21/22 Match Report – 2nd October

The turning point in this game came a minute into the second half. After a bit of first half pushing and shoving, the referee had a word with Michael Robinson and Jack Burrows. Next time was more serious and Robinson, who had scored the two goals that gave Tweedmouth a half time lead, was dismissed for use of the elbow.

Thistle wasted no time in capitalising on having the extra man. The ball bobbed about a bit following a free kick before Darren McTernan hooked it into the net by the far post to put the teams level again.

Rangers opened the scoring after only 6 minutes. Jay Baverstock picked out Craig Colquhoun who in turn supplied Robinson. A goal looked certain but there was an anxious moment when the ball hit the post before gently settling in the back of the net.

As the Midlothian team pressed for a response, a header off a 15th minute corner struck the bar. Josh Davidson then headed over it whilst Matthew Johnston was wide despite being left unchallenged.

Home goalie Shea Dowie had to back pedal to hold a high cross cum shot from Regan Graham before Dalkeith equalised with 32 minutes played. For once, Tweedmouth’s passing wasn’t sharp enough, enabling Davidson to take the ball and square it to Ryan Weston to do the rest.

It took Rangers just a few minutes to go back in front, Colquhoun once more involved after collecting Graham’s chip and this time Robinson netting without the aid of the post.

The bar, hit by Duncan Muir from 25 yards, and Mark Walters’ right foot after Davidson got free again, meant that Thistle were still behind when the half time whistle was blown.

Down to ten men, the Berwick team struggled to keep their shape and earlier sure-footedness and in only two more instances remotely threatened the home goal. Instead, the ruthless ‘Jags’ turned up the heat taking the lead through Darren Leslie’s spot kick despite Rhys Dixon’s disbelief at being penalised for bringing down Muir. It soon became 4-2 thanks to a great finish by Weston from 20 yards after he battled his way out of a couple of attempted tackles.

Skipper Greig Callaghan netted by the back post courtesy of the ball dropping his way off the bar. Weston claimed the next goal and thus a hat trick but it was really a true own goal by the luckless Dixon as Thistle number 9’s intended pass bounced off his chest and past Walters.

Ross Aitchison also hit the crossbar, Walters’ miraculous follow up save in vain as substitute Danny McFadden was on hand to stretch the lead to five goals.

Walters went down to save from Muir, Jack Forster’s hefty kick clearing the ball for a corner. It was from a corner that Burrows rubbed salt into Tweedmouth’s wounds with an on target header right at the end.

Dalkeith were understandably jubilant post match, Tweedmouth left to mull over what might have been. Those within the ranks of the touring Groundhoppers UK were in too much of a hurry to get to their second of four matches on the day at Bonnyrigg to be asked what they made of it all.