Match reports for 20/10/07

Aberdeen University 3
Falkirk GHG 2

Falkirk returned from Aberdeen pointless after a decent performance was undermined by a spell of play where they struggled to find any sort of form. In a relatively even first half, the visitors had strong appeals for a penalty when Chris Anderson was impeded as he sought to connect with a pass from his younger brother, but a penalty corner was awarded instead and Falkirk failed to convert the chance. The deadlock was finally broken when Gordon Anderson flicked across the keeper and into the side netting from another set piece that had broken down, and Jonny Anderson almost double Falkirk's lead moments later, but his effort slid just wide of goal. Aberdeen got back into the game with their first real shot on goal of the half, pouncing on a poor clearance and making the most of a kind bounce to volley the ball past Thomson from the edge of the D. This goal on the stroke of half time changed the game, as Falkirk started the second half slowly, and Aberdeen upped the pace as they sensed a win. A slide rule pass through the Falkirk rearguard was deftly deflected into the goal to give Aberdeen the lead, which they extended minutes later with another deflection from a similar pass through the heart of the visitors defence. Falkirk finally got back into gear and pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, Stafford Dickson successfully converting. Despite a barrage of pressure in the final minutes, the visitors were unable to find an equaliser, and slumped to their third defeat of the season.

Falkirk GHG III 1
Grange V 2

After a win and a draw in their previous league games, the 3rd XI were keen to put last weekends heavy cup defeat behind them and produced a good performance on their return to league duties. However, the 3rd XI faced a formidable side in Grange, one of the best teams in the league and a side who Falkirk hadn’t beaten for a number of years. It only took Falkirk 3 minutes to open the scoring, when a Scott McNeill right hand long corner, was cleverly worked by Alan McDonald, and Iain Cameron arrived on the back post to prod the ball home. Falkirk continued to dominate the match with the midfield trio of Robert Spekman, Ross Dickson and John Russell winning much of the early possession and young Dickson was unlucky not to make it 2-0 when his goalbound shot was well saved by the Grange keeper. As the half wore on Grange began to look more dangerous and Craig Malcolm in goals was sharp with a few excellent saves. Falkirk still looked threatening from set pieces and Danny Gibney came close on two occasions at penalty corners. On the stroke of half time Craig Malcolm again kept Falkirk in front, using his groin to prevent a certain goal. However the second half saw Grange increase their possession in the midfield and despite some good work from Chris Dyer in defence, Grange equalised from a penalty corner. With Falkirk heads dropping slightly, the ever opportunist Grange striker quickly scored a second, which ended up in the back of the net, when it could have as easily hit the corner flag. This seemed to give the 3rd XI a pick up and the last 10 minutes was all Falkirk possession, with Danny Gibney again coming close, but Grange held on to their lead. Yet another excellent game of hockey between these two sides, but irritatingly for Falkirk another defeat in what is always a close fixture.

Grange VI 1
Falkirk GHG IV 2

Falkirk struggled yet again to get a team out for this encounter with Grange, Falkirk went to St George's with a sense of foreboding as always aware that these encounters are always hard fought. Grange started promisingly with nice passing and moving but seemed to run into trouble in the last 22, the trouble being the back line of Hughes, Park, Humphries and Usher. Falkirk opened the scoring half way through the first half when a shot heading wide found David Humphries in the D to deflect it goal bound past the home keeper. Ross Anderson and Chris Brodie worked well and chased hard to find a second but were denied. The two new boys of Richard Truesdale and Calum Barton although slightly out of their depth both gave 100% commitment and frustrated the efforts of the already rattled Grange side. Grange equalised from a cross ball into the D which lifted off a defenders stick and was baseball style smashed away into the Falkirk goal. At 1-1 the pressure all seemed a bit 1 sided with the Falkirk side constantly under attack, however a quick ball to Chris Brodie allowed him to show his skills when he was given a bit of space, beating 2 defenders and slotting in past a diving keeper. Although Falkirk were outgunned and under massive pressure, heart and determination kept the game alive and all credit must go to every red shirt on the park, the Captain would like to thank all who helped this week it was greatly appreciated.

Grange VII 2
Falkirk GHG V 4

Likely to be the one and only game on a real grass surface this year for the Club fell to the 5th team who travelled to the Edinburgh Club's Raeburn Place pitch where they found the home side's umpire had not arrived. With the promise he was 'on the way', sportingly, the visitors' umpire and team Captain John Galloway agreed to start the game on his own, but after 70 minutes of play, still no one had appeared with a whistle for Grange! It was Grange who opened the scoring in ten minutes from a penalty corner award, but Falkirk went back upfield and David Ainsworth saw his shot at goal saved. David Connell in goal palmed a shot clear before Scott Coventry flicked the ball into the net to level. Going ahead, Martin Waddell was in the right place to prod the ball into goal, and shortly after waited unsuccessfully to divert an Ainsworth shot the same way. An Alan Jenkins big hit was similarly just wide of target. Grange drew level after the break when an unmarked man in the circle picked his spot, but Falkirk went ahead again with Jenkins diverting an Ainsworth shot goalwards. Jenkins made a telling save off the line to deny the hosts an equaliser at a penalty corner award, but David Ainsworth up front worked like a trojan, evidently relishing the grass surface, and forced the ball into goal off the keeper for the fourth. All in all an excellent team performance in only their 2nd league game, with mention of acting captain Per Dullforce who also reveled on the grass surface, sweeper David Craig, solid at the back, the running of Jonathon Nugent splitting the defence open, and David Morton who chased everything with enthusiasm.

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