Post by Michael Gray on May 14, 2007 11:15:02 GMT
Another rural derby saw Halkirk visit on the back of a disappointing performance in Castletown the previous week the home side were keen to kick off the first of a league and HA Cup double header with a positive performance as it would turn out it was far from plain sailing but in the end victory was achieved. United had an early scare when keeper Gray went down heavily coming for a Graham Gunn cross he seemed to collide with his own player but after lengthy treatment was able to continue. Steven Campbell had the visitors first chance when Gary Mackay half cleared a cross out to about 25 yards from goal with a slight angle the midfielder didn’t hesitate before unleashing a powerful volley that whistled passed Gray’s left hand post. United’s inability to take advantage of set-pieces was again apparent after 15 minutes a driven corner from Bremner picked out centre half Gray who bulleted a header back against the balance of MacCulloch but wide as frustration began to show with United having the better of the general play but without really troubling the Halkirk rearguard. The same combination was again out of luck around five minutes later after Gunn had hauled down Smith on the left hand side the skipper swung in a deep cross that again saw the defender fail to trouble the keeper. It was far from one way traffic though Mackay was slightly short with a pass back to Gray who failed to make any great distance with his clearance only picking out Lee Elder on the left who did well before picking out his brother Stevie whose attempted head flick flew over the bar. Martin Bain obviously keen to impress against his home team then warmed the gloves of MacCulloch who brought out a fine save as the pacey frontman drove in a shot from the edge of the box. Steven again fell foul of the referee when he became the game's first booking for a crunching tackle on Campbell that left the midfielder in some pain. However once again United were struggling to find fluency and seemed to be missing co-ordination in their attacking play, Golspie based winger Aarron Smith was showing good movement but far to often his team-mates passing was to erratic to find him.
Half time
Pentland United 0-0 Halkirk
Whatever Duncan Gray said to his team at half-time seemed to have dramatic effect after two minutes Michael Steven strode into the centre of the park and played a great defence splitting ball for Grant Budge where the wily veteran Davie Blackwood had to look smart to turn away for a corner. Skipper Bremner swept in a cross that picked out his central midfield partner Inrig who took a touch before smashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net for a quite superb opener. With the confidence starting to return United look a different team both full backs seemed able to push on giving more options as Halkirk’s strategy had to completely change. However 10 minutes into the half their hopes were dealt a further blow pacey winger Smith knocked the ball around Campbell around 40 yards from goal and accelerated away from his opponent who tried manfully to keep up with the wideman just as Smith darted into the box he drew the lunge from Campbell, which set him tumbling and referee Arrowsmith was never in any doubt as he pointed to the spot, Willie Inrig accepted the responsibility to double both his own and the clubs tally with a sweet right footed penalty. Halkirk did try and rally but were finding things a little more difficult than the first half, MacCulloch had to look sharp diving at the feet of Lee Sutherland as the midfielder tried to burst into the box. Graham Gunn probably had the visitor’s best opportunity at this stage when met an Elder corner but failed to find the target. Grant Budge then forced keeper MacCulloch into another decent save tipping away a looping header from a Gray long throw. The killer third goal came with just over 20 mins left and it was all about Gary Mackay the fullback picked up the ball at the edge of his own box drove to half way and fed Scott Mackay-Steven who had replaced Bain only a few minutes previously the tall attacking midfielder showed great composure to step away from Henderson before laying the ball back into the path of Mackay who had continued his lunge bursting run he showed great composure drawing the defence before delivering a pin-point cross to the feet of the inrushing Budge to tap home from close range for a classic counter attacking goal. Mackay-Steven then really should have wrapped up the game when Bremner picked him out charging through from midfield he raced into the box but MacCulloch stood up well and brought of an excellent save with his feet. Halkirk then came within inches of scoring a long ball into the box sparked a scramble on the edge of the box before the ball finally dropped to Lee Elder who hit a sweet shot that crashed off the face of the bar and away to safety. Young substitute Liam Mackay also showed some excellent touches as he showed up well up front and he also had a decent half chance after Elder had picked him out with a pass Mackay took a touch before shooting narrowly over with Gray beaten. With around 10 mins left United had the final say in proceedings when another booming Gray throw was met by Budge who sent it spiralling into the top corner leaving MacCulloch helpless.
