A short one tonight !

As it was our first league game of the season the lads needed to get off to a good start and that just what they got.

In the first 10 minutes Dane showed his intent with 3 efforts on goal and was unlucky not to convert at least one.  After 4 minutes he got onto a long ball over the top and just beat the keeper but he made a good save even when it came back out he saved it again. On 8 minutes a short corner was eventually put in by Mark to the far post to Gav who played it back into the box where Danes shot was a weak one that the keeper held. Just after he had a header across goals but went past the post. After 12 minutes Mark took a free kick right onto Kev’s head but the keeper held it. However on 18 minutes the pressure told, John Willox got the ball out wide right, turned his marker and laid a waist high ball into the box which was met brilliantly by Dane and is powered over the keeper and into the net, 1 - 0. On 22 minutes Dane played Ush into the box, past the defender but his cross shot was brilliantly turned away by the keeper. On 30 minutes Jas took a free kick from about 20 yards out but the keeper again turned it away from under the bar. On 33 minutes yet another great bit of play on the left saw Ush go past the defender again to the bye line where he was flattened, Pen. Jason decided to try his luck but again we missed one ! However 5 minutes before half time another free kick, this time from Mark was right onto Kevins head again and this time he made no mistake powering it into the net, 2 - 0.

For the first 10 minutes of this half, with the wind behind them Lewis turned up the pressure and Puds had to turn a long low shot against the post and out after only 2 minutes followed 8 minutes later by a shot that cannoned off the bar.

The game was just about over after 16 minutes when Razor took the ball up the right from his own half, put the ball inside to John Willox who played Dane into the box where he confidently rounded the keeper and buried it into the net for his 2nd goal and our 3rd. A strange decision after 24 minutes when what looked like a perfectly good goal was chalked off for John after he pounced onto what looked like a back pass but it was disallowed for offside ??

Eventually after 36 minutes we go another penalty when along ball into the box to Shaun, who had come on just before for Dane, who was pushed over. Oh bugger a soddin penalty !!!!  However this time Ush took charge and buried it for the 4th goal of the night. There were a couple of half chances after that for Ritchie and Shaun and a long shot from Kark but the game finished with a deserved victory.

It was extremely hard won game under typical Lewis conditions, i.e. kick and talk a lot !! But the lads kept their discipline (just, eh Kev!) and got the first 3 points of the season.

Match Stats

(Subs used marked in blue)

North Region Superleague

MAUD START LEAGUE CAMPAIGN WITH A FINE WIN

The first league game of the season kicked off and Maud started lively with new signed striker Ballard setting his intentions from a long ball crossed in from Middleton forcing a good save from Braidwood in goals. Lewis managed to break up the left wing and a good cross in to the far post picked out the unmarked Todd who couldn't get full control of the ball and sent the shot wide. A further two chances were created and Ballard was unlucky not to get onto the score sheet. Finally Maud's perseverance paid off in the 18th minute from a great piece of football out on the right by Willox whose cross picked out Ballard in front of the goals who hit it on the volley leaving the keeper stranded. A few minutes later good ball from Ballard played Usher on. Lining up his shot he was denied by again a good clearance by Braidwood out for a corner to nothing. Several Lewis United players started to lose their cool with Todd the first to pick up a yellow. Usher went on a mazy run beating several players before being sent crashing to the ground from a crunching challenge by Paul earning him a yellow card. The resulting free kick was sent thundering in by McDonald to be again denied by a fine save by Braidwood. Again a good bit of play by Usher who managed to get himself into the box before being hacked down by M Paul. The ref pointed straight at the penalty spot and up stepped McDonald who sent his shot straight at the keeper who saved Lewis again. Breaking quickly, Lewis launched an attack up the right but broke down in the final third of the pitch. Again Usher playing like a man possessed went on a run and again was brought crashing down by M Paul, this time earning him a yellow card. The resulting free kick was sent in diagonally to the far post where Norris rose above all to send in a thundering header into the back of the net. B Davidson picked up a yellow for a foul in the dying minute of the first half. Maud went in at half time with a two goal lead which if not for Braidwood in Lewis&n bsp;goals could easily have been two or three more. 

Coming out after the break, Lewis immediately upped the tempo and saw one shot rattle off the bar and the other forcing a great save by Simpson down low to his left. A quick break upfield by Usher in the middle who sent out the ball wide right to Ballard, Cutting in his powerful shot was deflected out by Braidwood for a corner to nothing. Not to be outdone some good creative play by Lewis forced a good save from Simpson in Maud's goals. A good ball up to Willox who held it well, Sending in the cross which Ballard timed his run perfectly to go one on one with Braidwood. As the keeper committed himself Ballard calmly side stepped him and tapped the ball in for his second and Maud's third of the game. Within a few minutes Maud replaced Middleton, Ballard and Norris with Ligertwood, Jamieson and A Davidson to try and freshen things up. A great long ball from the left wing by Campbell fell to Willox in the box only for a blatant shove on his back to knock him down. Penalty pointed the ref, this time Usher stepped up and the rocket shot was far too powerful for the keeper to further increase Maud's lead in the 82nd minute. Jamieson found himself with a chance but the keeper parried his stinging shot as far as Willox who sent it just over the bar. Campbell had a half chance in the last minute from a cleared corner but the shot went high over the bar. Maud ran out comfortable winners in this first league game and look forward to having faced Hermes on the 8th Aug and then away to Longside on the 12th Aug with a 7pm K.O.      

Also some great shots from Ted Bartlett below, many thanks Ted.

Grahams Report