After another bout of cancelations, the match finally went ahead on Valentines Day, and the Bridge set out to ensure there was no massacre on this Feb14th. We were ready and prepared for the battle ahead and we knew exactly what kind of game to expect from Gilmerton Star given their track record both last season and this current one for bookings, sending-offs, and general poor discipline on the park at times. With a near full strength back line and midfield to chose from we looked solid in the opening 15mins, with our players standing firm in the tackle despite some very poor challenges going in, and thankfully we had a very strong Ref in Graham Findlay who missed nothing and ensured that all misdemeanours were punished accordingly.
We were playing down the slope in the 1st half and although this gave us the edge it meant that a tough 2nd 45mins awaited us in the 2nd half as the pitch was cutting up badly which wasn’t helping our passing game. Marky, Lee, and the returning Capt Baz formed a good solid unit in the centre of the park and most of our play was coming through them or down the right side with Brian and Broony. The first real chance of the game came after another poor tackle int he middle of the park, Lee stepped up to float in a great ball from some 35yards out, and only the direction was wrong from Baz’s attempted header from 8yrds out and it went wide of the target. After a spate of bad tackles that all resulted in bookings for Gilmerton we took the lead, Marky was set free away down the right wing and bulleted in a peach of a cross from near the by-line which Ian Cossar just got his head to in front of the out rushing keeper at the near post for his 3rd Bridge goal. This brought the Gilmerton players to life and only the quick thinking of Otas coming off his line stopped their no’9 from being through on goal seconds after we had scored the opener. Brian then crunched into a great last gasp tackle deep in our box to put it out for a corner, but the resulting set piece was easily mopped up by Otas in goal.
Our lead though was only to last 5mins, and it was another rotten piece of luck for the Bridge side this season that brought Star back into the game. Their no’11 did well to spin Ian W on the right, then when the ball was passed onto their no’9 he fired a low driven cross along the by line which deflected off Johnny’s shins and in off Otas at the front post for the equaliser. Chances were now coming at both ends, Lee had a low crisp effort that was hoofed away from danger inside the 6yd box, then a great chance was ballooned over the bar from the edge of the area by their no’12. The bookings were flowing now and their no’12 got his name taken after a wild swipe at Broony from the side, then their no’5 was booked for more decent towards the Ref.
The Bridge went back ahead with around 20mins gone and it was from the penalty spot that the chance came. Ian C dribbled his way past 2 defenders but was upended by the 3rd, and the Ref had no option but to point to the spot much to the derision of the Gilmerton players, and the culprit for the pen kick was given a yellow for his troubles. Johnny placed the ball on the spot and calmly blasted it past the rooted keeper for our 2nd of the game. Again however, the lead was only to last a few minutes, this time though it was from a neat piece of play from the Gilmerton midfield. After slipping past his marker, their no’12 played a through ball past Johnny and Reidy for their no’9 to round our keeper and slot it away from an ever tightening angle for a 2-2 score line. Worde was to follow with 10mins left in the half as the Gilmerton side started to take control of the game for the 1st time in the match. The ball was played long down the left side and as their winger pushed into the area he slid a low cross past the out rushing Otas almost along the goal line, Ian W tracked their striker into the same area but couldn’t get there in time to prevent a simple tap in from a couple of feet out for Gilmerton’s 1st lead of the game.
H/T 3 – 2 Gilmerton
Although we were a goal down at h/t, we knew we had been the better side in the opening 45mins, our back 4 were looking solid enough, our middle 3 were standing up well to the physical side of the game, whilst Ian C was giving the Gilmerton defence plenty to think about. Our plan was to get the ball out to both wings rather than just down the right, and we wanted to test their keeper with some long range efforts. Gilmerton had evidently been ordered to cut out the bad tackling at H/T as they seemed far more content to play the ball about as the 2nd half began. Having had the luxury of playing down the slope in the opening half, we knew that playing up the hill would cause our energy levels to dip later on, so getting back into the game early was vital. Gilmerton seemed to push another player into a more forward role and this stopped the likes of Brian and Reidy from playing the ball out from the back. Gilmerton had the 1st shot on target of the half, when their no’9 sped into the box on the left but his drive went wide of the target after getting the slightest of touches from Otas to push it round the post. Ian C then burst into their penalty area after being played in down the line, but rather than running in on goal he chose to shoot early and the chance was lost.
