Postal ALC 3 - University 3 - Div 2 North - Webster Park 15/04/2023

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

OPPOSITION MOTM – S.Carter

Postal welcomed University to Webster Park still smarting from their 6-1 thrashing from the students 2 weeks ago.

Captain Patterson was welcomed back into the squad, on the bench, after coming back from an ankle injury.

Postal started the game well and were putting a lot of pressure on the Uni defense in the opening ten minutes of the game but Uni came back and forced 2 or three corners, generating a couple of half chances after poor marking by Postal.

On 20 minutes, another set piece into the box saw Postal get lucky when an unmarked student got a head to the ball at the back post and sent his header just over the bar.

Half an hour into the match and Uni took the lead. A long ball over the top saw Baxter, unusually, get beat for pace. The forward came in from his right into the box and calmly slotted a low shot pas Cruickshank into the keeper’s right hand post. 0-1.

Postal, possibly still thinking about the previous fixture, were sitting a bit deep at this point and were encouraged to get the midfield higher up the park.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC – 0 – University 1

Postal started the second half much more positively and were rewarded 5 minutes into the half when a corner sent into the box was headed home by Baxter. Good finish. 1-1.

A minute later, though, and Postal were one behind again. Almost direct from the kickoff, Uni strode forward unchallenged, sent the ball wide on the right and when the cross came into the box, it sailed over midfielder Hunter’s head without any other defenders in sight and an unmarked student at the back post headed home unchallenged. 1-2.

Credit to Postal, they didn’t buckle and equalised, again, on 8 minutes. A Riddell free kick could only be parried by the Uni keeper and Hunter was on hand in the box to loop an overhead kick into the net. Game on. 2-2.

A minute later and Postal had a chance to take the lead when they were awarded a pen after a hand ball in the box. Riddell picked up the ball but his shot lacked any real power, or placement, and the keeper saved, sending the ball over the bar to safety.

5 minutes later and Postal would take the lead after a really good move. Hard work by Steele and Carter down the Postal right, saw Carter drill in a low cross. Hunter stepped over the ball and it found Melia at the back post who made no mistake hammering home. 3-2.

Postal were buzzing at this point and playing all the football. 20 minutes into the half and good work by Maciver saw him cross to Melia but his header went just wide.

Against the run of play, Postal gave away a corner half an hour into the second half. Similar to the set pieces of the first period, a Uni player was allowed to get a free header and this time made no mistake. Poor marking from a defense already well warned earlier in the match. 3-3.

Uni had a player sent off after 35 minutes for a silly second booking.

40 minutes into the half and the Postal sideline thought they had scored when a stramash on the Uni goal line saw MacDonald get his shot away but it was saved and never went over the line.

43 minutes and Postal were still threatening trying manfully to get the winner. This time a throw in fell to Cotovici at the back post. The wee man was literally just on the park and his first touch of the match unfortunately went just wide.

Melia had a last chance a minute later when he was sent through on goal. With unmarked Cotovici waiting for the pass on the right, Melia decided to shoot from just outside the box. Great effort but tipped over the bar by the keeper.

Postal thought they would get one more chance as Melia was fed the ball in a similar position again a minute later, but the ref blew for full time.

Overall, a very decent effort against a team who put 6 by us two weeks ago but 3 poor goals to lose today, it must be said, due, more, to a lack of concentration than anything else.

Some nice football today though, and more than dominated the second half. Again, effort could not be faulted at all.

Next up Halliburton at home.