Post by Brian Mackay on Jul 24, 2003 19:43:10 GMT
CAFA League Division One - Tuesday 15th of July 2003
Francis Street Club 0 V Pentland United 8 - By Michael Gray
For the third consecutive league game in a row United visited Wick this time to complete their league obligations with the FSC a warm summer's night was the order of the day in the Royal Burgh marking the recent heating up in the race for the championship. The United squad was minus Inrig (hamstring), Boyd (ankle), Manson (graduation) and A Mackay and J Mackay both away however J Sutherland made a welcome return to the squad after injury.
United opened brightly enough a Cassidy shot from the edge of the box had the keeper in trouble as the ball skipped of the turf but Thacker reacted quickest to clear the ball to safety with the United's frontline waiting for any mistakes. United almost opened the scoring again after 5 mins when Mackenzie did well getting to the bye line and crossing for Morris who never got any real purchase on the header but as the bar looped up Farmer following could only knock the ball over the bar in a challenge with the keeper.
Tony Farquhar created the next opportunity when he dribbled to the dead ball line before cutting back for Morris who from 8 yards out seemed odds on to score but the outstretched leg of a defender saw the ball ricochet away from goal. United had fallen into a 1 dimensional pattern of play, which was neither pleasing on the eye nor particularly effective as the FSC defence stood firm although to be honest they were having little difficulty dealing with style of play United had adopted.
Farquhar then had a splendid chance when he latched on to a Morris knocked down from a Bremner freekick but he only managed to stab the ball past the post with the goal gaping. The same player almost immediately had another chance pouncing on a slack goal kick he ran forward before striking from 20 yards but the ball soared over the bar without ever looking like troubling the keeper.
FSC then had an unbelievable escape when Morris got to the bye line cut the ball back for Cassidy to tap into an empty but in re-enactment of the Morris incident in the previous Rovers game he flicked the ball over the bar. But United finally made the breakthrough after 25 mins Morris turned in the box and drove the ball goal wards, which the keeper blocked however Cassidy followed to net from 12 yards with a shot on the half volley.
This seemed to gee up United a little but still their play was rather subdued in terms of quality Ross Sutherland rose at the far post to knock down a Bremner corner but again there was no takers as the ball bounced up into the grateful arms of the FSC keeper. The keeper was then a full stretch to palm away a Mackenzie cross after he had done well down the left had side with Farquhar waiting to pounce. Cassidy could only look on in disbelief as his shot the smacked off the post with the keeper well beaten but again the defence reacted quickest to clear the danger.
United then doubled their advantage when Mackenzie swung in a freekick from about 40 yards allowing Morris to header into the danger area causing problems in the FSC defence resulting in an attempted clearance being charged down by Farquhar with the ball looping into the net for a somewhat fortuitous goal. The FSC attacks were few and far between but Lyall up front was always a willing runner and was lively around the ball backed up by Shepherd on the left wing. Those two players combined to create an opportunity for MacAdie but his drive was just to straight but a warning nevertheless to United that FSC could and would attack given the chance. Martin Baker then took of down the right side linking well with Cassidy before crossing into the danger area but Farquhar was snuffed out and the chance disappeared. United huffed and puffed for the rest of the half without creating anymore chances of note.
Half-time 2-0 to PUFC United opened the second half in the best possible manner Gray intercepted a high ball and set Mackenzie free on the left he ran three quarters the length of the park before crossing to the far post leaving Morris the simplest chances at the back post to make the score 3-0.
After a similarly mazy run Mackenzie found himself in the clear but his shot was beaten away for a corner at the near post and only moments later he was again on the rampage down the left this time picking out Farquhar at the back post but the striker elected to go for goal when perhaps putting the ball back across goal would have been the better option.
Number four came courtesy of some slack passing at the back from FSC Morris intercepted drove into the box and set up Cassidy who as the ball bounced up lashed the ball high into the net.
The height advantage United held offered significant problems at set pieces for the home side Farquhar almost added to the United lead within minutes at the near post from a Bremner corner but the striker just got too much on the header and the ball landed safely for FSC on the roof of the net.
United did then stretch the lead after good build up play from Farquhar he laid in Morris and the striker ran on before nestling the ball into the net with the FSC defence caught static.
