FERRYHILL V POSTAL ALC - DICKIE TROPHY 2ND ROUND

TEAM - 1. R.LAING. 2. S.CARTER 3. P.COUTTS. 4. M.STEER. 5. B.PATTERSON.

6. S.STUART. 7. L.BEATTIE. 8. R.LAW. 9. D.MALSEED. 10. A.TAYLOR.

11. C.SHEILS. 12. M.MACIVER. 14. G.DAVIDSON. 15. C.COOK. 16. L.MACKIE. 17. S.ROBERTSON.

On a blustery, wet day at Shedocksley Postal turned up with a full/strong squad to choose from. Carter, Taylor and Malseed replaced the injured Clark, Insch and Macanespie, with Robertson and Maciver coming back onto the bench from the Middlefield game.

Postal started really well and were playing some nice football in the opening 25 minutes without really creating any clear cut chances.

Ferryhill then started coming more into the game as Postal dropped deeper and stopped playing the quick passing football they had been employing in the opening part of the game.

On 35 minutes, Shiels was sent through on the keeper but his lift of the ball over the keeper's head went just past the post.

Taylor had an effort saved on 39 minutes when a well worked corner to the edge of the box saw his shot look to be sailing into the postage stamp before the keeper did well to save.

Postal actually had the ball in the net on 40 minutes when a Taylor cut back from the bye-line was knocked home by Malseed but he was deemed to be offside by the ref.

On 43 minutes, Ferryhill punished Postal for not taking their chances when they took the lead going into half time. A simple enough ball down the left saw a Ferryhill player cut into the box where he was blocked by Postal's Steer. Ref deemed it a pen which was duly dispatched.

HALF TIME FERRYHILL 1 - POSTAL ALC 0

A few words of motivation from players amongst themselves at half time had the desired effect as they totally dominated the second period.

The half was only a minute old when they equalised. A decent ball up to Shiels on the Postal left saw the forward cut in and then crudely taken out of the game. Definite pen which Malseed dispatched for his first of the match. 1-1.

5 minutes later and Malseed was again involved when he dummied in the box to give himself some space before crossing for the unmarked Law. Unfortunately Law made a mess of the tap in and the chance was gone. Cross would have been better along the ground instead of the air but Law will still be disappointed to miss from point blank range.

Luckily for Postal it wasn't long before Malseed and Postal doubled their tally when 15 minutes into the second half he swept a Scott Stuart cross into the net. Good cross and finish. 1-2.

Only 3 minutes later and Postal scored again. This time it was Lewis Beattie to collect the ball drive into the box and slot past the keeper low to the keeper's right. Another good finish. 1-3.

Postal were doing well to keep the intensity up and the ball was rarely in the Postal half of the pitch in the second half.

They scored a deserved 4th and Malseed's hat-trick 20 minutes into the second half, from a Taylor assist, to put the game out of Ferryhill's reach.....presumably. 1-4.

With Postal seeing an opportunity to get all the subs a run out, Ferryhill scored an annoying 2nd while the subs were taking off their track-suits.

The ball broke out from a Postal clearance and with the defence/midfield too slow to shut down the ball a speculative long range effort from the Ferryhill right snuck in pat Laing low at his right hand post. Very slack/annoying. 2-4.

It didn't seem to change the course of the game though as Postal continued to dominate.

With the rain getting heavier and heavier there were no more goals though.

Overall, while Postal wont be content at giving away two slack goals, they will be happy with some of the football played today given they hadn't kicked a ball in over a month. Also good to get some players back from injury and a lengthy/extended wedding season this year. Well done.