Ian F was struggling to get into the game despite having the legs of their LB, so we changed things around on the 65min mark with Willie replacing him on the left wing. The game was still in the balance, and the next chance fell to Gilmerton from a set piece around 30yards from goal after Reidy had gone in late on their no’12. Their big no’3 came up from his CB slot and took aim, but his attempted shot was a bigger danger to the people on the next park rather than our goal and the danger was over as soon as he made the connection. As much as we were holding the League leaders at bay, we were struggling to make any inroads on their goal, and we had Otas to thank for keeping the score line at 3-2 when they managed to get in behind our back four for once. Good interplay from their attacking players saw a shooting opportunity fall to their striker on the edge of the area and after he took a touch he fired in a viscous effort that was net bound past Otas before he sprung to his right to push it away for a corner. Marky had been involved in most of the action and was visibly tiring as the clock moved towards the 75min mark, and seconds before the change was going to be made we lost the all important 4th goal. A good cross was played into the box from the left wing and it was met flush by the right winger with a downwards header that flew past Otas and high into the net for a 4-2 lead. The change was made with the Gaffer coming on to try and push the side forward a little in search of goals, but our players were starting to get a but sloppy after putting so much into the game, and soon after this we lost the 5th and probably deciding goal. The ball bounced around in our area on the right and despite having several chances to clear it away, the defence hesitated and a low effort from 12 yards trickled it’s way into the opposite bottom corner. We had a great chance soon after when Willie showed great determination and fight to win the ball then force his way down the wing. He looked up to try and play the ball into the back post area where the Gaffer and Broony were screaming for the ball, but it was played across the 18yd box to Reidy whose side footed effort went the wrong side of the post. There was just enough time left for Gilmerton to finish the scoring when their no’9 was given way too much space to take his time and place a shot past Otas from 8yards when the tackle should have been made 2 or 3 times before the shot was hit.
F/T 6 - 2 Gilmerton
Managers Comment:
We new it was going to be a battle and it turned out to be just that, with Gilmerton guilty of several very nasty challenges in the opening minutes and they ended up with I think 6 booked. To our credit though, we kept with them for around 75mins, then 2 quick sloppy goals took the life out of us and they coasted the last 10mins. Remember that they are unbeaten this season, winning 11 out of 14 and drawing the other 3, but we gave them a good match despite missing our main strikers, plus Chris and Bo. On a very bad surface we tried to play football rather than the boot it up the park style we were up against, and to be honest it would have been hard to tell which team were the league leaders during the 1st half and right up to when the 4th goal for them went in. I am happy with the way we played for the most part of the match, we got very lazy for the last 2 goals, but by then the heads and legs were going as we fought to play up the hill in the mud. We also kept our discipline for the majority of the game other than one moment of red mist from Broony after one chop too many at his ankles made him lash out to earn a booking late on but that can be forgiven in the circumstances. A mention has to go out to Graham the Ref, who I though handled the match brilliantly and got pretty much everything spot on, including our stone wall penalty that Johnny smashed in. In our next few games we need to show the same passion and determination as we showed today, and the points will start coming our way without question, starting against Sporting Icapb next Sunday.
Best in the Tangerine: Otas had a good match despite the score line, Brian had a very strong showing especially in the 1st half whilst carrying a really dicey shoulder injury. Reidy and Johnny formed a good partnership at the heart of the back line, Lee worked tirelessly in a busy midfield, and Baz looked up for it from the start.
Man of the match for today’s game however goes to MARK SMITH for his strength and desire in the middle to play the ball about and not be bossed by the studs flying in on him throughout, he played his heart out and looked royally knackered by the time he came off late on.
M.O.T.M – MARK SMITH
Nitka 7 (out of 10)
Veitch 7
Reid 7
Mackenzie 8 (1g)
Waugh 7
Davidson 8
Smith 8M (Gray 78 (5))
Fleming 7 (McLintoch 65 (6))
Fearn 7
Brown 7
Cossar 7 (1g)
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