Post by Michael Gray on May 3, 2004 14:10:41 GMT
Heavy rain over the previous few days had left Ham Park sodden coupled with a chilling wind conditions certainly belied the title of summer football. United welcomed Ross Sutherland back to the squad after a troublesome calf injury in place of the unavailable Jocky Begg. The home side made 'heavy weather' of the early exchanges as the visitors defended resolutely allowing very few chances to be created. However United finally made the breakthrough after 15 mins when Mackenzie broke free on the left and his far post cross was side footed past the helpless Lannon by Nichol. Boyd came agonisingly close to extending the lead when he met a near post Bremner corner but could only watch as the ball whizzed across the face of the goal beating everything including the far post. The ground conditions played a massive part in the second goal as Lannon struggled to field a pass back Nichol closed him down charging down the keepers kick he side stepped the resulting challenge and tap the ball into the unguarded net. Almost immediately Jack missed a glorious chance to pull the visitors back into the game when he went through on goal but shot straight at Gray as the ball held up in the wet conditions. The same player almost made amends when Mackay slipped the big striker in on goal his deft flick beat Gray and the bar though to soften the blow he was flagged offside. Willie Steven almost added to his seasons tally when he ghosted into the box and rose to glance a Mackenzie cross but the ball drifted just the wrong side of the post with Lannon beaten. However the third goal was only delayed momentarily after a series of skirmishes in the visitors box in which Cassidy was thwarted the ball fell back to Farmer on the edge of the box and he swept a high cross to the back post finding Nichol who nodded a superb looping header over the exposed keeper into the far corner. That man Steven was then in the thick of things again when wonderful link up play between Nichol, Mackenzie and Bremner saw a one touch move play the midfielder into the box however his first time finish went agonisingly wide spoiling a quite brilliant move. Nigel Mackenzie produced number four on the half hour mark cutting in from the left he fired in a right foot shot from the edge of the box that fizzed into the corner of the net via a slight deflection from a defenders boot. The goal of the game came with five minutes left in the half when a sharp freekick from Bremner was dummied by Farmer allowing the ball through to Steven the skipper continued his run into the box and when Steven slipped in a wonderful reverse pass the ball was crisply dispatched across the keeper into the net.
Half time
Pentland United 5-0 Ashes
Within a minute of the restart United had further stretched their advantage when Inrig slipped a through ball into Cassidy the striker raced clear and unselfishly slipped the ball across goal allowing his partner Nichol to tap the ball home. The relentless weather coupled with the scoreline had done nothing to dampen the Ashes spirits and they continued to their credit to try and play football at every opportunity. At this point United started to ring the changes Steven was withdrawn for Baker and minutes later Manson replaced Skinner in fact Manson had an immediate impression his first time ball split the defence wide open and allowed Nichol to run through before firing across the keeper to make it 7-0 of which four had been down to himself matching Cassidy’s achievements on the Monday night in Wick. Lannon was having his work cut out by now trying to repel the incessant home attacks Bremner fired narrowly wide when he broke free from the midfield with a shot from fully 30 yards. The same player then became the first player to enter referee Green’s notebook for some unwelcome advice to the man in black over a freekick awarded against the midfielder. Cassidy was brilliantly denied by Lannon on the hour mark when he twisted and turned the defence brilliantly before a firing in a shot, which seemed destined for the net until the keeper stuck out his left arm and pushed the ball away for a corner. From the corner he produced another top drawer save when he somehow kept out a close range shot although who actually got the final touch on the ball was somewhat debateable. The next goal came out of nothing as there appeared little danger when B Gray picked the ball up 35 yards from goal but he proceeded to unleash a howitzer that Lannon did brilliantly to turn on to the bar the ball bounced down onto the line and away but the keeper could only look on as Nichol as all good poachers do reacted first to prod the ball into the empty net. Cassidy then got his just deserts for an extremely unselfish display when he got on the score sheet and it was a role reversal from opening goal of the half when on this occasion Nichol did the spadework allowing the frontman to cut across goal before finishing low into the net from close range as the visiting defence struggled to get back and cover. The goals were coming fairly regularly now as the United side continued to press on at every opportunity. United entered double figures when Manson made a late run into the box and was found by a Baker's centre the substitute took a touch before firing into the net past the exposed Lannon. The final United goal arrived courtesy of an Inrig cross that eluded everyone apart from the ever alert Mackenzie who nipped in a the far post controlled the ball before drawing Lannon and slipping the ball underneath the diving keeper. Sutherland then replaced Bremner with 15 minutes left giving the midfielder his first run out after his recent spell on the sidelines through a calf injury. Ashes tried to strike back and a Macgregor thunderbolt nearly deceived Gray as the ball leapt of the turf and struck the keeper on the shoulder as he crouched down to field the ball. Jack did well to cut in along the bye line and he drew Gray from the goal but the shot was blocked away for the corner. Ashes finally got the goal their perseverance deserved when Jack broke free from the defence who were still coming out from a previous attack and finished with great aplomb past the diving Gray.