The traffic was very much one way at this point United enjoying there best spell in the game with some good free flowing football. However FSC always broke clear on the few occasions they were presented with and in fact the sixth goal came from one such attack keeper Gray intercepting a through ball before launching a long clearance, which Morris won in the air allowing Cassidy the opportunity to nip in between keeper and defence to nod home and complete his hat-trick.
Mid way through the half Beattie replaced R Sutherland as the midfielder tired, not surprisingly with his recent spell of injuries and Farquhar assumed a much deeper role as United looked for more goals. Another enterprising run from Mackenzie down the left looked promising but as the wideman broke into the box he seemed to run out of ideas and Cook recovered to tackle then clear.
However on the next attack United did strike gold again Mackenzie down the left was chopped down crudely but he managed to pick himself up to swing a delightful ball where a combination of Morris and Gray presented skipper Farmer the chance to head home.
Within five minutes Farmer had doubled his personal tally when from a Beattie corner saw Morris rise and head in the general direction of the goal allowing the midfielder to volley home from a couple of yards.
Beattie then had a chance when a short corner allowed Bremner to whip an inviting cross but once he had the ball under control he delayed the shot too long before being crowded out by the defence. With 10 mins left J Sutherland replaced B Gray who had taken knock to the foot and he came on to mark his comeback from injury, Cassidy then broke clear with support either side however he elected to shoot when playing in Sutherland to his left would have definitely been the better option. Elder then entered the fray replacing Cassidy for the closing stages of he match. As the game petered away from United Morris had another opportunity when a long punt from Gray again found the striker in the clear but he shot far too early and the ball flew miles over the bar. In fact the final opportunity fell to the homeside through Scollay but the striker could only steer his shot into the side net from a tight angle.
A largely disappointing display from United who lacked fluidity to their play and lacked idea's and creation for long spells they only really played well for the first 25 mins of the second half that apart a fairly ordinary display with all due respect to FSC. Again no really outstanding performers on the night although perhaps the defence deserve a little credit for retaining their composure and concentration when FSC did break they were often out numbered but managed to retrieve the situations
M Gray, B Gray (J Sutherland 80), J Skinner, M Baker,
R Farmer, G Bremner, R Sutherland (R Beattie 65),
T Farquhar, L Cassidy (G Elder 85), K Morris, N Mackenzie
;D
Francis Street Club 0 V Pentland United 8 - By Michael Gray
For the third consecutive league game in a row United visited Wick this time to complete their league obligations with the FSC a warm summer's night was the order of the day in the Royal Burgh marking the recent heating up in the race for the championship. The United squad was minus Inrig (hamstring), Boyd (ankle), Manson (graduation) and A Mackay and J Mackay both away however J Sutherland made a welcome return to the squad after injury.
United opened brightly enough a Cassidy shot from the edge of the box had the keeper in trouble as the ball skipped of the turf but Thacker reacted quickest to clear the ball to safety with the United's frontline waiting for any mistakes. United almost opened the scoring again after 5 mins when Mackenzie did well getting to the bye line and crossing for Morris who never got any real purchase on the header but as the bar looped up Farmer following could only knock the ball over the bar in a challenge with the keeper.
Tony Farquhar created the next opportunity when he dribbled to the dead ball line before cutting back for Morris who from 8 yards out seemed odds on to score but the outstretched leg of a defender saw the ball ricochet away from goal. United had fallen into a 1 dimensional pattern of play, which was neither pleasing on the eye nor particularly effective as the FSC defence stood firm although to be honest they were having little difficulty dealing with style of play United had adopted.
Farquhar then had a splendid chance when he latched on to a Morris knocked down from a Bremner freekick but he only managed to stab the ball past the post with the goal gaping. The same player almost immediately had another chance pouncing on a slack goal kick he ran forward before striking from 20 yards but the ball soared over the bar without ever looking like troubling the keeper.
FSC then had an unbelievable escape when Morris got to the bye line cut the ball back for Cassidy to tap into an empty but in re-enactment of the Morris incident in the previous Rovers game he flicked the ball over the bar. But United finally made the breakthrough after 25 mins Morris turned in the box and drove the ball goal wards, which the keeper blocked however Cassidy followed to net from 12 yards with a shot on the half volley.
