St Marnans 1 - Postal ALC 1 - Div1 North - Aberchirder - 2nd Nov 2024

TEAM - 1. David Finch 2. AEuan Brechindam Veitch 3. Kieron Dowbekin 4. Steven Carter 5. Alli Macrae 6. James Steele 7. Lee Scott 8. Steven Abel 9. Duncan Mackenzie 10. 11. Harry McCauley 12. Scott Stuart 14. Sergiu Cotovici 15. Sultan Ahmed 16. Duncan Paterson. 17. Grant Cormack 18. Barry Patterson

OPPOSITION MOTM – Euan Brechin

Postal ALC were on their travels again this time to Aberchirder to face St Marnans.

St Marnans have been on a good run of late and have had the upper hand on Postal in the recent years so a hard game was expected coming off the back of defeats from Alford, Cove and Kincorth.

Captain James Steele returned to the starting line up following his holiday, Andrew Baxter dropped out injured. Euan Brechin stepped back into the middle of the park with Bruce Webster unavailable. Grant Cormack was delayed and was replaced by David Finch in the starting line up.

Postal started the game shooting up the minor slope and on the 2nd minute great play by Duncan Mackenzie seen the forward burst down the Postal right and swing in a cross, a carbon copy on the 3rd minute had the Postal sideline screaming for the big striker to shoot even though the angle was tight.

Mackenzie was holding the ball in well and on the 4th minute a long kick off from Finch found the Postal number 9 who chested the ball down and played a ball over the top to the strong running Brechin who lobbed the keeper. 0–1

On the 7th minute St Marnans had a corner which seen the number 18 head over the bar.

On the 9th minute Mackenzie spun, turned and shot at goal however the ball went into the hands of the St Marnans keeper.

Postal were playing some great stuff, giving the opposition no time on the ball and dominating and on 12 minutes a Brechin cross seen Mackenzie miss time his leap and not contact the ball when the goal was there at his mercy.

20 minutes in and St Marnans were gathering momentum, a cross from the Postal right seen Keiron head over under his own cross bar. Keiron Dowbekin had been injured for the majority of the previous season and has impressed in the games since his return.

On the 24th minute a Steele cross was met by Macauley however his header went wide, with Veitch unable to make contact with the ball before it went out of play.

On 30 minutes the home side thought they had levelled the score from a scramble in the box following a corner however the referee spied a hand ball in the box and a foul was awarded to Postal.

Half Time – St Marnans 0 – Postal ALC 1

At half time the Postal management called for more intensity and to continue pressing the ball. They warned the team that the only clear cut chances St Marnans were making were coming from corner kicks.

On 47 minutes a Veitch shot went wide of the target and on 50 min a Brechin throw ball to Mackenzie was halted due to an offside decision.

St Marnans certainly had more of the ball in the second half with the ball not sticking up top with the front 3 for Postal although Postal would continue to defend well and create chances at the other end.

On 53 minutes Macrae strode forward and played in an excellent cross that seen Brechin head over the bar.

55 min a James Steele cut inside onto his left foot and from 23 yards seen his attempt blocked for a corner.

On 65 minutes Macrae was caught on the ball at the back, the St Marnans player advanced on the Postal goal however Dowbekin was on hand to divert for a corner. Great covering from the left back.

On 66 min a St Marnans corner was bundled into the net however again the goal was chopped off for a foul on keeper Finch.

Postal replaced Macauley with Sultan Ahmed. Harry had done a power of work down the Postal left wing.

The warning signs were there for Postal and on 74 minutes St Marnans should have been awarded a penalty. A corner swung in from the Postal left was met by a St Marnans player, goal bound, captain Steele tipped the ball over with his hand. Fortunately the referee didn’t see the incident.

On the 77th minute the game should have been over as a contest. Abel drove down the Postal right taking on 3 players before finding himself in the box, squaring to Brechin the midfielder saw his shot go wide of the target. A real let off for the home side.

From the resultant goal kick St Marnans left winger 14 cut in from the Postal right and tested finch with a long range effort which sailed wide of target.

On the 80th minute Postal had a glaring opportunity spurned. Finch launched a goal kick to Brechin who flicked onto Paterson who played in Abel, one on one with the keeper the Postal winger chipped the ball over his head only to see it go wide of the target.

St Marnans went up the park and directly won a corner. The ball was played deep into the Postal deep and seen number 4 beat Macrae in the air to level the scoring for the home side. Disappointing defending but no more than St Marnans deserved in the balance of play. 1-1

On the 83rd number 14 again cut in on the Postal right, however his shot went wide.

85th minute Postal took a free kick into the St Marnans box, headed clear number 14 advanced up the field and had a chance to slip his striker in however elected to shoot wide of the Postal goal.

FT 1 – 1

Unused Subs – Grant Cormack, Barry Patterson, Scott Stuart & Sergiu Cotovici