Postal ALC 2 - Glendale 4 - Div1 North - Webster Park - Sat 8/3/2025

Postal ALC welcomed Glendale to Webster Park in this 1st Division North clash.  The teams had met earlier in the league this season with Postal coming out on top with a 4 – 1 win at Maryculter.  Webster park was in fine condition for the sunny encounter. 

3 changes from last weeks squad, Alex Clark dropped out the squad from last weeks fixture, skiing abroad.  Jackson Bennett, taking a break from technology, presumed in preparation for a Skynet attack and Martin Maciver for reasons unknown.  Ross Murray, Steven Carter and Duncan Paterson returning to the squad.  Harry McAuley would be the only change to the starting line up taking the number 11 jersey. 

Team Selection:

Grant Cormack

Ali MacRae

James Steele

Adam Veitch

Peter Frampton

Kieron Dowbekin

Sultan Ahmed

Phillip Wallace

Harry McAuley

Steven Abel

Duncan MacKenzie

Bench:

Sergiu Cotovici

Duncan Paterson

Andrew Baxter

David Finch

Steven Carter

Ross Murray

Euan Brechin

Prior to the match the Postal management team imparted the message that Glendale would come out the blocks flying, looking to reverse the scoreline from the previous encounter.  Emphasis was on starting fast and ensuring we defended well, knowing with the array of talent in the squad we would more than likely score.

Glendale kicked of the match. 

With the advice from the Postal management team ringing in their years, a long ball down the Postal left from kick off went through to Cormack, who rolled the ball to captain Steele.  Steele switched the play to Veitch who inside the box took one touch, then two, then 3 facing his goal, with his forth touch the Glendale number 7 disposed the tall defender and rolled the ball under Cormack for the away side to take the lead in 45 seconds. Uncharacteristic from Veitch who has been Mr Dependable all season.  A day to forget for the defender, highlighted by almost knocking out Albert Stuart on the Postal sideline later in the first half with an intended pass up the line going the way of the curly toe.  Albert has confirmed he has recovered although his accent has changed to Cantonese.

0 – 1

Mistakes happen in amateur football and the home side line were still confident as Frampton picked up the ball in the 3rd minute and ran down the Postal left taking on numerous players before finding himself on the byline, his cross hitting the side netting. 

4th minute Steele ball into Harry McAuley, seen the winger take a very heavy touch, insult to injury he was then muscled off the ball by the Glendale number 2.  The ball passed into number 9 who shot the ball into the top right hand corner of Cormacks goal from 25 yards.  Questions asked as why 9 had so much time to steady himself without the Postal midfield or defence in 10 yards of the forward. 

Postal at this point looking as shell shocked as a Johnsons baby oil truck driver at a P Diddy drop off as the inquest raged on. 

0 – 2

The pantomime was to continue 45 seconds later, McAuley muscled off the ball by number 2 again, the ball rose high in the air.  MacRae easily beaten in the air, Veitch found himself with a 3 vs 1 situation and the Glendale forward found the bottom corner against Cormack.

3 goals in 5 minutes, none of which Glendale had to work for, although excellent finishes.  Zero cover, shape or determination to get back.  Shambolic defending from Postal.

0 – 3

On the 7th minute Postal advanced up the park with Phillip Wallace hitting a volley wide.  Again on the 9th minute Phil had a shot from outside the box heading over the Glendale bar.

Postal were now dominating, having finally woken up, on 15 minutes Abel took a poor first touch in the Glendale box however set himself up for a volley that went over.

20th Min Glendale almost increased their goal tally, when Postal conceded a needless corner.  Ball swung in to the back post that seen number 8 slide but miss the ball to covert.

Postal would finally pull a goal back on the 22nd minute with some excellent play.  Ball played into the middle of the park was headed back from Ahmed to Phil, who in turn played the ball out to Abel.  Abel slipped in Duncan MacKenzie who set up Phil in the box who slammed home.  No less than the midfielder deserved, great run and has been a revelation since signing.  Busier than a one armed brick layer in Ukraine today and in recent weeks. 

1 – 3

30th Minute postal should have pulled another back.  A ball over the top from MacRae released Abel who raced down the Postal right before cutting the ball back to Ahmed who seen his left foot shot go into the ground and wide.  A real opportunity.

All Postal now on the 33rd minute Ahmed would race down the Postal right laying the ball back to Abel who rather than shoot first time took a touch and the ball went into the keepers hands.  Abel has been on fine goal scoring form of late so why he took a touch only he will know when it seemed to the entire sideline he could have simply rolled the ball home.

35 minutes into the encounter a Steele free kick was headed narrowly wide by MacKenzie.

43rd minute great play from Ahmed to release Abel down the Postal right, driving into the box the midfielder slide the ball under the Glendale keeper to pull another goal back for the home side.  Great play and a great finish as Postal finished the half on top.

2 – 3 Half Time

Bar the crazy first 5 minutes Postal generally dominated the first half.  The Postal management team told the team to go out and continue as they finished the first half, working the ball down the wings and getting bodies into the box.  As Glendale were opting to go long the defence were asked to ensure they had cover and win the first ball as much as possible.

50th minute Harry McAuley and Adam Veitch replaced by Andrew Baxter and Steven Carter.

55th minute following a foul on Frampton, Ahmed picked up the ball in the box from a Phillip Wallace pass, electing to dribble rather than shoot first time when the trigger was finally pulled the ball went over the bar.  Real opportunity missed.

60th minute following a foul Frampton was released down the Postal left and seen his strong first time shot go over the bar.  Caught the ball too sweet if anything.

62nd Frampton was having a real impact on the Postal left as Glendale began to tire. Fouled, Abel would take the free kick flashing it into the box for a Glendale defender to divert over the bar. 

67th minute following a corner the ball broke to Baxter at the edge of the box, firing with his left foot the ball struck the post.  Great effort and unlucky not to grab the equaliser for the home team.

Postal would huff and puff, Wallace and Abel going deeper to collect the ball.  The team, rather than continue to feed Frampton, would elect to go to the right or play through the middle which would suit Glendale who at this point were camped out in their own half and defending well.

70th minute Brechin and Paterson would replace Duncan MacKenzie and Keiron Dowbekin. 

80th minute Murray would enter the field of play at the expense of Sultan Ahmed.

On the 84th minute Glendale would extend their lead and score the final goal of the day.  A long kick out via their keeper was missed by Steele in the Postal defence.  Covering Carter then missed the ball in the air, still in command the defender would lose his footing and eventually hit the deck after 10 yards of fighting the earths gravitational pull.  Number 9 rounded Cormack in goal and took the applause from his team mates.

2 – 4

Final Score 

Credit to Glendale, although Postal didn’t make them work for the goals some excellent finishes and defended with real bravery and skill in the second half particularly.  Scoring goals by shooting a philosophy not lost on the Glendale players, something Postal would do well to note.

Although Postal started off with possibly the worst start in the clubs history, the players done well to fight back and make a game of the encounter.  Disappointing not to put some distance between Postal and the chasing pack in the league however the beauty of football is there is always next week to correct the mistakes we witnessed today. 

Man of the Match – Phillip Wallace

Substitutes Not Used – Sergiu Cotovici & David Finch