Newburgh -2 Postal ALC 1 - Div1 North - Gallowhills Park - Wed 21st Aug 2024
TEAM - 1. Grant Cormack 2. Adam Veitch 3. David Russell 4. Travis Raynard 5. Andrew Baxter 6. Doug Russell 7. Euan Brechin 8. James Steele 9. Sultan Ahmed 10. Steven Able 11. Harry McAuley 12. David Finch 14. Alli Macrae 15. Kash Ahmed 16. Peter Frampton 17. Alex Clark 18. Luca Giulianotti
OPPOSITION MOTM – Sultan Ahmed
The first minute of the encounter seen Postal awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal, right of centre. Captain James Steele’s freekick into the box met free runs from Harry and Sultan, unfortunately for the away side Sultan diverted his effort wide of the target with both Postal players ending up in the net.
This wake up call was enough to spark Newburgh into life as they would then dominate for the next 14 minutes, playing diagonal balls into their tall striker or advancing winger.
On the third minute the home team thought they had the lead, a long diagonal ball seen the Newburgh right winger advance and net however the referee correctly called the offside.
Not heeding the warning signs, Postal would concede the opening goal on 7 minutes. A through ball seen the left winger, number 9, advance into the box. A last ditch tackle from Raynard, bounced off the attacker, off Cormack and then finally off Raynard into the net. A freak goal that could have been avoided at the source of the through ball.
The goal spurred Postal into life, a half chance header for Sultan Ahmed was well saved via the Newburgh keeper. In truth Sultan did well to make contact and direct his header on goal.
25 minute contender for goal of the season was netted by Postal to equalise the game. Intricate play on the Postal left through David Russell, Harry and Sultan resulted in Sultan finding himself with the ball inside the 18 yard box. Twisting and turning the left winger breezed past 3 defenders before shooting low to the keepers bottom right corner. A great goal.
On 35 minutes the home side almost took the lead again with a freak chance. Baxter’s clearance cannoned off the Newburgh number 7 who drove into he box however Cormack was on hand to save.
Postal edged the possession for the remainder of the half without creating many clear cut chances against a well drilled Newburgh defence.
HALF TIME – Newburgh 1 – Postal ALC 1
Postal management asked the team to continue keeping the ball on the deck and driving to the byline. However it was Newburgh who would have the first chance of the second half with number 9 skipping in before Veitch to drive his shot off the Postal left hand post. A real let off.
50 minutes in it was Veitch’s chance to have a crack on goal meeting a Doug Russell corner, unfortunately the ball skipped past the defenders head before he almost crashed into the post.
Substitute – Bruce Webster for Harry. Luca for Doug Russell.
Disaster struck on 52 minutes when James Steele dispossessed the Newburgh Number 9 in the middle of the park, the same player raced back and slide into Steele taking the ball back and striking from 25 yards in off the postal keeper Cormack’s right hand post.
Postal again were charged with getting back into the game, and on 55 minutes Raynard missed an opportunity to score with his feet from a Doug Russell corner. In a period of dominance from Postal Adam Veitch had a shot wide of target on 57 minutes.
Substitute – Clark for Brechin
60 minutes through the enthralling encounter Able went on a run, skipping past defenders. When arriving at the byline no Postal players were in the box to convert. The signs were positive that Postal would equalise however it would be Newburgh with the next opportunity again having a goal ruled out for offside.
Substitute – Kash for David Russell
The last 10 minutes of the game would be end to end. On 80 minutes Raynard again should have converted from a corner this time heading over. Another corner seen Raynard head the ball directly to the Newburgh goalkeeper who spilled the ball however the resultant goal line scramble couldn’t be converted and the ball went wide to Steele the corner taker. Driving the ball across the goal it was diverted onto the bar making Postal think it wouldn’t be their night.
Cormack made an excellent save on 83 min from a header and on 85 minutes Postal were positive they would equalise when Ahmed and Clark combined to release Webster who drove a left foot rocket into the top corner only to be saved by the keeper.
90 minutes were up at this time and with Postal all up field, Cormack slipped taking a kick out leaving himself one on one with the Newburgh forward. Again Cormack would make the crucial save.
Postal walked away from the match disappointed not to get the draw.
Overall - The game was a close encounter, however the team can take confidence in the possession, defending, passing and chances made against a team who last season scored a total of 15 goals and conceded 2 against us.
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