Match reports for 23/4/06

Falkirk GHG 3
Granite City Wanderers 3

The league leaders visited Linlithgow in a rearranged match hoping to preserve an unbeaten league record, and boasting the tightest defence in the league with only 11 goals conceded in 16 games. GC wasted no time in setting about their business, and took control of the match, their quick accurate passing causing Falkirk to chase shadows for the opening 20 minutes. It was a slick passing move that opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing with a tap in at the back post, although the Falkirk marking could have been better. Granite City extended their lead with a strike from a penalty corner, and although Falkirk eventually found their way into the game towards the end of the half, the closest they came to scoring was when Michael Watson's shot from a corner was saved by the keeper, and the ball cleared just before Arthur Robertson could get to the rebound. Whether it was complacency on the part of the visitors or not, the second half threw the form book out of the window and made a mockery of Falkirk's lowly league position. Falkirk got off to a great start in the second half, pulling a goal back within 2 minutes. Arthur Robertson's sideline hit found Michael Watson, and he and Chris Anderson exchanged passed to slice through the visiting defence. A last gasp touch by the keeper prevented Watson getting an open goal, but he gathered the ball, stepped away from a couple of challenges and hit a shot on the turn into the bottom corner. Falkirk were level 5 minutes later, when good work from Douglas Nicol forced a save from the keeper with the rebound falling to Robertson. His shot was sneaking in, but Watson made sure from inches out as the keeper tried to recover. It was one-way traffic at this stage and Watson almost completed his hat-trick from a corner, but his shot was blocked by a GC foot. From the resulting corner, Douglas Nicol dispatched a flick into the top corner to complete an amazing 15 minutes and give the home side the lead for the first time. With their unbeaten record under threat, Granite City came back into the game and Dickson and Miller had to be on top form to keep them out. Falkirk has a chance to seal victory from another corner, but Dickson's flick went agonisingly past the far post when only a touch was required. With 10 minutes left GC managed to pull themselves level with a shot from the edge of the box, after stealing into position unmarked, and celebrated as if the goal had won them the league. Both teams had further half chances to win the game, but a draw was the fairest result given the effort both teams had put in.

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