Postal ALC 1 - Newmachar Utd 2 - Division Two North - Webster Park - 6th May 2023

TEAM - 1. D.Cruickshank 2. S.Carter. 3. A.Baxter. 4. A.Riddell. 5. B.Patterson. 6. K.Dowbekin. 7. A.Clark. 8. N.Wiley. 9. L.Melia 10. P.Frampton. 11. N.MacDonald. 12. M.Maciver. 14. E.Martin. 15. M.Hunter. 16. C.Collie. 17. B.Webster. 18. G.Cormack

OPPOSITION MOTM – N.MacDonald

Postal welcomed Newmachar United to Webster Park for this Div 2 North game today. The sides met just 2 weeks earlier with Postal winning that encounter.

Postal welcomed Cruickshank back in goal and the impact subs from the Byron game, MacDonald, Wiley and Frampton started the game today.

Postal had a decent move 5 minutes into the game. Hard running by Clark to overlap down the Postal left was rewarded with a good ball from MacDonald into his path. The cross was poor, though, and easily handled by the Newmachar keeper.

On 8 minutes Postal cut their own throats. Numerous chances to clear the ball, or pass it out, were squandered, and when Newmachar eventually played the ball out wide on the Postal right, it was allowed to be passed into the box where not one, but two Newmachar players were standing unmarked in the centre of the Postal defence to receive the ball. One of them took the pass, controlled and fired past Cruickshank to open the scoring. Poor lead up to the goal and horrendous marking from the Postal defenders. 0-1.

On 22 minutes, Postal equalised. A deep cross from the Postal right was bundled over the line by MacDonald at the back post. 1-1.

The hope was, this would calm Postal down to take a grip on the game but only 2 minutes later they sold a second. A corner from the Postal left was conceded. The corner was sent to the back post. Patterson, marking the opposition centre half, lost his man and the big defender was allowed to bullet home a header, unchallenged, to give the away side the lead.

1-2.

On 36 minutes a long cross from Riddell to the back post found MacDonald but his header went wide.

Just before half time, Postal rode their luck. Patterson looked to be in control of the situation when a through ball was sent to the right of the Postal goal. The Newmachar forward got to the ball first though and went by the defender and in on goal, narrowly missing the target.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC 1 – NEWMACHAR UTD 2

Postal made a couple of changes at half time. Collie for Patterson and Hunter for Wiley, and as the game went on we would end the game with 5 forwards on the pitch with Maciver, Martin and Webster also coming on for Dowbekin, Riddell and MacDonald. To be honest it made very little difference.

Postal camped in Newmachar’s half of the pitch the entirety of the second period but created very little in terms of clear-cut chances.

The very last kick of the game would some-up Postal’s afternoon when Webster headed a Melia rebound back towards goal but seen it cleared off the line before hearing the full time whistle blown.

Overall, very poor goals to give away today, defensively, and forwards who lacked the guile to open up the Newmachar defence. No lack of effort, though, from all the players and, after a fairly even first half, Postal completely dominated the second period. Unfortunately its results that matter, not effort at this stage of the season and credit to Newmachar for defending well.