This seemed to gee up United a little but still their play was rather subdued in terms of quality Ross Sutherland rose at the far post to knock down a Bremner corner but again there was no takers as the ball bounced up into the grateful arms of the FSC keeper. The keeper was then a full stretch to palm away a Mackenzie cross after he had done well down the left had side with Farquhar waiting to pounce. Cassidy could only look on in disbelief as his shot the smacked off the post with the keeper well beaten but again the defence reacted quickest to clear the danger.
United then doubled their advantage when Mackenzie swung in a freekick from about 40 yards allowing Morris to header into the danger area causing problems in the FSC defence resulting in an attempted clearance being charged down by Farquhar with the ball looping into the net for a somewhat fortuitous goal. The FSC attacks were few and far between but Lyall up front was always a willing runner and was lively around the ball backed up by Shepherd on the left wing. Those two players combined to create an opportunity for MacAdie but his drive was just to straight but a warning nevertheless to United that FSC could and would attack given the chance. Martin Baker then took of down the right side linking well with Cassidy before crossing into the danger area but Farquhar was snuffed out and the chance disappeared. United huffed and puffed for the rest of the half without creating anymore chances of note.
Half-time 2-0 to PUFC United opened the second half in the best possible manner Gray intercepted a high ball and set Mackenzie free on the left he ran three quarters the length of the park before crossing to the far post leaving Morris the simplest chances at the back post to make the score 3-0.
After a similarly mazy run Mackenzie found himself in the clear but his shot was beaten away for a corner at the near post and only moments later he was again on the rampage down the left this time picking out Farquhar at the back post but the striker elected to go for goal when perhaps putting the ball back across goal would have been the better option.
Number four came courtesy of some slack passing at the back from FSC Morris intercepted drove into the box and set up Cassidy who as the ball bounced up lashed the ball high into the net.
The height advantage United held offered significant problems at set pieces for the home side Farquhar almost added to the United lead within minutes at the near post from a Bremner corner but the striker just got too much on the header and the ball landed safely for FSC on the roof of the net.
United did then stretch the lead after good build up play from Farquhar he laid in Morris and the striker ran on before nestling the ball into the net with the FSC defence caught static.
The traffic was very much one way at this point United enjoying there best spell in the game with some good free flowing football. However FSC always broke clear on the few occasions they were presented with and in fact the sixth goal came from one such attack keeper Gray intercepting a through ball before launching a long clearance, which Morris won in the air allowing Cassidy the opportunity to nip in between keeper and defence to nod home and complete his hat-trick.
Mid way through the half Beattie replaced R Sutherland as the midfielder tired, not surprisingly with his recent spell of injuries and Farquhar assumed a much deeper role as United looked for more goals. Another enterprising run from Mackenzie down the left looked promising but as the wideman broke into the box he seemed to run out of ideas and Cook recovered to tackle then clear.
However on the next attack United did strike gold again Mackenzie down the left was chopped down crudely but he managed to pick himself up to swing a delightful ball where a combination of Morris and Gray presented skipper Farmer the chance to head home.
Within five minutes Farmer had doubled his personal tally when from a Beattie corner saw Morris rise and head in the general direction of the goal allowing the midfielder to volley home from a couple of yards.
Beattie then had a chance when a short corner allowed Bremner to whip an inviting cross but once he had the ball under control he delayed the shot too long before being crowded out by the defence. With 10 mins left J Sutherland replaced B Gray who had taken knock to the foot and he came on to mark his comeback from injury, Cassidy then broke clear with support either side however he elected to shoot when playing in Sutherland to his left would have definitely been the better option. Elder then entered the fray replacing Cassidy for the closing stages of he match. As the game petered away from United Morris had another opportunity when a long punt from Gray again found the striker in the clear but he shot far too early and the ball flew miles over the bar. In fact the final opportunity fell to the homeside through Scollay but the striker could only steer his shot into the side net from a tight angle.
A largely disappointing display from United who lacked fluidity to their play and lacked idea's and creation for long spells they only really played well for the first 25 mins of the second half that apart a fairly ordinary display with all due respect to FSC. Again no really outstanding performers on the night although perhaps the defence deserve a little credit for retaining their composure and concentration when FSC did break they were often out numbered but managed to retrieve the situations
M Gray, B Gray (J Sutherland 80), J Skinner, M Baker,
R Farmer, G Bremner, R Sutherland (R Beattie 65),
T Farquhar, L Cassidy (G Elder 85), K Morris, N Mackenzie
;D