Postal ALC 3 - Westend 1 - Edmond Trophy 1st Round - Webster Park 5th Nov 2022

TEAM - 1. D.Cruickshank 2. R.Webster 3. A.Baxter 4. C.Collie 5. B.Patterson 6. B.Schrader 7. A.Clark 8. J.Steele 9. L.Melia 10. B.Webster 11. P.Frampton 12. M.Hunter 14. C.Reith 15. S.Walker 16. M.Maciver 17. N.Wiley 18. D.Aitken 19. K.Dowbekin

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Remember Remember the 5th of November, unfortunately after an “explosive” start from Postal, this game would end up a bit of a “damp squib”.

Postal took on Westend for the third time, this season, in this Edmond Trophy 1st Round tie. Postal handed a debut to Ben Schrader and welcomed back Steele and Melia into the starting lineup.

Postal started the game shooting down the slope and had their first chance within a minute. Clark sent a ball across the face of the goal after cutting in from the left of the box. Melia made contact at the front post but it lacked any power and the keeper easily saved.

A similar chance came 5 minutes later. This time is was Andy Baxter who fired in the ball to the back post finding Melia. With the goal gaping the big striker somehow managed to send, what should have been a tap-in, past the post.

The big man made amends 2 minutes later though. A Clark freekick rebounded off the Westend wall and dropped nicely to, top scorer, Melia who produced a “rocket” of a strike to volley low into the keepers right hand side for his 11th of the season so far. 1-0.

Postal continued to put the pressure on the away defence with little coming up top from Westend. On 20 minutes Steele produced a moment of class when he received a cut back from Melia and proceeded to strike a worldy from 25 yards out into the keepers top right corner. Great strike from Steele and surprisingly only his first goal for the club after a “sparkling” start to the season. 2-0.

On 35 minutes Postal scored the third. Great work by Melia to win the ball back from a Westend defender near the right corner flag. He crossed the ball into the box and found Bruce Webster at the back post to nod home his fourth of the season. The wee man (Catherine) wheeled away in delight. 3-0.

Postal had their last chance of the half when a Steele chip to the back post found Melia who volleyed wide.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC – 3 – Westend 0

Postal started the second half brightly and only a great reaction save from the Westend keeper stopped the ball from going in the net after a stramash at a corner.

A minute later and a great ball to the back post from Melia found Frampton unmarked, but with an open goal he somehow directed his header wide. A real “let off” for Westend.

On 7 minutes a Melia shot was sent goalwards but when Steele tried to prod it home, he sent it over the bar.

Soon after, with Postal under no apparent pressure, Postal went to sleep at the back. Reith made a decent block at the front post to begin with but the resultant cross from the rebound found an unmarked Westend player who nodded into the net. Poor defending from Postal which would “spark” a mini revival from Westend. 3-1.

Westend more than came into the game for the remainder of the game with Postal struggling to get back on top after dropping down a level.

The Westend captain was lucky not to see red after stamping on Frampton's ankle. Similarly Collie was lucky to stay on the park after a tackle with both feet off the ground hit the Westend forward.

Luckily the game eventually “petered” out and Westend’s comeback was “extinguished” before it got started.

Overall a decent first half and first ten minutes of the second half but the last half hour left a bit to be desired. Most importantly Postal are into the second round. Well done.