Match reports for 19/3/05

Falkirk GHG 1
Waverley Inveresk 2

Waverley Inveresk IV 2
Falkirk GHG III 2

On a sunny Saturday afternoon the 3rd XI made the trip to Musselburgh to face a Waverley Inveresk side who have serious relegation worries. Falkirk's usual side was missing several regulars and so with a mixture of players from different teams the 3rd XI faced a difficult task. The game started brightly when Javed Afzal and Danny Gibney combined well early on, with Gibney coming close. At the other end Chris Dyer was immense at the heart of the defence, continuing his excellent form of late. After both sides had chances, it was Falkirk who opened the scoring. Craig Callahan burst down the right wing beating a man before putting an excellent cross into the feet of Joe Trodden who was composed with a simple accurate finish to make it 1-0. Other chances fell to Gibney who came close. Before too long Falkirk GHG 3rd XI extended there lead thanks to some great play by Liam Robertson and Craig Callahan. Callahan picked up the ball and ran at the defence before playing the ball into the path of Robertson, who made no mistake firing home to make it 2-0. Other chances were missed as Falkirk couldn't get that elusive 3rd goal. Into the second half and GHG were beginning to look tired. Despite this they created a gilt-edge chance to make it 3-0, when Danny Gibney placed a perfect pass into the feet of Afzal who didn't have the composure to finish, when one on one with the keeper. Stephen Macdonald also came close at the top of the D on two occasions but he too didn't have the final touch required to beat the Inveresk keeper. After having put so much effort into attempting to find a 3rd goal Falkirk were punished when a quick break by Inveresk found the tired legs of Falkirk unable to keep up and Jamie Ballantine in goal was left with no chance as Inveresk pulled one back. Dougie Smith at the heart of the defence was winning most tackles as Falkirk pushed for the winner. Robertson had an excellent chance to win it but put his shot wide when there were strikers waiting for a cut back in the middle. At the other end Ballantine made two outstanding saves to keep Falkirk ahead but eventually Inveresk equalised with almost an identical goal to the first. In the last few minutes Gibney and Afzal both had chances at short corners but a very tired Falkirk side couldn't find a winner. A disappointing result but no doubting the work rate of all players involved.

Grange VII 0
Falkirk GHG V 2

Although this game was played on grass it was a beautiful warm day with glorious weather and a pitch that was almost as good as an astro and although the home side expected to have an advantage with a totally adult team against a team mostly of youngsters they did not count on the youngsters, some never played on grass, taking the game to them all the time never giving in and pounding the home sides goals relentlessly. The masters of this game today were Chris Thompson and Duncan Kehoe, Chris never missing a ball when it counted and Duncan mesmerising the home sides defence with his silky skills. The first half was played from end to end for the first fifteen minutes and then Falkirk took charge with a relentless onslaught attack which unfortunately should have had at least four goals but they went in at the interval 0-0. The second half produced the first goal which came from a combination of Thompson and Kehoe up the right wing and a pass to John Galloway who then found Kehoe in the D to expertly slot it past the home keeper. The rest of the game was from end to end with captain Chris Taylor in goals again producing some excellent saves to keep a clean sheet for the day. Ali Naylor playing his first ever game on grass hardly put a stick or foot wrong and harried the Grange defence relentlessly and came close a few times. The second came within five minutes of the end of the game and another ball from Galloway found Craig Harper in the D to slot it past the home keeper. An excellent effort from the team who are at present sitting at the top of Division 3B and hope to be there at the end of the season.

[Home Page] [Results Page]