Wasted second half opportunity.
We were definitely going to be short this week. I knew this from last week when Nelly, Farquhar, Stoker and Langan all scarpered without getting the nets down.
However, Langan did make a return and was selected to start. Gourlay was still missing, but there were returns for Greenwell, Dixon and Gillespie. Stubba and Keith Mouat were also due to make a reappearance, but were unavailable. Ironically, had they been there, we’d have featured a number of players who played in our very first game.
The Colliery Tavern were beaten by us last season on the rare occasion where we had our full strength side. This time, it was a pale shadow of the strong team from last season. Stoker, Robinson, Graham, McDermont, Gourlay, Raeper and Richardson were all missing or had moved on.
The eventual result was one-sided. First half was a great performance. The wind was at us and we repelled everything we could. A superb cross from Langan quickly equalised their opener. They scored again, but Dixon’s cross squirmed under the ‘keeper. Last throw of the first half saw them lead 3-2.
Everyone thought the second half would be a comeback for us. It wasn’t. Instructions were to get the ball to their half and then strike on goal. Apart from the first ten minutes, when we had several chances which were missed, we seemed to lose the plot. They scored to make it 4-2 and the game was effectively over.
Ironically, despite the scoreline, Paul McConville had a superb game at centre half. Mistakes by his partner, Muers, were the reason for a few of the goals. The well known saying, “like a knife through air (not butter)” ably describes the movement of players past him. Tim had a good game as well coming back. Campbell also performed decently, despite Rikki Kennedy and Wooton abusing him from the sidelines.
Not a good start, but no arguing. Not bad.