Full time
Pentland United 11-1 Ashes
1. M Gray 2. B Gray 3. J Skinner (D Manson 58) 4. H Boyd 5. R Farmer (c) 6. G Bremner (Sutherland 76) 7. W Inrig 8. W Steven ( M Baker 52) 9. M Nichol 10. L Cassidy 11. N Mackenzie
View from the goal
Three points in quite horrendous conditions was the main object of the performance so on that criteria job done. The football was patchy throughout with spells of real quality followed by some shabby exchanges allowing the visitors into the game. Delighted for Marky he had a tough time on Tuesday in front of goal but took his chances superbly in this game and showed a wide variation of finishing. Bit disappointed to lose the goal we did pretty poor one in all honesty but to be fair we had just escaped on a number of occasions previously and never took heed so got our rewards in that sense. The final big bonus was seeing Rossy complete his first 15 mins since he was sidelined with that calf injury and no doubt he will be a big player for us as the season progresses if he can stay injury free.
Half time
Pentland United 5-0 Ashes
Within a minute of the restart United had further stretched their advantage when Inrig slipped a through ball into Cassidy the striker raced clear and unselfishly slipped the ball across goal allowing his partner Nichol to tap the ball home. The relentless weather coupled with the scoreline had done nothing to dampen the Ashes spirits and they continued to their credit to try and play football at every opportunity. At this point United started to ring the changes Steven was withdrawn for Baker and minutes later Manson replaced Skinner in fact Manson had an immediate impression his first time ball split the defence wide open and allowed Nichol to run through before firing across the keeper to make it 7-0 of which four had been down to himself matching Cassidy’s achievements on the Monday night in Wick. Lannon was having his work cut out by now trying to repel the incessant home attacks Bremner fired narrowly wide when he broke free from the midfield with a shot from fully 30 yards. The same player then became the first player to enter referee Green’s notebook for some unwelcome advice to the man in black over a freekick awarded against the midfielder. Cassidy was brilliantly denied by Lannon on the hour mark when he twisted and turned the defence brilliantly before a firing in a shot, which seemed destined for the net until the keeper stuck out his left arm and pushed the ball away for a corner. From the corner he produced another top drawer save when he somehow kept out a close range shot although who actually got the final touch on the ball was somewhat debateable. The next goal came out of nothing as there appeared little danger when B Gray picked the ball up 35 yards from goal but he proceeded to unleash a howitzer that Lannon did brilliantly to turn on to the bar the ball bounced down onto the line and away but the keeper could only look on as Nichol as all good poachers do reacted first to prod the ball into the empty net. Cassidy then got his just deserts for an extremely unselfish display when he got on the score sheet and it was a role reversal from opening goal of the half when on this occasion Nichol did the spadework allowing the frontman to cut across goal before finishing low into the net from close range as the visiting defence struggled to get back and cover. The goals were coming fairly regularly now as the United side continued to press on at every opportunity. United entered double figures when Manson made a late run into the box and was found by a Baker's centre the substitute took a touch before firing into the net past the exposed Lannon. The final United goal arrived courtesy of an Inrig cross that eluded everyone apart from the ever alert Mackenzie who nipped in a the far post controlled the ball before drawing Lannon and slipping the ball underneath the diving keeper. Sutherland then replaced Bremner with 15 minutes left giving the midfielder his first run out after his recent spell on the sidelines through a calf injury. Ashes tried to strike back and a Macgregor thunderbolt nearly deceived Gray as the ball leapt of the turf and struck the keeper on the shoulder as he crouched down to field the ball. Jack did well to cut in along the bye line and he drew Gray from the goal but the shot was blocked away for the corner. Ashes finally got the goal their perseverance deserved when Jack broke free from the defence who were still coming out from a previous attack and finished with great aplomb past the diving Gray.
Full time
Pentland United 11-1 Ashes
1. M Gray 2. B Gray 3. J Skinner (D Manson 58) 4. H Boyd 5. R Farmer (c) 6. G Bremner (Sutherland 76) 7. W Inrig 8. W Steven ( M Baker 52) 9. M Nichol 10. L Cassidy 11. N Mackenzie
View from the goal
Three points in quite horrendous conditions was the main object of the performance so on that criteria job done. The football was patchy throughout with spells of real quality followed by some shabby exchanges allowing the visitors into the game. Delighted for Marky he had a tough time on Tuesday in front of goal but took his chances superbly in this game and showed a wide variation of finishing. Bit disappointed to lose the goal we did pretty poor one in all honesty but to be fair we had just escaped on a number of occasions previously and never took heed so got our rewards in that sense. The final big bonus was seeing Rossy complete his first 15 mins since he was sidelined with that calf injury and no doubt he will be a big player for us as the season progresses if he can stay injury free.