Gav at half time and then after only 5 minutes Johhny Willox had to be replaced by Shaun due to a tight groin (what had you been up to last night?!). Anyway just after Richie had another screaming effort from the edge of the box but it was wide. Then Shaun nearly scored when he beat a defender to the ball just in front of their keeper but it went over. On 12 minutes thought Shaun won   the ball on the left and played a great ball down the middle to Dane who ran onto it and curled an unstoppable shot past the keeper from 18 yards, a great goal and 4 - 0. In the space of a couple of minutes Gav, Stevie and Richie all had shots that were either narrowly over or saved by the keeper. Then another great piece of play on 19 minutes when Jas played a brilliant diagonal ball from the right back position to Gav who had overlapped down the left, he controlled i, took a touch and hammered it past the keeper for the 5th goal. On 27 minutes a long ball down the left found Zander, he went right to the goal line, cut across the defender and hit a low ball right along the goal line where Shaun was one of those queuing to put it into the net and 6 - 0. On 35 minutes the ball went down the right where their defender tried to ushered it out for a goal kick but Stevie robbed him right on the goal line and played a low ball across the goal where Shaun and Dane just missed another certain goal. Shaun almost scored again a couple of minutes later from a corned but his header came off the top of the crossbar. However with a couple of minutes to go we got the 7th of the afternoon when Stevei, who had been playing out of his skin today, went past the defenders in the box and was flattened. He got up and took the resulting penalty to round of a great personal performance and also for the team.

It was really good to come away and get a result like this and I know the coach drive home would be interesting judging by the number of lads heading for Tescos drink dept on the way home !!

7 UP FOR MAUD AT ISLAVALE

With only 14 players to choose from and with Stephen breaking down in the warm up Maud were down to the bare bones in this prelimery round of the GA cup. Maud started well with a couple of half chances, a corner and 2 free kicks all in the first 5 minutes but all to no avail. Islavale attacked up the left wing and after rounding Whyte he sent in a cross that was scrambled clear by Maud's defence. Maud started to take control of the game but were denied by some wasted shots off target. First real chance came from an A Davidson cross from the left over to the far post to be met by a diving header from Whyte to narrowly go past the right sided post in the 16th minute. In the 20th minute a diagonal cross in from the right by McDonald was headed on by A Davidson. Picked up by Ligertwood who saw an opening for Ballard who calmly chose his spot and finished off the move. As Islavale tried to come back into the game, they forced a corner from the right which was curled in but Simpson picked it out of the air beautifully. A good move from a build up on the right was pushed on by Ballard onto Willox who was denied by a good save from Anderson in goals. Again as Maud came forward a good chip in from Whyte out on the right fell to the far post but Islavale's defence reacted quicker and scrambled the danger clear. A good run up the left by A Davidson who slipped past his marker and sent a lovely ball clear through to Whyte to finish well in the 39th minute. Good inter linking play between Willox and Ballard who played the ball onto A Davidson whose final touch went in over the keepers head for Maud's third of the afternoon. Great determined running by Whyte saw him collect a loose ball out on the right side by line, crossing in to Ligertwood whose rocket shot shaved over the cross bar. 

The second half started with Middleton replacing Arthur and unfortunately in the 49th minute Willox being replaced by Jamieson with a groin strain. Islavale were unlucky not to pull one back when a run up the left wing went unchecked but the final shot from the edge of the 18 yard box went narrowly past the left post. Both Ligertwood and Jamieson were unlucky not to add to the score sheet as they saw chances go over the bar. Maud's fourth goal came from a mistake from a throw in was picked up by Jamieson straight through to Ballard who flicked over an out coming Anderson to double his tally of the game in the 57th minute. Middleton got onto the score sheet in the 64th minute when a McDonald cross to the edge of the 18 yard box was shot in low past Anderson. In the 71st minute a long cleared ball found Ballard on the left  who flicked onto A Davidson. Cutting in towards the 6 yard line he pushed the ball square across the goals for Jamieson to tap in past the keeper. Islavales Cruikshank and McPherson picked up yellow cards for a late tackle and wasting time as frustration set in. In 75 minutes Jamieson should have connected better after Whyte had done the hard work by keeping the loose ball in and crossing along the goal line. Jamieson was denied again in the 81st minute when a cross from the left corner was headed by him off the crossbar. Finally in the 88th minute Whyte got his just rewards for a hard shift when after being clear on goal he was taken down by the keeper. Electing to take the penalty himself he duly converted to get his much deserved second goal of the game. Maud ran out deserved winners and can take heart from some vastly improved performances from the players. Next game is this Saturday 5th Sept at home against FC Stoneywood with a 2.30pm K.O.

Grahams Report