Byron Sports Club 2 - Postal ALC 2 - League Div2 North - Shedocksley - 20th Aug 2022

TEAM - 1. D.Cruickshank 2. R.Webster 3. A.Baxter 4. C.Reith 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. N.Wiley 8. J.Steele 9. K.Dowbekin 10. B.Webster 11. E.Martin 12. P.Frampton 14. B.Campbell 15. S.Cotovici 16. S.Ahmed 17. P.Coutts

OPPOSITION MOTM – A.Baxter

Another scorcher today at Shedocksley saw Postal take on association new comers Byron Sports Club. The home side have had a good start to the season with 2 wins out of 2, so a hard game was on the cards.

With Walker out injured Postal welcomed back Cruickshank in goal. Reith replaced the holidaying Carter in the middle of the defence with Ross Webster coming in at right back. Wiley started his first game of the season in midfield with Bruce Webster and Ewan Martin coming in up top.

The first half was a fairly even affair with Postal probably edging the possession and scoring chances.

The first came in 11 minutes. Martin did well to roll his man on the left. His cross to the back post saw at least 2, or 3 Postal players waiting to nod the ball home but Dowbekin headed past the post when it looked easier to score.

On 16 minutes Martin had a half chance when a high ball up top was headed down into his path but his strike from distance went high and wide.

A long throw from Byron on the Postal left gave Postal a scare when the Byron number 11 was allowed to run into the 6 yard box unmarked. Fortunately for Postal he missed with only Cruickshank to beat. Lucky for Postal.

On 24 minutes Postal missed a sitter. Some nice football on the Postal right saw Martin send a lovely weighted pass into the path of Bruce Webster who did well to drive into the 6 yard box. With only the keeper to beat he slipped his shot past the post.

On 37 minutes Patterson laid the ball into the path of Baxter who shot from just outside the box but it came to nothing.

The Byron keeper saved a half chance from Martin a minute before half time when good pressing from Hunter managed to get the ball back to Martin who got his shot away.

HALF TIME – BYRON – 0 - POSTAL ALC - 0

Byron started the second half a lot better. Only one minute into the half and they caused Postal a scare when Postal had 3 chances to clear their lines but failed to do so. Cruickshank made a good block before Postal eventually got the ball to safety.

On 4 minutes, Byron took the lead. The ball was played into the feet of the impressive Byron number 11 who was allowed to spin with no Postal marker in sight and his shot from outside the box sneaked under Cruickshank. 1-0.

The game exploded 5 minutes into the second half when a Byron forward lashed out and caught Baxter in the face. Silly from the home player and he was correctly sent off.

On 6 minutes, Dowbekin did well to spin his man but his subsequent ball across the face of the Byron goal had far too much pace to give his teammates a chance to connect.

Ten minutes in the half and Byron doubled their lead. The number 11 was allowed to race through on goal unchallenged and then sent a beautiful chipped ball over the top of the Postal keeper and into the corner of the net. Superb finish but poor defending from Postal. 2-0.

Postal made a change in formation and personnel. Wiley was replaced by Frampton, who made it a four up top coming into the left with Martin being sent through the middle. He immediately started causing the Byron defence problems with his pace.

On 16 minutes it was Frampton who was deemed to have been fouled in the box to give Postal a pen. Soft decision possibly and Bryon would have felt hard done by. Frampton dusted himself down to convert the pen low into the keepers left corner. 2-1.

Soon after, the Byron number 12 was really lucky to stay on the park after a blatant kick on a Postal player with the ball nowhere near. He was booked.

Postal were now dominating possession but Byron still looked very dangerous on the break with Postal struggling to use their extra man advantage.

Another change in formation saw Webster come off and Ahmed move into midfield to try and open up the Bryon rear guard.

Postal were struggling to score though. The final ball across the face was poor at times after doing well to get into good areas of the pitch.

Hunter found himself with the ball at his feet just inside the 18 yard box but chose to try and “bend” a long shot from distance. Poor decision making on this occasion.

With time running out, Postal tried another formation change, with Reith replaced with Cotovici and Postal going 3 at the back.

Thankfully, for Postal, they eventually got a deserved equaliser 40 minutes into the second half. From a throw in on the Postal left, the ball was crossed over to the back post to set up an almost identical chance to the one in the first period. Thankfully midfielder Hunter was on hand this time to head home and score his 4th goal of the season so far. 2-2.

Credit to Byron they battled on and still looked dangerous on the break and made Cruickshank pull off a great save near the death to save a point for Postal.

Overall, a draw probably a fair result. Both sides had chances to win the game and didn’t take them. Disappointing to drop 2 points today but really pleasing to see the character of the side to come back to draw after going down by 2 goals. Well done.