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Sat 24 Aug 2019 · Geosonic Lowland League
Dalbeattie StarEdinburgh University
L Wells (24')
1
0
STAR UP AND RUNNING
David McDonald25 Aug 2019 - 13:06
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Dalbeattie Star pick up their first league points of the season with a hard earned win.
Pre-match everyone connected with the Star would have been happy with any kind of victory with any kind of goal, having kicked off the season with five defeats and no goals scored. And that was virtually the way it went as Lee Wells’ 24th minute left foot volley was enough to secure a crucial victory and give everyone at Islecroft, and especially the players, a huge confidence boost for the upcoming weeks. Lee’s shot was not the sweetest he may ever have struck in his career but it was accurate enough to clip the inside of the post and nestle into the back of the net much to the delight of the home fans.
Star lined up with eight players missing due to a combination of suspension, injuries and unavailability. This resulted with just two outfield players on the bench and when they both came on we had the bizarre sight of sub keeper Ryan Gibson changing his outfit in case he had to come on as an outfield player. Curtiss Wilson and Ross Thomson had performed well as a centre back partnership at Bonnyrigg last week and this pairing was retained which freed up Lee Wells to play in centre midfield.
Star began with a good tempo and were very much on the front foot but they were unable to threaten Kieran McDougall in the visitors goal. The students began to get into the match and the first chance came when Ross Watters latched on to a short pass back but Vinnie Parker produced a fine save to keep the scoreline blank. What would be the only goal of the match arrived in the 24th minute when good link up play between Phil Middlemiss and Steven Degnan set up Wells and his shot wrong footed McDougal and a huge roar of relief was heard around Islecroft.
Minutes later a deep Aiden Kerr cross found Middlemiss at the back post and his header was turned behind by McDougall and from Lewis Sloan’s resultant corner, Ross Thomson was just inches away from touching the ball home from a few yards before a brilliant clearance from Ross McGuire. The last chance of the half fell to the students but Parker again saved well before Kerr cleared the rebound off the line.
During the break Curtiss Wilson had to be substituted having received a phone call to say his wife had gone into labour! Is this the first for the Star or even the Lowland League. Anyway we haven’t heard any further news but we of course wish Mr and Mrs Wilson all the very best.
Curtiss was replaced by striker Declan Tremble which meant Degnan dropped back into midfield and Wells back into defence. Star took a bit of time to settle into their new formation but they were never under any sustained pressure from the students. The visitors played some good football and as always were well coached and had a good shape about them with Finn Daniels-Yeoman and Mark Watters pulling the strings. However they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and Star coped comfortably with anything they could throw at them. The one time they did get behind the Star defence was with just 8 minutes left but Parker went down bravely at the feet of Aiden Kemp and the ball rebounded off the substitute and safely out for a goal kick. Daniels-Yeoman also went close when he drilled a free kick a few feet wide.
It was an even second period though and Star had a few chances themselves with Degnan going close on a couple of occasions and MIddlemiss curling an effort over deep into stoppage time. They were hardly hanging on by their fingertips but the Star players and fans were delighted to hear the final whistle and ensure they got their first points of the season.
Next week Star face another big spending side, East Stirlingshire and the teams have met three times on league duty at Islecroft, with all three ending in highly entertaining draws. Star should have a number of players back but still missing will be Dean Brotherston whose torn hamstring will keep him out for a further four or five weeks. However now we have our first goal and victrory of the season we will be looking to add to it next week.
DALBEATTIE STAR 1 EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY 0
Wells (24)
HT 1-0 Att 123
DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Kerr, O’Sullivan, Cowie, R Thomson, Wilson (Tremble 46), Graham (Telfer 72), Wells, Degnan, Sloan, Middlemiss
Subs not used: Gibson
Yellow Cards: Kerr, Wells
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY: McDougall, Murray (McDonald 45+1), Purves, McGuire, MacFarlane, Daniels-Yeoman, Sinclair, M Watters, R Watters, Baird (Kemp 78), Maskrey (Maurice 69)
Subs not used: Watson, Laing
Yellow Cards: Murray
Ref R Clark
Assistants J Brown & C Weir
Star lined up with eight players missing due to a combination of suspension, injuries and unavailability. This resulted with just two outfield players on the bench and when they both came on we had the bizarre sight of sub keeper Ryan Gibson changing his outfit in case he had to come on as an outfield player. Curtiss Wilson and Ross Thomson had performed well as a centre back partnership at Bonnyrigg last week and this pairing was retained which freed up Lee Wells to play in centre midfield.
Star began with a good tempo and were very much on the front foot but they were unable to threaten Kieran McDougall in the visitors goal. The students began to get into the match and the first chance came when Ross Watters latched on to a short pass back but Vinnie Parker produced a fine save to keep the scoreline blank. What would be the only goal of the match arrived in the 24th minute when good link up play between Phil Middlemiss and Steven Degnan set up Wells and his shot wrong footed McDougal and a huge roar of relief was heard around Islecroft.
Minutes later a deep Aiden Kerr cross found Middlemiss at the back post and his header was turned behind by McDougall and from Lewis Sloan’s resultant corner, Ross Thomson was just inches away from touching the ball home from a few yards before a brilliant clearance from Ross McGuire. The last chance of the half fell to the students but Parker again saved well before Kerr cleared the rebound off the line.
During the break Curtiss Wilson had to be substituted having received a phone call to say his wife had gone into labour! Is this the first for the Star or even the Lowland League. Anyway we haven’t heard any further news but we of course wish Mr and Mrs Wilson all the very best.
Curtiss was replaced by striker Declan Tremble which meant Degnan dropped back into midfield and Wells back into defence. Star took a bit of time to settle into their new formation but they were never under any sustained pressure from the students. The visitors played some good football and as always were well coached and had a good shape about them with Finn Daniels-Yeoman and Mark Watters pulling the strings. However they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and Star coped comfortably with anything they could throw at them. The one time they did get behind the Star defence was with just 8 minutes left but Parker went down bravely at the feet of Aiden Kemp and the ball rebounded off the substitute and safely out for a goal kick. Daniels-Yeoman also went close when he drilled a free kick a few feet wide.
It was an even second period though and Star had a few chances themselves with Degnan going close on a couple of occasions and MIddlemiss curling an effort over deep into stoppage time. They were hardly hanging on by their fingertips but the Star players and fans were delighted to hear the final whistle and ensure they got their first points of the season.
Next week Star face another big spending side, East Stirlingshire and the teams have met three times on league duty at Islecroft, with all three ending in highly entertaining draws. Star should have a number of players back but still missing will be Dean Brotherston whose torn hamstring will keep him out for a further four or five weeks. However now we have our first goal and victrory of the season we will be looking to add to it next week.
DALBEATTIE STAR 1 EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY 0
Wells (24)
HT 1-0 Att 123
DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Kerr, O’Sullivan, Cowie, R Thomson, Wilson (Tremble 46), Graham (Telfer 72), Wells, Degnan, Sloan, Middlemiss
Subs not used: Gibson
Yellow Cards: Kerr, Wells
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY: McDougall, Murray (McDonald 45+1), Purves, McGuire, MacFarlane, Daniels-Yeoman, Sinclair, M Watters, R Watters, Baird (Kemp 78), Maskrey (Maurice 69)
Subs not used: Watson, Laing
Yellow Cards: Murray
Ref R Clark
Assistants J Brown & C Weir
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