The Mighty Bridge went down to a defeat eventually after a spirited performance against the Lge and Cup holders at the Gyle today.With a much weakened side taking to the field after the usual stream of late call offs, it was the Champions who opened the scoring through a very weakly challenged header by the smallest player in their side within the first 5mins of the game. To our credit tho we got back on level terms through Gaz Stephen after 10mins, with a neat side foot finish after good work down the left by Ian Fleming and Ste Ballack. Gaz was working like a trojan up top on his own and he wasn't giving their back line a minutes peace, and barely 5minutes after his opener he pounced on a header back accross the box by Marky to bundle it over the line to make it 2-1 to the Bridge.
Both sides were making chances and it was a case of who would score next as both keepers were called into action to make decent stops. Strevs made a great instinct save from only 6yards out, then nearly gifted them the equaliser by palming a cross back into the 6yd box, but the resulting header went over the bar. Marky won a couple of free kicks in good area's and tested their keeper with a strong effort that stung his palms. The game took a nasty turn with the score sitting at 2-1 when the Partizan scorer took offence to a Broony tackle and jumped feet first into Ian Waugh as he played the ball up the line. He made no attempt at the ball and caught ian high on his thigh but in keeping with his overall performance, Brian Latto the Ref said he hadn't seen it even though he spoke to the player about it. With tempers flaring, the game was back all level when a ball from the left wasn't cut out and a simple knock into the net in the centre of the goal brought it back to 2-2 before the break.
We wanted to keep it tight for the opening 10mins to put the the pressure onto Partizan, but alas our habit of conceding early in the 2nd half continued, albeit with a large slice of help from bungling Brian. A good peice of passing and moving saw Partizan break into the box on the left, and with their striker through on strevs he tried to play it past him but Strevs got a hand to it to block it away. It fell to the feet of their other striker who was standing a yard off the line and he side footed it into the net, the Bridge players all shouted for the obvious offside but Brian again ruled that it should stand. The score stayed at 3-2 Parizan despite a couple of very close calls for the Bridge defence, and with 20mins left it went to 4-2 after some indecision in the Bridge box allowed them a tap in. This brought the only change of the match for the men in Tangerine, with John replacing Broony to make it a 4-4-2 as the Bridge went for goals. The change worked a treat and within 5mins a goal was pulled back, a great chipped ball up to the sub was touched on by the Gaffer and although Ian's left peg drive was well saved by their keeper, the ball broke off a defender to allow Gaz to round off his hat trick from close range. The revival was short lived tho and after their Captain broke through 3 tackles in the box he knocked it past strevs to restore the 2 goal lead. The final effort of the match came after a crude challenge on Stu left him unable to continue, and a free kick was issued to the Bridge some 35yards out. The Gaffer stepped up to the plate and whipped in a curling effort that although was well placed just under the bar, it lacked the power against the wind and their keeper held it well for the final action of the match.
M.O.T.M - GAZ STEPHEN
Strevens 8
Davidson 8
Fearn 8
Mackenzie 8
Waugh 7
Ballack 6
Fleming 7
McCrindle 7
Smith 8
Brown 6 (Gray 6)
Stephen 8M
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