Post by Michael Gray on Jun 29, 2008 21:34:23 GMT
United made the trip down the coast to oil rich Lybster for the first round of the David Allan Shield desperate to try and shake away the disappointment of the previous Wednesday. Fixture scheduling has left United with a tough week as they move on to the Acks on Thursday night and of course the HA Cup tie v Maryburgh on Saturday. Managerless Lybster are going through a rebuilding phase at the moment with several promising young lads coming through keen to pitch up against their first division opponents. United welcomed Lee Sutherland, Derek Manson and also trialist Shaun Swanson back into the squad looking to progress into the quarter finals. United didn't start well slackness in their pass and poor communication meant that it was a rather disjointed start but the sad thing is there were nice little spells that was being ruined by the unforced errors. In fact Lybster could have shocked their first division counterparts, Gareth Miller bursting through the heart of the United defence but under pressure from Steven dragged his shot wide. United responded when James Murray flighted a delightful pass through for Jimmy Budge who raced clear only for Sutherland in the Lybster net to pull off a brilliant save. James Murray then breached the defensive line cutting right across the park although his touch took him round Sutherland the keeper had forced him wide enough so that a strike on goal wasn’t an option and his centre was cleared by Henderson. Injuries were to play a big part in the game firstly Gary Bell seemed to tweak a hamstring and was replaced by Michael Smith on the 15 minute mark then Lybster suffered a blow on 20 minutes when the impressive Sutherland whose handling had been assured up until this point collapsed trying to recover a loose ball and seemed to have hurt his ankle. To add salt into the would United broke the deadlock minutes later when a Manson cross was half cleared to the edge of the box for Darren Mackay to strike a rasping volley into the net. On the half hour mark it was two nil when a less than convincing shot from Darren Mackay was touched home by the ever alert Smith. Although now comfortably in control United continued to make glaring errors either through a lack of communication or poor option taking. On 35 mins Lee Sutherland crashed a shot off the post after a superb give and go with James Murray. Substitute keeper Gow was continuing to impress and thwarted former Lybster man Jimmy Budge again when he blocked him on the edge of the box after a Mackay through ball set the big striker away. Just before half time Smith had a chance to increase his tally cutting in from the left but Gow again bravely blocked the effort and Taylor swept the ball away before a United player could react.
Half time
Lybster 0-2 Pentland United
The second half started in similar fashion to the end of the first United over hitting passes and generally being very sloppy and conceding cheap possession. However they eventually got their act together 10 minutes into the half and it was all about a brilliant defence splitting ball from Darren Mackay who opened up Lybster with a ball between the full back and centre half for Grant Budge to race clear and cross to the far post leaving James Murray with the simplest of tasks. Yet this goal did little to change the pattern of the game with United continuing to squander excellent opportunities summed up when Michael Smith burst into the cut the ball back presenting Darren Mackay with an open goal he sclaffed an effort goalwards that was partially blocked leaving Derek Manson to crash a shot off the post. From successive set pieces Smith and Jimmy Budge both missed decent headed chances from a Mackay corner and Thanin freekick. Lee Sutherland then produced an excellent run from deep to about 20 yards out and just when it seemed as if he might open his account in domestic football he lashed a shot wildly over the bar much to the dismay of his manager. Not content with watching his team mates squander guilt edged chances Granty Budge got in on the act with 3 shots almost identical in a 5 minute spell cutting in from the right on to his left foot but unfortunately instead of getting closer with his shots he got further and further away. However the front man redeemed himself slightly bulleting a header from a Mackay corner passed Gow from 6 yards with less that 20 minutes to go. From then on the flood gates opened as finally United found some flowing football. Jimmy Budge after having barren night in front of goal scored a superb 5th after Derek Manson drove from deep to the byeline and cut the ball back for the big striker to let the ball through his legs and flick the ball passed the helpless Gow. United now were in full swing and approaching the game the way they should have from the outset playing at pace in the wide area’s and picking decent passes. The sixth came with just under ten minutes left when Willie Inrig slipped a nice little ball into the left hand channel for Michael Smith to race clear on the keeper and score via the underside of the bar with a neat finish. There was still time for substitute Swanson to rap up the scoring as in similar build up to the 6th goal Smith broke into the box from the left hand channel before unselfishly cutting the ball back for the replacement striker to finish with some style from 8 yards into the roof of the net.
Full time
Lybster 0-7 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. D Manson 3. G Bell (M Smith 15) 4. G Steven 5. G Mackay 6. D Mackay 7. B Thain 8. L Sutherland (W Inrig 80) 9. J Budge 10. G Budge 11. J Murray (S Swanson 78)
Sub not used
View from the goal
Well not exactly impressive football we never approached the game in the right manner and Lybster can count themselves a bit unfortunate to have shipped 7. However if we had approached the game in the right manner the game would have been far simpler but we were intent on complicating matters for some unknown reason. League business on Thursday now v Acks and huge improvement required or we will be facing another long night.
Half time
Lybster 0-2 Pentland United
The second half started in similar fashion to the end of the first United over hitting passes and generally being very sloppy and conceding cheap possession. However they eventually got their act together 10 minutes into the half and it was all about a brilliant defence splitting ball from Darren Mackay who opened up Lybster with a ball between the full back and centre half for Grant Budge to race clear and cross to the far post leaving James Murray with the simplest of tasks. Yet this goal did little to change the pattern of the game with United continuing to squander excellent opportunities summed up when Michael Smith burst into the cut the ball back presenting Darren Mackay with an open goal he sclaffed an effort goalwards that was partially blocked leaving Derek Manson to crash a shot off the post. From successive set pieces Smith and Jimmy Budge both missed decent headed chances from a Mackay corner and Thanin freekick. Lee Sutherland then produced an excellent run from deep to about 20 yards out and just when it seemed as if he might open his account in domestic football he lashed a shot wildly over the bar much to the dismay of his manager. Not content with watching his team mates squander guilt edged chances Granty Budge got in on the act with 3 shots almost identical in a 5 minute spell cutting in from the right on to his left foot but unfortunately instead of getting closer with his shots he got further and further away. However the front man redeemed himself slightly bulleting a header from a Mackay corner passed Gow from 6 yards with less that 20 minutes to go. From then on the flood gates opened as finally United found some flowing football. Jimmy Budge after having barren night in front of goal scored a superb 5th after Derek Manson drove from deep to the byeline and cut the ball back for the big striker to let the ball through his legs and flick the ball passed the helpless Gow. United now were in full swing and approaching the game the way they should have from the outset playing at pace in the wide area’s and picking decent passes. The sixth came with just under ten minutes left when Willie Inrig slipped a nice little ball into the left hand channel for Michael Smith to race clear on the keeper and score via the underside of the bar with a neat finish. There was still time for substitute Swanson to rap up the scoring as in similar build up to the 6th goal Smith broke into the box from the left hand channel before unselfishly cutting the ball back for the replacement striker to finish with some style from 8 yards into the roof of the net.
Full time
Lybster 0-7 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. D Manson 3. G Bell (M Smith 15) 4. G Steven 5. G Mackay 6. D Mackay 7. B Thain 8. L Sutherland (W Inrig 80) 9. J Budge 10. G Budge 11. J Murray (S Swanson 78)
Sub not used
View from the goal
Well not exactly impressive football we never approached the game in the right manner and Lybster can count themselves a bit unfortunate to have shipped 7. However if we had approached the game in the right manner the game would have been far simpler but we were intent on complicating matters for some unknown reason. League business on Thursday now v Acks and huge improvement required or we will be facing another long night.