BEACON RANGERS 4 - POSTAL ALC 3 - FRIENDLY - STRATHBURN PARK INVERURIE - 29/5/21

TEAM - 1. G.Cormack 2. S.Carter 3. L.Mackie 4. S.Clark 5. B.Patterson 6. S.Ure 7. R.Law 8. R.Lamb 9. P.Frampton 10. G.Davidson 11. N.Cain 12. M.Hunter 14. P.Coutts 15. A.Riddell 16. S.Cotovici. 17. J.Black

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Covid friendly number 10.

Postal travelled out to Inverurie to play Beacon Rangers. Postal handed first games to John Black and Grant Cormack with Greig Davidson also making his first appearance of season 20/21.

From the beginning of the match Postal started slowly, too passive all over the park and defensively far too deep.

Beacon had the first chance of the match on 7 minutes when Lamb lost his man from a corner kick but luckily Cormack was on hand to produce a really good reaction save.

On 12 minutes Postal had a half chance. Good work down the Postal right by Cain from a throw in saw him cut the ball back into the path of Frampton but his snapshot lacked power and was easily saved. The ball then broke to Law on the edge but his long range effort was deflected wide from a corner which was subsequently wasted.

On 15 minutes Postal again struggled to defend a high ball into their box. This time from a long throw in, it sailed over the defense’s head and Cormack again did well in goal to save the resultant shot onto the bar and away for a corner.

At this point in the game, every set piece that Beacon sent into the Postal box was causing havoc. Marking abysmal from the away side and it looked only a matter of time till Beacon would take the lead.

It arrived on 29 minutes. A corner was swung into the box from Postal right, it found not one but two Beacon players waiting unmarked at the back post. One of them connected with the ball and it went over the keepers head and into the box to give Beacon a deserved lead. 1-0.

Beacon scored a second on 37 minutes. Another corner against from Postal was this time cleared only as far as a Beacon plyer around 25 yards from goal. He worked the ball out wide on the Postal left. A low cross sent into the Postal box and knocked home by the Beacon player standing unmarked 6 yards out.

A nice looking goal but poor poor defending from a Postal point of view to let the cross come in so easily and to leave the striker unmarked in the box. 2-0.

Postal had a half chance on 40 minutes when they broke quickly up the park on the counter attack. Davidson passed to Cain who crossed to the back post where Frampton was unlucky not to connect.

Beacon scored their third goal two minutes before the half ended. Mackie got dispossessed on the Postal left which allowed the Beacon player to run in on the Postal goal unchallenged and he easily knocked it past Cormack. 3-0.

HALF TIME – BEACON RANGERS 3 – POSTAL ALC 0

A few home truths at Half time and a robust conversation, as Postal tried to gee themselves up.

Postal put on all 5 subs at half time.

Postal got the perfect start to the half when they pulled one back a minute into the half. Frampton saw his initial shot saved and when the ball fell to Lamb he scored a long range effort low into the bottom corner past the keeper for his first Postal goal. 3-1.

On 3 minutes Coutts made a superb clearance off the line for Postal when Beacon had surely thought they had scored. Excellent defending.

Postal were really starting to come more into the game now and had another chance 6 minutes into the half when a through ball from Patterson over the top found Frampton but the keeper made a double save to stop the ball going in the net.

He didn’t need to wait long though when Law sent a nice through ball down the channel and Frampton saw his shot go in from a wide position. 3-2.

6 minutes later and the turn around was complete. A nice ball up the line to Law from Coutts saw Law send in Cotovici one on one with the keeper. His initial shot was saved but it bounced up off his face and into the net for his fourth goal of the season. 3-3.

For the remainder of the game there only looked like one team would win and that was Postal.

27 minutes into the half and Frampton should have scored from a header at the back post after Cain sent it over from the Postal left.

38 minutes a Coutts long run into the opposition half saw his final shot sail over the bar. A good run though and Coutts did particularly well coming on a half time in this game it must be said.

40 minutes a long range shot over his shoulder by Law just went over the Beacon bar.

Disaster struck for Postal on 41 minutes when Carter jumped into a challenge in the box. He definitely got the ball but it was a risky challenge at that stage in the match and the referee gave a pen which was duly dispatched. 4-3.

Postal battled away to get a late equaliser with half chances falling to Ure (off the line) and Carter (just past the post) but it wasn’t to be.

Overall, as bad a first half performance as we have shown all season. Defending set pieces was horrific and general attitude was questionable. Second half much more like us. Shutting the ball down quickly. Attacking with pace and with much improved willingness to get higher up the park. Lessons to be learned but well done for coming back and not lying down to defeat.