Jesus House 2 - Postal ALC 4 - Division Two East - Hazlehead - 13/11/2021

TEAM - 1. R.Laing 2. S.Ure 3. S.Stuart 4. A.Riddell 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. S.Robertson 8. R.Law 9. K.Dowbekin 10. P.Frampton 11. R.Insch 12. G.Davidson 14. M.Maciver 15. B.Campbell 16. C.Patterson 17. I.Bruce

OPPOSITION MOTM – P.Frampton

Postal travelled to Hazlehead today to meet Jesus House with a depleted squad. Carter (holiday), Mackie (car trouble), Clark (now working abroad) were missing from last Saturday’s squad. Ure filled in at right back, Frampton started up front on the right and Stuart started at left back with Riddell moving into centre defence.

The pitch was surprisingly good considering the rain, the day before, but the grass was certainly a bit longer than usual.

It was Jesus House who would threaten first. A ball over the top of Ure’s head, on the right, in the opening minute of the match saw the forward run in on goal but his effort went well wide.

The opening 20 minutes saw a lot of niggly, clumsy, fouling from the home side which, frustratingly for the Postal attack, the ref was surprising lenient about.

On 13 minutes Postal's Robertson saw his shot from distance easily saved by the House keeper.

On 21 minutes Postal finally scored to ease the nerves. A lovely free kick from Riddell was met by a powerful Robertson header around 6 yards out into the keeper’s bottom left hand corner. Good goal. 0-1.

5 minutes later and Insch sprung the home side’s offside trap and ran in on goal down the left (there was a slight suspicion of offside if we are to be fair). Insch passed to Dowbekin on the right of the box who made no mistake in sending a low shot past the keeper into the keepers right hand corner. 0-2. Well deserved for the effort Dowbekin put in again today.

It wasn’t all Postal in the first half, it must be said. It was obvious the defence hadn’t played a lot together and they were looking more than a tad shaky at times.

On 35 minutes, an intelligent quick pass from Patterson sent Insch in on goal but the keeper saved.

Two minutes later and Postal extended their lead. Dowbekin was sent in on the keeper who initially saved. Postal took a quick throw in with the keeper still outside his box. Frampton ran into the box but was crudely chopped down. Frampton took the resultant pen and slotted it past the keeper into the keeper’s bottom right corner. 0-3.

The home side didn’t learn their lesson though because five minutes later, Frampton was upended in the box again. Another clear penalty which he again dispatched into the same side (although the keeper got a hand to it this time). 0-4.

HALF TIME – JESUS HOUSE 0 - POSTAL ALC 4

Postal should really have dominated the rest of the game, but it was a poor second half performance if we’re being honest.

They should have extended their lead two minutes into the half. A good fast counter attack saw Law switch the play to the right hand side and Ure. His cross into the area found Dowbekin but the keeper blocked his shot.

A minute later and House were given a lifeline.

A simple throw-in into the Postal box saw a House player collect the ball, spin and slam the ball into the net unchallenged. Poor defending from Postal. 1-4.

Ten minutes later and Postal gave away another. They never cleared their lines from another throw in into the box. A runner from the right collected and ran into Postal’s box. Patterson slid in but missed the ball and although the shot was initially saved by Laing the House player collected the ball and shot high into the net. 2-4 with 35 minutes still to play.

Postal’s Laing pulled off a couple of really good saves not long after. The best of the two being an acrobatic save of a long range shot which looked to be going into the postage stamp.

Thankfully for Postal the home side never made any more real chances, of any note.

Frampton had a chance to finish the game 20 minutes into the half when he missed a sitter from 5 yards out, but his toe poke went directly to the House keeper.

Overall not the best Postal performance of the season. Some dodgy defending at times today, which would surely have been punished by one of the better sides in the league.

That said, with a depleted squad and some clinical finishing today, for a change, the management will be delighted to walk away with another 3 points in the bag and a move one place up the table. Well done.