Match reports for 25/9/04
Falkirk GHG 2
Perthshire 1
Falkirk kept up their recent run of victories over Perthshire with another
hard fought victory, although it was a tale of missed chances by the home
forwards that kept the contest close, and the defence on their toes till the
end. Falkirk dominated the opening exchanges and deservedly took the lead
from their first penalty corner of the match, when Douglas Nicol fired home.
The lead was quickly doubled as Craig Gove netted his first league goal at
the second attempt. Despite dominating the first half, Perthshire responded
with a concerted attack on the Falkirk goal in the final few minutes of the
half, and pulled a goal back after a succession of penalty corners. despite
this setback, Falkirk took the game to their opponents in the second half,
but failed to put the game out of reach by missing a string of chances. Michael
Watson pulled a shot wide after good build up play from Ian Fraser, before
Fraser miscontrolled a pass that would have taken him in on goal. Good build
up play involving Nicol, Chris Anderson and Fraser left James Robertson with
another chance, but he failed to convert from a narrow angle. the closest
Falkirk came to extending their lead was when an Ian Fraser shot was deflected
in the air, and although Watson managed to guide it over the keepers shoulder,
there wasn't enough pace on the ball to elude the backtracking defender. After
a strong run from Fraser, and a quick free-hit taken by Gove, another chance
fell to Watson, but his shot was struck along the ground to give the Perthshire
keeper a comfortable save. With all the chances being missed at one end, it
was a credit to the Falkirk defence that they managed to prevent Perthshire
from getting an equaliser, and keep the good start to the season on track.
Falkirk GHG II 5
Edinburgh Uni V 0
The league season started in earnest with the 2nd eleven hosting Edinburgh Uni's
5th team at Linlithgow Academy. The home side started in fine form attacking
from the first whistle and troubling the opposition keeper many times and going
in at half time 3 goals up, firstly through Ross Crerar ably assisted up front
by Gregor Maxwell who danced past 3 defenders and laid the ball off for Crerar
to sweep the ball into the back of the net, the second, again from Crerar, and
the third saw David Jewell tap in an initial Maxwell shot inches from the goal
line. Falkirk got their fourth late in the second half when Maxwell tucked away
a free ball following a good save by the Uni keeper from Crerars goal bound
effort. Falkirk's fifth came just before the final whistle as Ross Connell made
a late burst into the D to slot away a short corner, top marks for the celebration
Ross. A very impressive showing by all players on the pitch, the Falkirk keeper
only having a couple of tidy-up kicks because the Falkirk defence was rock-solid.
This looks good for the up-coming season.
MIM II 1
Falkirk GHG III 3
For some, this was their first visit to the water-based surface at Meadowmill,
and it proved difficult on occasions to keep the ball from rising from free
hits. MIM had only ten men, but they were a skillful side with players clearly
who had played at a higher level, in the Regional League. However Falkirk opened
the scoring in the fifteenth minute, when a good long 16-yard hit from by David
Craig found Danny Gibney, and with only the keeper to beat Falkirk went in front.
After forcing a series of penalty corners, MIM levelled on their third attempt,
but Gibney once again put Falkirk in front in the 23rd minute. Barry Warner
put a good cross to Scott Morrison whose shot at goal was a near thing. The
stick of Stephen Macdonald was tight at the post while defending against a penalty
corner award, and he deflected a crisp shot at goal, but then Johnathan Nugent
was forced to retire to seek treatment for what later transpired to be a broken
finger and took no further part in the game. MIM started the second half strongly,
but Chris Dyer was playing out of his skin to give one of his best performances
as he deftly extracted the ball from the stick of the onrushing MIM forwards.
To tie the game up, a good drive upfield by Barry Warner, passing to Gibney,
saw Warner put the ball away to put the result beyond doubt.
Falkirk GHG IV 0
Carnegie IV 1
Opening their league account with a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful start,
Falkirk took the initiative from the opening whistle with impressive forward
play from Ross Anderson and Duncan Kehoe. However, a lack of fitness took its
toll and Carnegie snatched a good goal against the run of play. Falkirk rallied
after this setback, but miss after miss underlined that this was not to be Falkirk's
day.
Falkirk GHG V 3
Carnegie VI 0
Falkirk began the new season's league campaign on the astro at the Balbardie
Park of Peace in Bathgate against a team of more mature players from the Fife
Club. Nevertheless, the Falkirk youngsters went about their task and produced
a good display of hockey to give them all the points from the game. Duncan Kehoe
impressed with his running, and after good interpassing with Alex McFadyen,
slipped the ball passed the goalkeeper for Falkirk's opener. Again running from
the midfield down the right wing, Kehoe crossed the ball to a waiting Chris
Taylor who had just come onto the pitch after a substitution, and whose first
touch of the ball was a reverse-stick shot into goal. Per Dullforce was involved
in the third at a penalty corner award, from which Stuart Laing rifled the ball
through the keeper's legs. The second half saw Falkirk loose some of their momentum
on the way forward, and Chris Thomson at the back was inspirational in some
of the blocks he carried off to help keep the visitors from reaching the scoresheet.
A later chance for team-captain Chris Taylor, on this his first outing of the
season, saw his goal-bound shot deflected by a defender. No doubt the series
of early-season friendlies have done much to help prepare the team for the start
of the league, with newcomers to the Club, Javed Afzal and Stewart McNeill settling
in well.
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