Cove Thistle 1 - Postal ALC 4 - Stephen Shield - Saturday 31st Aug 2024

TEAM - 1.  David Finch 2. Scott Stuart 3. David Russell 4. Alli Macrae 5. Andrew Baxter 6. Bruce Webster  7. Euan Brechin  8. Luca Giulianotti 9. Sultan Ahmed 10. Steven Able 11. Duncan Mackenzie 12. Harry McCauley 14. Neil MacDonald 15. Kash Ahmed 16. Barry Patterson

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Postal ALC travelled to Cove for the first cup game of the season, the league cup Stephen Shield.

Cove Thistle, dropping down from the Premier Division, had an excellent start to the season blowing all opposition away and are widely tipped to be favourites for the league and league cup double. 

Postal had a vast amount of players unavailable due to holidays however fielded a strong side. 

Cove Thistle kicked off the encounter shooting down the slope.  On the 1st minute a good take by Mackenzie, wriggling free of his marker, got a shot off from 20 yards however it was well blocked by the Cove Thistle defence, which included ex Postie Scott Allardyce.

The game started at a frantic pace and on 2 min a Macrae clearance hit off Coves number 9, impressive during the game, however Finch raced out to save.

On the third minute ex Postie Alladyce had a short back pass which was pounced on by Sultan, his lobbed effort cleared the goalkeeper however ended up wide of the target.  Great play and hunger by Sultan who has been on great form.

The game was end to end without any real chances until the 25th minute.  A cross into the box was missed by Luca G landing at the feet of Cove Thistles number 8 who tried to lob Finch.  Finch saved well plucking the ball out the air.

Cove would continue to attack and cross balls into the box, playing against the sun on 30 min Baxter misjudged a header, in turn Alli Macrae missed a clearance leaving number 9 in on front of goal.  Luckily for Postal Finch was in no mood to let anything cross the goal line.

Half Time – Cove Thistle 0 – Postal ALC 0

On half time the Postal management asked the team to start fast.  Having seen Cove in action they could not afford to sit deep and try to feel their way into the second half.

46 minute into the game Scott Stuart played a short ball back to Macrae that seen the ever eager number 9 for Cove run through on goal……for yet again Finch to save.

56 minute found Bruce Webster through on goal however his chipped attempt at the Cover keeper went narrowly wide. 

Postal were starting to feel their way into the game in the summer heat however on 59 minutes it would be Cove who would nearly take the lead.  A free kick into the box seen number 10 for cove roll Macrae however his point black shot was saved by Finch.  Incredible save in one of the best goalkeeping performances in some years. 

61 minute a cove corner was well cleared.  Breaking to Able who quickly passed to Sultan, who on the break played the ball out to Webster.  Webster found Able, on a great third man run, in the box who steadied himself and dispatched his shot into the Keepers top left hand corner. 0-1

70 min Harry replaces Duncan.

75 min Kash replaces Brechin due to injury

Looking like Postal would advance, Cove applied the pressure.  77 min a corner for Cove seen a goalmouth scramble leading to another point blank save from Finch, tipping the ball onto the cross bar. The resulting corner was cleared by Postal however it fell to a Cove Thistle player who shot through a crowd of bodies and into the back of the net on 79 minutes. 1-1

The game would go end to end up until 88 min when injuries to Scott Stuart and Steven Able meant Postal were forced into bringing Neil McDonald and Barry Patterson onto the field.

90 min Full time

Extra time or Kash time as it will be known as, started and almost immediately Kash Ahmed had a shot that just went wide. 

96 min a Luca G run down the Postal right saw him take on multiple defenders, cross the ball which found Kash who netted through the keepers legs. 1-2 

4 min later the big striker latched onto a long ball and lobbed the keeper for 1 – 3. 

Shortly after Cove number 10 was sent off for talking to the referee.

Second half of extra was mainly long ball from both sides, however some real quality from Harry who raced down the right, hitting the byline to cross to Kash who headered in for his hat-trick and postals 4th.  1-4

Cove then lost discipline and seemed intent on injuring the excellent Sultan.

Full time.

Overall a great result for Postal with a depleted squad.  The team work and effort was great to see with some great performances through out.