MATCH REPORT
Date : 13th August 2022
Opposition : Whitburn
Venue : Home
Scorers : Michael Robinson
Booked : Darren Gillon
Sent Off : None
TRFC Man of the Match : TBC
Attendance : 42
Team Lineup :
Stevie Mason
Adam Deans
Joao Vieira
Evan Smith
Jack Forster
Craig Colquhoun
Melvin Sebastian
Drew Cummings
Regan Graham
Rhys Bloomfield
Michael Robinson
Subs :
Jay Atkinson on for Adam Deans 64 mins
Darren Gillon on for Rhys Bloomfield 74 mins
Programme Cover :
To follow
Match Report :
For the second time in five days Tweedmouth lost a game in the second half, but this time, against tougher opponents, they did not have a commanding interval lead. That each of Whitburn’s five goals was scored by a different player gives some indication of the team’s strength and versatility.
FIRST HALF
Haar hung over the pitch for most of the first half but both goals were clearly visible from the centre spot.
Rangers’ Rhys Bloomfield and Michael Robinson both saw early scoring attempts sail over the bar. Likewise, Andrew Thomson and Darren Liddell for the visitors. Home goalkeeper Stephen Mason, replacing Niall Frampton, about to try his luck in Italian soccer, slapped away Thomson’s cross cum shot before it could curl in by his left post and then knocked what was definitely a cross from Ross Crawford on to the opposite post.
In the 20th minute, the ball spun off Bloomfield’s left foot in the wrong direction as he tried to convert Regan Graham’s chip. Three minutes later, after smart work from the Portuguese pair of Joao Vieira and Melvin Sebastian, Robinson rolled the ball between keeper Daniel Potts and the upright to give Tweedmouth the lead.
Obvious frustration was beginning to show both within the Whitburn team and the visiting support. Due to several players’ unavailability for this game, Rangers had some reshuffling to do, notably Jack Forster moving back to partner Evan Smith in central defence, the pair regularly breaking up away attacks. It was only Potts’ hand which denied Tweedmouth a second goal after Robinson raced up the right to supply Craig Colquhoun backing up through the middle.
Whitburn managed to level ten minutes from drinks when Reece Boyle knocked in a corner. Mason came out to stop Reece Duncan getting another away goal leaving Rangers looking good value for going in level at half time.
SECOND HALF
Two quick goals after the turnaround set the West Lothian side on the way to victory. Jack Henderson netted after the ball was flicked forward from the left. Then, though Mason disrupted Darren Tomaszewski’s cross, the ball fell handily for Liddell to tap it in.
The hosts were unlucky when Bloomfield struck the post after Graham put him through and then Graham himself connected with Colquhoun’s perfect cross but not in the direction intended.
Back upfield, Crawford increased the lead on the hour. During half time in the Berwick Rangers v East Stirlingshire game on neighbouring Shielfield, some curious spectators peered over the fence and saw Duncan getting Whitburn’s final goal.
There were still 23 minutes to go in which Tweedmouth worked hard to try to score again. Now it was substitute keeper Jack Wilsdon’s foot which frustrated Bloomfield and, as he dived, it was his hands which pushed away Jay Atkinson’s shot for a corner. When these two next came into close contact, as the game entered stoppage time, Wilsdon was outside his area when he handled the ball and, as last man, was shown a straight red. Drew Cummings took the free kick but it swerved away from target.
SUMMARY
The level of intensity at which Whitburn can play will cause problems for a lot of teams in Tweedmouth’s division. This result maintains their current 100% League record. They may well have some easier games than this one.
Pictures :
Courtesy of Whitburns Ann Haddow
