Postal ALC 1 - Newburgh 1 - Div1 North - Webster Park - 14th May 2025

Results going in Postal favour midweek meant destiny was still in the hands of the Postal players, a win against Newburgh Thistle would secure first division football next season.  Postal had missed the chance to secure 5th place in the last two games so the final game of the season was the last roll of the dice. Newburgh had held the upper hand in previous encounters so a tough game was expected if Postal were to pull off a win. 

Grant Cormack returned in goals for the home side as did Sultan Ahmed. 

Team Selection:

Grant Cormack

Bruce Webster

Euan Brechin

James Steele

Steven Carter

Phillip Wallace

Lee Scott

Doug Russell

Steven Abel

Harry McAuley

Sultan Ahmed

Bench:

David Finch

Ali Macrae

Adam Veitch

Martin Maciver

Luca Giulianotti

Keiron Dowbekin

Postal kicked off the encounter.

4th min Russell was fouled, James Steele took the free kick however Brechin could not connect at the back post.

6th min Newburgh corner after a long ball up top.  Brechin defended well clearing.

8th min Newburgh hit the post following a long ball finds the right winger. 

14th min Wallace gets caught on the ball, Brechin does well holding up the Newburgh forward before he shoots wide.

17th and 18th minute seen Bruce Webster clear the ball off the line from separate headers as Newburgh dominated in the air at set plays.

On the 20th min Abel pulls the ball out the air on the Postal right, plays in Ahmed who chops and cuts the ball back to Wallace who sees his shot saved by the keeper.

25th min Wallace free kick his the wall after Ahmed is fouled.

26th min Brechin header from Postal corner goes over.

27th min McAuley controls the ball well and shoots over.

35th min Abel crosses from the Postal right, ball is cleared to Webster who shoots over the bar.

42nd min Newburgh cross hits the Postal bar, ball comes out to number 9 who is denied a guilt edged chance by Cormack in the Postal goal.

HT

55th min ball is cleared to Ahmed who races down the Postal left, cuts inside the box and chops back only to be brought down.  No penalty awarded to the confusion of the crowd watching.

60th min Abel slips in Russell who in on goal shoots wide.

68th minute another Russell shot wide of the target.

76th min Abel shoots wide from the edge of the box.

80th minute Russell with another shot on goal that goes wide of the target.

83rd min Carter looks to have fouled the Newburgh forward in the box however official waves play on.

87th minute Ahmed finds himself 3 yards from the byline in the Newburgh box following a slip up in the Newburgh defence, with Postal players free in the box he opts to shoot from the tight angle and the keeper saves.

90th minute with the game being dominated by Postal a long kick out by the Newburgh keeper goes over Webster.  Number 9 with excellent control to take the ball down, composed himself and slammed the ball home.

0 – 1

92nd minute Newburgh number 17 hits the post with a riffling long range effort.

93rd minute a Russell free kick is headed down by Brechin and Ahmed bundles the ball home.

1 – 1

95th min Wallace shoots wide.

FT

Substitutes Not Used – David Finch Ali Macrae  Adam Veitch  Martin Maciver Keiron Dowbekin & Luca Giulianotti

MoM – Euan Brechin

A draw in a game that seen Postal dominate throughout and create multiple chances was disappointing but credit to the team for fighting to the end.