MATCH REPORT
Date : 12th November 2022
Opposition : Newburgh Juniors
Venue : Home
Scorers : Michael Robinson (2)
Booked : Kieran Cromarty, Melvin Sebastian, Michael Robinson
Sent Off : None
Attendance : 85
Team Lineup :
Niall Frampton
Kieran Cromarty
Craig Heath
Evan Smith
Rhys Dixon
Melvin Sebastian
Rhys Bloomfield
Drew Cummings
Regan Graham
Craig Bell
Michael Robinson
Subs :
Stevie Mason
Jay Atkinston on for Rhys Bloomfield 69 mins
Jack Forster on for Craig Bell 80 mins
Jordan Crombie
Joao Vieira
Kyle Wood
Jack Cummings
Match Report :
Rangers came from a goal down at half time to extend their unbeaten League run to five matches.
FIRST HALF
This was a stop:start affair with referee Evan Cairns signalling half time a full fifty minutes after the game began. The first pause came within the opening 60 seconds when Michael Robinson required on field treatment after a foul by Calum Anderson who thus picked up the first caution of the afternoon. The next interruption saw Newburgh’s Struan Grieve down injured and replaced by Josh Doyle.
A little after 15 minutes of actual play, the Fife team took the lead, Michael Perrie able to run in behind the home defence to connect with Jamie Gay’s free kick. Tweedmouth fashioned a four man move which might have produced an equaliser but it ended with keeper Mark Robertson saving from Craig Bell.
Two more stoppages followed. Doyle had to be helped off hurt, Lewis Stevenson taking his place. Robertson’s shoulder took a knock when he went down to beat Rhys Bloomfield to the ball but after attention, stayed on.
Near half time, another Gay free kick went high off a teammate’s head before home goalie Niall Frampton punched the ball to safety.
SECOND HALF
Tweedmouth enjoyed more sustained pressure in the opening segment of the second period. Bloomfield hit the bar on running in to meet a high ball off the outside of Rhys Dixon’s boot. It then handily dropped into the arms of a grateful Robertson.
Later, a couple of other high crosses from the same left flank would pay off but only after Melvin Sebastian was just wide on hitting the ball at pace from 25 yards. He then set up Bloomfield but though Robertson was now in trouble, the ball came off another Newburgh foot for a corner.
The equaliser arrived in the 62nd minute, Bloomfield supplier, Robinson the finisher with his knee. Two scary moments followed for the hosts. Cai MacDonald was through but Frampton made a good save whilst it was Craig Heath’s knee which sent the ball over the bar for a corner therefore preventing Luis O’Rourke from restoring the Juniors’ lead.
Newburgh made a major change bringing on three attacking players in a multiple substitution but it was Rangers who struck again. Sebastian made yards before sending a great ball out to Graham near the left corner. Robinson was there again to convert, this time volleying high into the net.
Frampton’s save of the match then ensured that there would be no leveller from Andrew Reade.
Robinson had the chance of a hat trick as Rangers smartly raced out of their own half following a Newburgh corner but fired straight at Robertson in a 1:1 with the keeper.
SUMMARY
The victory puts Tweedmouth on 23 pts but they remain in ninth place in the East of Scotland Second Division as Heriot Watt University also won and stay above the Berwick club on goal difference.