Postal ALC V Continental - Friendly - Webster Park - 29th July

TEAM - 1. D.Cruickshank 2. T.Goke-Dabiri 3. A.Baxter 4. A.Riddell 5. L.Giulianotti 6. M.Hunter 7. A.Clark 8. S.Ahmed 9. S.Cotovici 10. P.Frampton 11. N.Wiley 12. S.Abel 14. I.Bruce

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Lovely day with the pitch looking in cracking condition for the Webster Park derby and Postal's third preseason outing.

Team selection was a nightmare with 13 players missing for holidays and other commitments meaning that two trialists (Saiyed and Steven Abel) were drafted in and Ian Bruce donned the shin guards for the first time in a wee while.

The game started tight with neither team setting the world alight and nothing really in it. The Postal pressing was very good and knocking Conti out of any rhythm which was good to see after working on it a lot.

After 15 minutes Peter was sent down the right-hand side by Theo and managed to get in behind the full back and goal side in the box. There was a coming together which could easily have been a penalty but the referee waved play on. Couple of minutes later Conti forward found themselves clean through one on one with Donald but the goalie made a good save. The forward looked a mile offside but the defence can't just stop without any VAR at Webster Park!

This chance only spurred Postal into action and they went up the other end and scored. Good play from Serg at the edge of the ball turning the defence one way and then another resulted in a tackle from the centre half falling at the feet of ALEX CLARK who looked composed and dispatched a great finish high past the Continental goalkeeper. 1-0

Postal got their end up after the goal and were always trying to play football. There were a few rusty players in the team though and this started to tell with passes going astray. Still the press was good but you could tell fitness of boys not used to playing was starting to catch up a bit and Continental were getting more and more into the game.

on 40 minutes Donald tried to play out from the back but Saiyed was slow and got caught in possession. Through ball looked to be dealt with but the striker went down like he'd been shot all arms and legs and the referee decided to give a penalty. Looked soft to me. Continental player stood up and smashed a good penalty low into the corner, but Donald got finger tips to it he really had no chance. 1-1.

Continental nearly went into the break in front when a short corner was taken and the midfielder sent a looping shot towards the top corner that Donald had to be on top form to keep out. LAZY defending letting a short corner happen like that.

Steven Abel came on for Saiyed at half time and there was a lot of talk of getting the energy levels back up to where they were in the first thirty minutes. The boys seem to take this on as the second half started with strong running from Alex going past three or four players and only a good tackle stopped him getting his shot away. Continental were playing the ball around now and the press wasn't going right for Postal at all. There was plenty effort but looked like the plans had been forgotten.

On 65 minutes a long ball caught the Postal defence out leaving the forward one on one and only another good save from Donald stopped Continental taking the lead. Just after this Peter came off with a knock of knees and Saiyed went back on with the instruction to try and get a bit of energy back into the play. Postal forced a couple of quick corners in succession but this was just a flash in the pan and players were struggling in the heat, looking tired and some others getting frustrated.

On 75 minutes Continental took the lead in bizarre circumstance when a long ball looked to be causing no danger but Theo cleared it against Riddell and the ball fell right to the Continental striker who was chasing in looking for any scraps and he finished it beautifully. 1-2

Shoulders were really down now and lots of boys looked tired. There was no lack of effort and nobody downed tools but the game just petered out with no other chance and Postal never really looking like making any. Disappointed result but with so many missing players, boys playing 90 minutes that don't normally and trialists coming in without even a training session it was probably one we could have predicted before a ball was kicked. Still some good stuff played, especially the first half hour. You can see we have good players and plenty more to come back to help. Last game on Wednesday night before the real stuff starts 5th August.