Match reports for 16/2/08

Falkirk GHG 2
Aberdeen Uni 1

Returning to outdoor hockey after a 3 month hiatus for indoor, Falkirk got straight back into the swing of things with a victory over Aberdeen Uni. The home side didn't get off to a great start when they gifted the visitors the first goal after 5 minutes. A poor ball from the back was intercepted just outside the area and despite a fine save from Robert Thomson, he was helpless to stop the rebound being slapped home. Falkirk continued to help Aberdeen with a series of poor passes, but eventually drew level when Michael Watson and Gordon Anderson combined at a penalty corner for the former to slide the ball round the Uni keeper. Falkirk's style of quick breaks kept offering chances to take the lead, but Jonny Anderson and Douglas Nicol were both thwarted by the students keeper as he got in the way of shots to deflect them narrowly past. Falkirk turned in a better second half performance, but were still determined to give the visitors a chance with a higher than expected number of mistakes. Falkirk were given an opportunity to snatch the lead with a disputed penalty, but Stafford Dickson's flick cannoned off the post. The winning goal eventually came from a trademark Douglas Nicol surging run to the top of the box that opened up the Uni defence, and after a bit of a scramble, Nicol's shot was deflected over the line by Jonny Anderson from a matter of inches. Falkirk came close to doubling the lead minutes later when a flowing move started by Dickson's aerial ball down the line was worked back to the top of the box, where Gordon Anderson unleashed a terrific strike that was unintentionally kept out of the goal by the keepers head, cracking his helmet in the process. With only a single goal separating the sides, the last few minutes were more nervous than they should have been had Falkirk taken their earlier chances, but despite a couple of late penalty corners, the home defence stood firm.

Falkirk GHG III 4
Kinross 2

With a win last week it was an easy job for Captain McNeill to pick the same team again – except that he himself was unavailable through St Valentine commitments So it was with some trepidation that the right back slot was poorly filled for this game. David Humphries kindly stepped in to umpire the game – and proved himself up to the task – and that after umpiring the game immediately before. The previous meeting of these sides in the league had proven to be an ill-tempered affair – but this was a different day and a different outcome. Kinross started the game at a very high pace and soon pressured the weakest link in the Falkirk defence. A poor clearance from Russell was mopped up and in the ensuing charge in on goals the Kinross forward expertly turned the ball from an almost impossible stance past the on-rushing Malcolm in goals. As experienced a keeper as he is – he could not have been beaten by many better and more accurate strikes than this. At this point Kinross were rampant and would have gone further ahead had it not been for some expert placing of his defence by Malcolm in goals – where a goal line clearance was required to maintain the single goal differential. An injury to the aged player at right back caused a re-jigging of the whole team with Danny Gibney moving to sweeper; Dougie Smith to right back and Ewan Jeffiries coming on at centre-forward. The effect was almost immediate with Falkirk playing a much more expansive game – making Kinross work very hard to win the ball back. Even at 1-0 down the Falkirk side were playing keep-ball more in a manner with a team comfortably in front. Eventually this pressure resulted in a penalty corner – and at a second attempt Gibney flicked the ball expertly into left hand side of the goal – via a despairing defender’s stick. 1-1 was probably fair at this point on chances but Kinross always looked the more threatening – especially on the break. And so it proved with Kinross breaking on the right hand side and it was from some weak defending in attempting to clear the ball that Kinross were able to reestablish their lead At half-time the Falkirk team took the opportunity to identify the danger men in the opposition and place more active defenders one on one with them. With Ewan Jeffries and Ross Dickson playing with a maturity beyond their years the Falkirk midfield had the Kinross team chasing shadows with some very slick passing and ball movement. Falkirk’s equaliser came from Cameron – showing an innate ability to be in the right place at the right time. From that point on the game picked up even more pace and was described from the side as ‘one of the most open games ever seen’. In one of the Falkirk foray’s up front a deliberate foul inside the goal area was correctly identified as a Penalty Flick – which again Gibney dispatched into the same corner as before. If anything this spurred Kinross into greater action and only through expert defending in the shape of Dyer; Smith, Macdonald and Gibney kept them at bay. If anything the defining moment in the game (and the ultimate difference between the teams) was a solo run of quite some class from Jefferies who took on virtually the entire Kinross defence single-handedly before slotting the fourth goal past the keeper. This player is one who will go far – especially with the style of play enjoyed by the 3rd XI. A fifth goal beckoned and a flick from Spekman beat the goalkeeper only for him to see it nestle on the top of the net instead of in the goal. A range of late injuries to the 3rd XI meant that they more resembled a triage department at the end but the result was the very least they deserved. The Kinross team were very gallant in defeat – and appreciative of the competition.

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