Dal Riata V Doune Castle (23/11/2019)

Dal Riata 1
Doune Castle 10

Doune romped to victory, completely overwhelming Dal Riata with some clinical finishing.

Doune spurned an early opportunity to take the lead. On 4 minutes, Niall McClure was tripped in the box. Alan Inglis struck the spot kick well, but the home keeper dived to his right to make a fine save.

Sean Wilbert drove narrowly over from distance and Chris Macdonald’s free kick forced another decent save.

Doune made it 1-0 after 17 minutes.

Ross Macfarlane won possession 25 yards out with a well-timed tackle. His inch-perfect, angled cross found Alan Inglis. From 12 yards, Inglis directed a powerful header beyond the keeper into the corner of the net.

Alan Inglis should have doubled the Castle lead 3 minutes later. Sean Wilbert threaded a pass through the heart of the Dal Riata defence to send Inglis clear on the keeper. The striker opted to flick the ball over the advancing keeper, but sent his effort inches wide of the far post.

After 23 minutes it was 2-0.

Andrew Gibson delivered a defence-splitting pass from deep. Lukasz Duszynski sped clear and drilled the ball home from 10 yards.

Dal Riata reduced the deficit on 27 minutes.

Callum Davison’s kickout fell straight to a home player. He returned the ball and found his centre clear of the Castle defence. A neat finish from the edge of the box made it 2-1.

Doune were stung into an immediate reply.

Fine combination play between David Innes and Lukasz Duszynski saw the ball moved to Alan Inglis. Inglis controlled the ball before drilling a low shot back across goal into the right-hand corner of the net for 3-1.

Doune passed up several other good opportunities before making it 4-1 on 35 minutes.

Andrew Gibson split the defence with a disguised pass inside to Alan Inglis. Inglis strode forward and lashed the ball into the bottom right hand corner to complete his hat-trick.

4 minutes before the break, Andy Mann launched a free kick from deep into the box. Alan Inglis connected, but the keeper made a fine block. Sean Wilbert latched onto the loose ball but nodded wide.

Right on half-time, Doune made it 5-1 with a brilliant goal.

Chris Macdonald gathered wide on the left. He cut inside, weaving his way past several defenders before slipping the ball to Andrew Gibson. He touched the ball inside. Lukasz Duszynski met the ball on the run to smash an unstoppable shot high into the net from 14 yards.

Dal Riata resumed in determined fashion. Callum Davison did well to smother a low strike from 25 yards.

Sean Wilbert created an opening for Lukasz Duszynski, but the Castle forward drove wide of the far post.

The home keeper touched an Alan Inglis free kick from 30-yards over the bar as Doune looked to add to their tally.

Callum Davison reacted well to a close-range effort to gather high to his right.

Lukasz Duszynski completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes. Alan Inglis and Chris Macdonald eased their way past several defenders before slipping the ball to Duszynski. He calmly placed the ball beyond the keeper from 12 yards for 6-1.

On the hour, Alan Inglis found Robbie Hurst breaking into the box on the right. Hurst hammered a fierce drive that beat the keeper, but crashed back off the crossbar.

3 minutes later, Robbie Hurst found himself clear, but again shot against the bar as Dal Riata struggled to match a rampant Castle.

Jonny Coubrough made it 7-1 after 66 minutes. 30 yards out, Robbie Hurst curled a free kick beyond the Dal Riata backline to the back post. Coubrough met it first-time to side-foot home from 5 yards.

Callum Kerr, Robbie Hurst and Chris Macdonald all came close before Doune made it 8-1 after 80 minutes. Sean Wilbert released Callum Kerr who broke into the box before lifting the ball over the advancing keeper from 14 yards.

Doune should have scored 3 minutes later. Robbie Hurst intercepted the ball ahead of the advancing keeper. He was forced wide and opted to shoot, but saw his effort from a tight angle slip wide.

After 84 minutes it was 9-1. David Innes caught the Dal Riata defence flat-footed with a quick throw to Chris Macdonald. Macdonald took full advantage, driving into the box before coolly slipping the ball into the net from 12 yards.

Doune completed the scoring on 85 minutes. Callum Kerr sped into the box from the right and drilled a shot towards the far corner. The ball took a deflection to deceive the keeper and fly high into the net for 10-1.

Doune take great credit for a ruthless performance and producing some very attractive football on a difficult surface.

Doune Castle: Davison, Macfarlane (Balmer), Duncanson, Mann (Coubrough), D. Innes, Gibson, Wilbert, McClure (Hurst), Duszynski (Kerr), Inglis, Macdonald Substitute: Meldrum