Full time
Pentland United 4-0 Halkirk
(Inrig 48 & 56 (pen), Budge 68 & 77)
1. M Gray 2. G Mackay 3. J Skinner 4. B Gray 5. M Steven (A Richardson 68) 6. G Bremner (c) 7. L Sutherland (G Mackenzie 78) 8. W Inrig 9. M Bain (S Mackay-Steven 65) 10. G Budge 11. A Smith
View from the goal
Super second half performance after we seemed to suffer a Castletown hangover in the first period. Once we scored we settled down and played some pretty decent football however we must look to apply that over the entire 90 mins in future. Halkirk are a very well organised outfit and Saturday will now be another very difficult fixture where we must look to improve in certain aspects of our game but as I have said before we are very much a developing side and these things don’t knit in 5 mins.
Half time
Pentland United 0-0 Halkirk
Whatever Duncan Gray said to his team at half-time seemed to have dramatic effect after two minutes Michael Steven strode into the centre of the park and played a great defence splitting ball for Grant Budge where the wily veteran Davie Blackwood had to look smart to turn away for a corner. Skipper Bremner swept in a cross that picked out his central midfield partner Inrig who took a touch before smashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net for a quite superb opener. With the confidence starting to return United look a different team both full backs seemed able to push on giving more options as Halkirk’s strategy had to completely change. However 10 minutes into the half their hopes were dealt a further blow pacey winger Smith knocked the ball around Campbell around 40 yards from goal and accelerated away from his opponent who tried manfully to keep up with the wideman just as Smith darted into the box he drew the lunge from Campbell, which set him tumbling and referee Arrowsmith was never in any doubt as he pointed to the spot, Willie Inrig accepted the responsibility to double both his own and the clubs tally with a sweet right footed penalty. Halkirk did try and rally but were finding things a little more difficult than the first half, MacCulloch had to look sharp diving at the feet of Lee Sutherland as the midfielder tried to burst into the box. Graham Gunn probably had the visitor’s best opportunity at this stage when met an Elder corner but failed to find the target. Grant Budge then forced keeper MacCulloch into another decent save tipping away a looping header from a Gray long throw. The killer third goal came with just over 20 mins left and it was all about Gary Mackay the fullback picked up the ball at the edge of his own box drove to half way and fed Scott Mackay-Steven who had replaced Bain only a few minutes previously the tall attacking midfielder showed great composure to step away from Henderson before laying the ball back into the path of Mackay who had continued his lunge bursting run he showed great composure drawing the defence before delivering a pin-point cross to the feet of the inrushing Budge to tap home from close range for a classic counter attacking goal. Mackay-Steven then really should have wrapped up the game when Bremner picked him out charging through from midfield he raced into the box but MacCulloch stood up well and brought of an excellent save with his feet. Halkirk then came within inches of scoring a long ball into the box sparked a scramble on the edge of the box before the ball finally dropped to Lee Elder who hit a sweet shot that crashed off the face of the bar and away to safety. Young substitute Liam Mackay also showed some excellent touches as he showed up well up front and he also had a decent half chance after Elder had picked him out with a pass Mackay took a touch before shooting narrowly over with Gray beaten. With around 10 mins left United had the final say in proceedings when another booming Gray throw was met by Budge who sent it spiralling into the top corner leaving MacCulloch helpless.
Full time
Pentland United 4-0 Halkirk
(Inrig 48 & 56 (pen), Budge 68 & 77)
1. M Gray 2. G Mackay 3. J Skinner 4. B Gray 5. M Steven (A Richardson 68) 6. G Bremner (c) 7. L Sutherland (G Mackenzie 78) 8. W Inrig 9. M Bain (S Mackay-Steven 65) 10. G Budge 11. A Smith
View from the goal
Super second half performance after we seemed to suffer a Castletown hangover in the first period. Once we scored we settled down and played some pretty decent football however we must look to apply that over the entire 90 mins in future. Halkirk are a very well organised outfit and Saturday will now be another very difficult fixture where we must look to improve in certain aspects of our game but as I have said before we are very much a developing side and these things don’t knit in 5 mins.