POSTAL ALC 0 - GRAMMAR 5 - BARCLAY COOK CUP - WEBSTER PARK 12/2/22

TEAM - 1. R.Laing 2. K.Dowbekin 3. S.Stuart 4. B.Nicolson 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. S.Robertson 8. R.Law 9. G.Davidson 10. B.Campbell 11. R.Insch 12. G.Cormack 14. C.Patterson 15. I.Bruce

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Postal welcomed Grammar to Webster Park for this Barclay Cook Cup ¼ final. The Postal squad was decimated, but the starting 11 should have been strong enough to provide a challenge to the team currently second in the league.

Right from the start of the match Postal were well off the pace, though. Grammar were first to most 50/50 balls, Postal were sitting far, far too deep, all over the park and were generally looking lethargic both on and off the ball.

On 7 minutes it was Postal who had the first half chance when Insch broke down the Postal left, cut inside and got a shot away which the keeper saved.

Postal were relinquishing procession and sitting deeper and deeper as the first 15 went on with the away side having numerous corners.

The away side scored the first goal on 14 minutes. A breakaway down the Postal right saw Patterson isolated on the edge of the box. The ball was slipped past him to the on-running Grammar player who kept is composure to slide it past Laing unchallenged from 12 yards. Good goal but poor defending from Postal. 0-1.

The rest of the half saw Postal riding their luck to keep the score at only one. Their luck finally ran out on 45 minutes though when they conceded another corner kick. Postal couldn’t clear as the ball bounced around their box and an unmarked Grammar player fired home from the middle of the 6 yard box. Poor marking again from a set-piece. 0-2.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC - 0 – GRAMMAR - 2

Postal started the second half a bit better. A half chance two minutes into the second half when a decent Stuart free kick was headed over the bar by Robertson.

The good start was wasted when schoolboy defending from another corner kick saw Postal fail to mark their man and it was knocked home unchallenged. Very very poor, and literally could have been avoided by just staying goal-side shoulder to shoulder. 0-3.

Postal now basically rolled over and got their bellies tickled for the rest of the match. The fourth came on 25 minutes. A simple enough ball into the middle of the box, another player unmarked another goal against. 0-4.

Two minutes later they conceded a 5th. Defence at sixes and sevens and a simple through ball reminiscent of the first goal down the Postal right with the Postal defence nowhere to be found saw Laing have no chance. 0-5.

On 41 minutes Insch showed a lack of discipline when he hacked down a Grammar player in the middle of the park right in front of the referee. He was rightly shown a red card. Poor decision making from a senior player, which could come back to haunt Postal if he’s suspended for an important league game later in the season.

Overall Grammar by far the better side today. Postal, even with players missing, should have competed much much better but once again showed a lack of mental strength to compete and respond when going got tough. Now out of all the cups, and only the league to play for. With huge question marks over mentality, it will be interesting to see if the players can now respond and gee themselves up for the 9 games remaining or if they sulk and let a season which looked so promising peter out with a whimper.