Postal ALC 7 - Stoneywood Parkvale 3 - Div1 North - Webster Park - 26th April

Postal ALC welcomed Stoneywood to Webster park Saturday 26th April.  Postal won the corresponding fixture earlier in the season 1 – 2 however Stoneywood are a well-established 1st Division club so all involved with Postal knew this would be a hard game. 

Due to holidays, suspensions and injury Postal could only name a squad of 14.  Four changes to the first team with McAuley coming back in up front, Wallace and Macrae taking to the centre of the park in midfield and defence respectively and Webster returning to the full back position. 

Team Selection:

Grant Cormack

Bruce Webster

Doug Russell

Euan Brechin

James Steele

Ali Macrae

Phillip Wallace

Alex Clark

Sultan Ahmed

Steven Abel

Harry McAuley

Bench:

David Finch

Lee Scott

Andrew Baxter

Barry Patterson

Captain Steele wont the coin toss and Postal kicked off the match.

On the 3rd minute a Russell throw in landed at the feet of McAuley who turned his defender easily and unluckily seen his shot glide along the goal line.  A real sign of the strikers intent. 

4th minute Wallace fouled.  Phil picked himself up and took the freekick himself, with the Stoneywood keeper pulling off a great stop.

Postal had started with great intensity and on the 8th minute great skill from Abel flicking the ball over the defenders head just inside the box, unfortunately his shot went wide of the target.

On the 10th minute a near carbon copy, a Russell throw in to Wallace seen the attacking midfielder chip the ball over the defenders head however again his shot went wide.

13th minute Stoneywood took a free kick however it was cleared well by Brechin.

On the 18th minute Postal took a well deserved lead.  Brechin played the ball out of defence to Ahmed, who in turn sprayed the ball across the Abel.  In on goal Abel seen his shot saved well by the keeper but McAuley was on hand to slam the ball home.  Great move and finish.

1 – 0

Postal were playing the ball out from the back extremely well, namely on the right hand side with Russell bombing on down the wing and carrying the ball well into the Stoneywood half with relative ease. 

30th minute long ball played up to McAuley seen the strikers hold the ball up well and release Abel who shot wide.

31st minute an outstanding tackle by Macrae seen the defender get back up and play the ball into Abel.  Abel cut the ball back to Ahmed who seen his shot deflected wide.

35th minute Abel plays the ball into McAuley who takes on his man with ease before shooting at goal however again the Stoneywood keeper pulled off a great stop for a corner.  The corner beat everyone in the box however it was McAuley who picked the ball up shooting from range which again seen the Stoneywood keeper pull off a great save.

39th min disaster for Postal as Stoneywood equalised.  Captain Steele’s pass forward to Wallace in midfield was intercepted by a Stoneywood player.  Russell upended the player some 25 yards from the Postal goal, 8 yards in from the left touchline.  Stoneywoods number 6 took the free kick electing to shoot for goal and beat Cormack at his near post into the top corner.  A great free kick from number 6 as Postal expected a cross into the box. 

HT 1 – 1

First half the Postal passing, decision making and final pass was lacking of any quality.  Management team requested the ball be moved faster rather than over playing the football.

At the start of the second half on 48 min the ball was moved to Russell midway into the Stoneywood half.  Russell cut inside and unleashed a thunderbolt from 30 yards with his left foot straight into the top corner of the Stoneywood goal.  No less than Russell deserved driving the team forward from the right back slot. 

2 – 1

On the 55th minute Postal would extend their lead.  A Steele corner was attacked by Brechin and the Postal number 5 headed the ball home.  Great goal from Brechin who has excelled since moving back to centre half.

3 – 1

56th minute Russell robbed the Stoneywood winger of the ball and played an excellent ball over the top to Wallace racing through the centre of the park.  Rather than take the ball closer to goal, Wallace struck the ball with the outside of his left foot into the top left hand corner of the goal.  An outstanding strike from Wallace which gathered applause from both sidelines.

4 – 1

60th minute ball up to McAuley was held up and laid off to Wallace, shooting from 25 yards the Stoneywood keeper again saved well.  As the ball was still alive it fell to Steele who slipped in McAuley who crossed to Abel.  5 yards from goal the winger managed to fluff his lines and put the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score. 

60th minute Lee Scott replaces Alex Clark.  Clark has played every minute since returning from holiday and has been a real driving force in Postals midfield coinciding with the clubs rise up the league standings.

62nd minute Stoneywood pulled a goal back.  21 drove into the Postal half, played the ball to number 7 who shot from range, taking a wicked deflection off Russell and into the Postal goal.

4 – 2

70th min Baxter replaces Ahmed.

75th minute Stoneywood have a free kick some 30 yards from goal.  Number 23 shoots, beats Cormack and fortunately the crossbar comes to Postals aid. 

76th minute free kick to Postal.  Steele rolls the ball to Wallace akin to the Tolbooth goal, this time the Stoneywood keeper pull off a wonder save.  Great strike by Wallace.

79th minute Steele plays in McAuley who shoots over the bar.

80th minute Patterson replaces Steele in the Postal midfield.

81st min Patterson picks up the ball on the Postal left, cuts in field and passes to Wallace who in turns feeds the strong running Baxter who slots home.

5 – 2

83rd min Stoneywood freekick 25 yards out.  23 takes it quickly to Cormacks near post.  Looks like Cormack saves but ball squirms under the Postal number 1 and into the net.

5 – 3

85th minute Webster releases McAuley who runs from his own half, composes himself in the Stoneywood box and slots home.  Great goal by the striker showing real class in the one on one situation.

6 – 3

90th min Scott plays in McAuley who slots into the goal bottom left to confirm his first hattrick for the club.  Another great finish.

7 – 3

FT

7 – 3

Substitutes Not Used – David Finch

MoM – James Steele

Excellent second half from Postal.  It can be extremely difficult to change a style of play/get out a rut but the team moved the ball far quicker second half and played with real intent.  Although conceding 3 goals defence looked compact and well organised.  Attacking wise Postal were a joy to watch second half.  Individual praise for Wallace driving the team forward and McAuley who was unplayable today and has kicked on exponentially of late.  Well played.