POSTAL ALC 3 - STONEYWOOD EASTEND 4 - FRIENDLY - WEBSTER PARK.

TEAM - 1. R.Laing 2. A.Riddell 3. S.Stuart 4. A.Carter 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. R.Law 8. R.Lamb 9. P.Frampton 10. S.Ure 11. R.Insch 12. N.Cain 14. L.Mackie 15. S.Robertson 16. S.Cotovici.

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Covid friendly number 11.

Postal welcomed 1st Division Soneywood Eastend to Webster Park on this mild Wednesday evening game.

The first half was a fairly even affair.

Postal had the first half chance of the game when Frampton made the keeper make a save from a tight angle at his left hand post.

Stoneywood took the lead on 22 minutes and it was a cheap goal for Postal to give away. A little chip ball in behind the Postal defence found the Stoneywood forward unmarked and one on one with the Postal keeper, slow to come out, he knocked it past him to put them ahead. 0-1.

The game continued to be keenly contested with a number of meaty tackles from both sides in the middle of the park.

On 40 minutes, Postal missed a sitter (a couple of sitters actually). Lamb found himself one on one with the keeper and should have scored, but he dilly-dallied and allowed the Eastend defender to get back in front of him. When he eventually released to Hunter, on the 6 yard line, he fresh air swiped and the ball ran out to safety.

Postal equalised 2 minutes later when veteran Ure nicked the ball of the Stoneywood defence, bore down on the keeper and dispatched past him to give a deserved leveler. 1-1.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC 1 – STONEYWOOD EASTEND 1

Postal put on all 4 subs at half time.

Stoneywood regained their lead 2 minutes into the half. A simple looking ball into the Postal box, Laing, in goal, came for it but never collected and the Stoneywood forward knocked it home when it dropped at his feet. 1-2

A moment of controversy 5 minutes into the half when Postal gave away a free kick about 25 yards outside their box. With the keeper shouting for wall, and being generally ignored, the Stoneywood midfielder chipped it over Laing’s head and into the goal. Even though the referee had not blown his whistle to indicate the game could re-start the goal was given. 1-3.

Postal pulled one back 5 minutes later when a dangerous free kick into the 6 yard box saw Lamb pressure the Stoneywood defender into playing it into his own net. 2-3.

Another moment of controversy 16 minutes into the half when it looked like Hunter was fouled on the half way line the ref waived play on. Stoneywood scored from the resultant counter attack. 2-4.

To be fair Postal battled away when they could have let their heads go down and were rewarded with another goal ten minutes before the end of the game when Scott Stuart scored a free kick from about 20 yards out on the Postal left. Good goal to reward an impressive game at full back tonight by Stuart. 3-4.

Postal tried hard to get the equaliser but it wasn’t to be.

Overall, another test against a team in a higher up league and we didn’t look out of place. Some nice football from Postal tonight but we must stop giving away cheap goals when the season starts competitively.