Dalbeattie Star v Edinburgh University

BIG STU IS HEAD BOY AGAINST OLD PALS
Dalbeattie Star and Edinburgh University produced an entertaining match for the hardy bunch of fans who braved the weather conditions in the capital. Try as you might you cannot get away without using the old cliché that this was a game of two halves with Star having the better of the first and the students dominating the second. However it was the Islecroft side that sneaked the points with a late winner, when it looked they would be the happier side with a draw.  
The pitch at East Peffermill was in remarkable condition considering the amount of rain that had fallen leading up to the match. Indeed had the tie been at Islecroft there was little or no chance of the game going ahead. Manager Darren Kerr rang the changes after last weeks disappointing defeat at home to Cumbernauld. Euan Drysdale returned from Stranraer on a three month loan to solve the goalkeeping crisis and in came David Proudlock, Greig Thorburn and Tommy Muir to the starting line-up which resulted in a very strong looking bench.
After all the rain the match actually kicked off in brilliant sunshine and the visitors settled quickly and got off to the prefect start. In the 3rd minute they worked a good position down the right and Dean Fyfe’s cross fell perfectly for Graeme Bell in the middle just a few feet from goal and he nodded Star ahead. The Islecroft side pushed on looking for a second rather than trying to consolidate their lead. They dominated possession with Lee Wells and Lewis Sloan pulling the strings in the middle of the park. However despite the Star domination, the students were dangerous on the break and Jack Guthrie was proving to be a handful. Indeed in the 16th minute a fine pass down the inside left channel played him in and he was denied by an excellent save by Euan Drysdale’s feet. Drysdale produced another fine instinctive save from a close range header from a corner despite Star being the better side. On the half hour Fyfe had a good effort from the edge of the penalty area that was turned away for a corner and Asher Tufail in the home goal had another good save soon after turning over a Wells header. Right on the half time whistle Bell was inches away from scoring his and Star’s second but his curling shot was the wrong side of the post.
The half time team talk in the away dressing room must surely have been keep doing what you’re doing but unfortunately the total opposite happened. The home side came out of the stalls quickly and pinned the Star inside their own half for the vast majority of the second period. Star struggled at times to clear their lines and when they did the ball came straight back at them. However despite all this the defending was solid and strangely enough keeper Drysdale had more to do in the first half when Star was the better side, than he did in the second when Edinburgh University were so much on top. With 20 minutes remaining Star gaffer Darren Kerr decided enough was enough and in a bid to change the flow of the match brought on Jamie McHarrie and Justin Nicholl. However within seconds of this double substitution the flow certainly changed as the home side deservedly equalised. For once the visiting defence switched off for a split second and first half substitute Bertie Collins sneaked in at the back post to power a downward header past Drysdale that bounced high into the net.
At this stage few betting men would have backed an away win but Star slowly began to threaten again and with just two minutes left they snatched a winner. Paddy Nichol whipped in a superb left foot corner that was met by the head of Stuart MacPherson at the near post and his effort flew past the home keeper and went in off the underside of the bar. To say the big man enjoyed this moment against his former side would be a bit of an understatement. This was a real sickener for the home side although with literally the last kick of the match, three minutes into stoppage time, they almost forced a draw but a volley from inside the box went past the post.
In the end it was a delighted Star contingent that travelled home after the match. The home side however must have been scratching their heads as to how they didn’t manage to at least take a point after their second half domination. The fact that Star keeper Drysdale had fewer second half saves than first half ones perhaps tells all. We have witnessed a couple of times already this season at Islecroft, when Star was beaten by a late undeserved winner, so we know how it feels.
Next up for Star is only our second competitive match this season that is not a league game. We travel to Galabank, Annan to face the ever improving Edusport Academy in what will be a very difficult tie. However the squad is beginning to look very strong now and there is competition for all positions, so that whoever is in possession of the jersey will have to perform to keep it.           
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY 1          DALBEATTIE STAR 2
Collins (70)                                  Bell (3)
                                                    MacPherson (88)
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY: Tufail, MacFarlane, McIntosh (Thomson 60), Sutherland, Irvine, Daniels-Yeoman, McCrory-Irving, Rawlinson (Mortimer 85), Guthrie, Aitken (Collins 20), Patterson
Subs not used: Black, Murray
Yellow Cards: None
DALBEATTIE STAR: Drysdale, Proudlock (Curtiss 83), Thorburn, Wells, MacPherson, Maxwell, Fyfe (Nicholl 70), Bell (McHarrie 70), Muir, Sloan, Dunn
Sub not used: Todd, Cathro
Yellow Cards: MacPherson
Ref: M McHendry
Assistants: D McKniff & M Copland