Westerlands V Doune Castle (29/02/2020)

Westerlands 2
Doune Castle 5

Doune secured the points with an emphatic second half display.

The sides were locked at 2-2 at the interval. The Castle had romped into an early 2-0 lead and then squandered the chance to extend that advantage from the penalty spot, before allowing Westerlands back into the game with 2 cheap goals late in the half.

Niall McClure came close to scoring after only 90 seconds. He connected with a Lukasz Duszynski corner at the back post, but was always stretching and the ball flew narrowly over.

Westerlands sped upfield on the counter-attack. Niall McClure then demonstrated his defensive prowess with a timely sliding block.

Doune broke forward and grabbed a 1-0 lead after 3 minutes.

Christopher Macdonald attacked down the right flank before crossing to Robbie Hurst, well-placed at the back post some 12 yards out.

Hurst flashed a first-time volley that crashed back off the face of the crossbar. It broke to Alan Inglis. From 10 yards, Inglis lashed the ball home for 1-0, despite a valiant attempt by the keeper to divert the ball over.

A minute later, Robbie Hurst zipped a powerful low drive from 20 yards that slipped inches wide of the left-hand post.

Doune made it 2-0 after 10 minutes.

Lukasz Duszynski and Sean Wilbert worked a short corner wide on the right. Duszynski crossed into the area. A defender knocked it to the edge of the box. Robbie Hurst gathered, made a quick change of direction before turning to slam a drive high into the net.

On 15 minutes, Robbie Hurst found Alan Inglis with a free kick from a wide position. Inglis rose well, but his glancing header slipped narrowly past.

Doune almost gifted Westerlands a way back into the game after 26 minutes. They had several chances to play the ball forward, but dithered on the ball. It seemed certain Westerlands would take full advantage, but Niall McClure again anticipated the danger to block.

2 minutes later, Callum Davison saved low to his right as Westerlands started to move forward with increased threat.

Doune troubled the home side with the speed of their counter-attacking play. Sean Wilbert broke clear and placed the ball past the keeper towards the unguarded net. The stopper continued his charge to wipe him out with a cynical foul. He conceded the penalty and was fortunate to escape with a caution.

Lukasz Duszynski took the penalty, but his effort lacked conviction and the keeper easily blocked with his legs.

After having been under pressure for the bulk of the opening half hour, Westerlands pulled one back after 36 minutes.

The Westies winger was allowed to skip clear at the left-edge of the box. He dinked the ball to the back post where an unmarked forward headed the ball beyond Callum Davison for 2-1.

Westies took heart from that goal and pressed forward. Callum Davison produced a good save to hold a strong shot from the edge of the area.

Lukasz Duszynski hit the bar, before Doune gifted the equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

The Doune defence was in disarray and failed to deal with what was no more than a hopeful punt upfield. Callum Davison misjudged his race from goal and clattered into the home forward to concede an obvious spot kick.

With the last kick of the half, Westies confidently converted to draw themselves level at 2-2 at half-time.

Playing into the gale, Doune started the second half impressively. Time after time, they shredded the Westies backline with driving runs and quick inter-passing play.

In the space of 10 minutes, they created, but failed to convert 5 excellent chances. Lukasz Duszynski also had a volleyed effort ruled offside as the home defence struggled to cope with a re-energised Castle side.

Alan Inglis made it 3-2 after 60 minutes.

Lukasz Duszynski danced inside past two challenges and edged the ball forward to Alan Inglis. 25-yards out, Inglis brought the ball under control before rifling an unstoppable drive that flew high into the top corner for a stunning goal.

Doune finally dominated the game and also defended sensibly when Westerlands did counter.

The Castle made it 4-2 after 76 minutes.

Murray Docherty did well to retrieve a loose ball wide on the left following a corner. Docherty slipped the ball back to Robbie Hurst who had burst forward in support. Hurst skipped inside and curled a powerful shot from the very edge of the area that took a wicked deflection and spun high over the keeper.

Westerlands became ragged as a slick Doune side moved the ball around impressively. The home side forced a late corner, but Callum Davison defused the attack with a commanding take.

With the game in added time, Doune made it 5-2 with another fine goal.

Ross Macfarlane won the ball just inside the Westies half. He burst past three challenges to hit the bye-line wide on the right. Macfarlane directed an inviting ball across the face of the goal. New-signing, Regan McDonald timed his forward run perfectly and angled a first-time volley into the net from 4 yards with an emphatic finish.

Doune will be delighted with the quality of their second half performance. They will also know that on another day, the combination of missed chances and slack defending so prevalent in the opening 45 could have cost them dearly.

Doune Castle: Davison, Macfarlane, McClure, Docherty, D. Innes, Gibson (A. Innes), Wilbert (Marshall), Hurst, Macdonald (McDonald), Inglis, Duszynski Substitutes: Tully, Hamilton