MATCH REPORT
Date : 6th August 2022
Opposition : Stirling University
Venue : Home
Scorers : Regan Graham, Drew Cummings
Booked : Adam Deans, Drew Cummings
Sent Off : None
TRFC Man of the Match : Drew Cummings
Attendance : 58
Team Lineup :
Niall Frampton
Adam Deans
Rhys Dixon
Evan Smith
Craig Heath
Craig Colquhoun
Jack Forster
Drew Cummings
Regan Graham
Melvin Sebastian
Craig Bell
Subs :
Joao Vieira for Adam Deans 79 mins
Michael Robinson for Craig Bell 67 mins
Jake Gibson for Rhys Dixon 79 mins
Jay Atkinson for Jack Forster 88 mins
Programme Cover :
To follow
Match Report :
Goals in the final minutes of each half at Old Shielfield gave Tweedmouth Rangers their first win of the season.
FIRST HALF
More than thirty minutes had passed when Saul McDermott enjoyed a purple patch beginning with his knee stopping Regan Graham from scoring. The Stirling keeper was well positioned to hold Drew Cummings’ header when Craig Bell flicked the ball forward. There followed a string of other saves; one hand from Craig Colquhoun, two to turn another Graham bid over the bar and again, one hand, to re-direct Craig Heath’s header off Colquhoun’s corner.
Long before this spell, the home side had chances but a combination of wide shots and the wind carrying the ball too far worked against them. With 29 minutes gone, Evan Smith surprised almost everybody by deciding to try from inside the centre circle. Nor was he far off target, the ball rising barely a foot over the bar.
So it seemed like Tweedmouth would never score. The students neither, their opportunities limited to a low drive outside the post by their useful looking winger Archie Munro and Andrew MacIvor’s high free kick which was headed away by Melvin Sebastian.
The breakthrough came with three of the opening forty five minutes remaining. The ball bounced off McDermott when Bell struck leaving Graham to make sure.
SECOND HALF
Stirling’s second half performance was better as they sought to take advantage of Rangers’ increasing difficulties in controlling the ball under the conditions. It was also the hosts’ failure to make tackles count which set up Max Cole for an impressive equaliser ten minutes after half time.
Niall Frampton made a couple of saves. The Uni fluffed a trio of chances, the best of which fell to captain Cameron Hayes who was unable to get a foot to the ball when delivered from the left. In addition, some mighty defending from centre backs Smith and Craig Heath helped keep the visitors at bay as they continued to appear the more likely to score next.
Going forward, Tweedmouth could not produce anything tangible until just two minutes of normal time were left. Sebastian was fouled. Coincidentally, Cummings took the free from much the same spot as the Stirling one with which the victim had dealt earlier. However, this one was sent low. McDermott dived but the ball rattled the far post and trickled into the net.
SUMMARY
‘A game of two halves’ really with a nerve racking period of time added on when Rangers took every opportunity to keep the ball near the corners to ensure the outcome they wanted.
Pictures :
No photographer present