Auchnagatt Barons 3 - Postal ALC 4 - Div1 North - Auchnagatt - Saturday 13th April 24
TEAM - 1. G.Cormack 2. R.Webster 3. S.Stuart 4. A.Baxter 5. B.Patterson 6. E.Brechin 7. A.Clark 8. J.Steele 9. P.Frampton 10. S.Abel 11. S.Ahmed 12. S.Cotovici 14. 14. A.Macrae 15. I.Bruce 16. C.Patterson
OPPOSITION MOTM – J.Steele
The previous encounter between Auchnagatt Barons and Postal saw the country side run out easy 0-4 winners, so a tough afternoon was on the cards.
Postal welcomed back Ross Webster to right back, Stuart to left back with Baxter moving into centre back alongside captain Patterson. Frampton was back from injury up top and Ahmed made his first start of the season on the right of the three.
Postal got off to, possibly, one of the worse starts they have ever had. Only 30 seconds into the match a ball in behind the Postal defence on the left side. The player got to the bye-line cut it across the 6 yard area where a Baron’s player was on hand to run past Webster and Patterson to knock the ball into the net. 1-0.
2 minutes later and an almost identical goal saw the home side double their lead. Stuart gave the ball away on the left, the Auchnagatt player was again fed the ball inside the Postal box on the left, he composed himself for what seemed like an age, with zero Postal players engaging him, he then cut it across the Postal 6 yard area and, the side line saw the same scenario where a Barons player ran in from the Postal right, unchallenged to knock into the net. Unbelievably bad defending. 2-0.
The only positive to come from the nightmare start was the fact we still had 88 minutes to get back into the game.
Credit to Postal, they started to make inwards into the comeback and largely dominated procession for the next 20 minutes (while still looking a bit vulnerable at the back it must be said).
On 12 minutes Postal had their first half chance. Good work down the Postal right saw Clark drive forward to pick up a pass and get his shot away but it was sent straight at the keeper.
A minute later and Postal pulled one back. Stuart did well to get himself forward down the Postal left, his cross found Abel alone in the box. He composed himself to hit a right foot shot high into the net. 2-1.
Postal were now all over the home side. Playing some nice football through Steele, Clark and Brechin in the middle of the park with Ahmed and Abel looking dangerous down the flanks.
Unfortunately, against the run of play, Postal then handed the home side another present on 23 minutes. A simple enough long ball down the middle of the park saw Baxter miss-judge the flight of the ball and it went over his head. The Baron’s number 9 took a great first touch to go one-on-one with the keeper and slot home with an early strike from just inside the box. Good finish but another gift. 3-1.
On 34 minutes Clark took a decent free kick from outside the box after Ahmed was kicked up in the air (again), but it was easily saved.
Just before half time, good work down the Postal right by Ahmed saw him cut back to Frampton but his shot was easily blocked just outside the 6 yard box.
HALF TIME – Auchnagatt Barons 3 - Postal ALC 1
A surprisingly calm management team at half time, given the circumstances, probably because apart from the defensive gifts, Postal had actually played reasonably well going forward. A few things were pointed out, constructively, and with the wind behind Postal in the second half it was hoped they could pull themselves back into the game.
Seven minutes into the half, Frampton was sent scampering through all by himself as he got in behind the Auchnagatt defence. Frustratingly, for Postal, the play was stopped due to a scuffle in the Postal box involving Ahmed and a Baron’s defender.
3 minutes later and Postal managed to pick up a second goal. A corner into the box saw a couple of players take a poke at the ball inside the 6 yard area until Abel finally smashed it into the net. 3-2.
The Postal management then changed the formation to try and get an equaliser. Both full backs, Stuart and Webster were subbed, with Macrae coming into a back 3 and Cotovici making it a 4 up top.
17 minutes into the second half Postal had a great chance to equalise. A free kick into the home box was headed back across goal by the impressive Brechin, but it was just out of reach of Abel at the back post.
It was all Postal at this point, with the home side struggling to get out of their half. Postal were finally rewarded with an equaliser 25 minutes into the half and what a goal it was. Clark drove out of midfield to pick the ball up just inside the home box. He played it into the path of Frampton who sent a terrific shot from just outside the box, into the postage stamp. Tremendous goal. 3-3.
Ten minutes from the end of the game and Postal scored their fourth and winning goal. Some good work again down the Postal left saw the ball cut back into the path of, man of the match, Steele. He composed himself around the penalty spot mark and slammed the ball into the net. 3-4. Completely deserved for the team and the player, who was tremendous today.
Auchnagatt looked leggy now and Postal looked like they could get a 5th to kill the game. They nearly did just before the end of the game. Great work by Cotovici sent a nice ball over the top of the Baron’s defence into the path of Abel but he skied the ball over the bar.
The game ended with Postal keeping the ball in the corner of the home defence after a few corner kicks were awarded.
Final Result – Auchnagatt Barons 3 – Postal ALC 4
Overall, Postal showed tremendous heart, today, to come-back. To go two behind so quickly, then lose another goal midway through the first half took a lot of bottle to get back into the game. Some really nice football today aswell at times with Steele, Brechin and Abel particularly impressive. Well done. Great 3 points but we need to cut out the defensive gifts.
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