MATCH REPORT
Date : 18th February 2023
Opposition : Peebles Rovers
Venue : Away
Scorers : Michael Robinson
Booked : Drew Cummings, Adam Deans
Sent Off : Melvin Sebastian
Attendance : 50
Team Lineup :
Stevie Mason
Joao Vieira
Craig Heath
Evan Smith
Rhys Dixon
Rhys Bloomfield
Drew Cummings
Jack Forster
Regan Graham
Craig Colquhoun
Michael Robinson
Subs :
Niall Frampton
Jack Cummings on for Jack Forster 80 mins
Adam Deans on for Joao Vieira 65 mins
Melvin Sebastian on for Rhys Bloomfield 80 mins
Match Report :
Players and spectators may well remember this game for a long time to come. Not for any great feats of football–though Peebles were very happy with the outcome–but for the conditions which conspired to make this mid table East of Scotland Second Division clash something of a lottery. Continuous first half rain added more water to an already soaked pitch and even before the rain decreased somewhat for the second half, the ground was turning into a quagmire.
The game was still goalless at half time with each side having passed up a particularly good scoring opportunity. First up, Rangers’ Craig Colquhoun fired wide in front of goal following the combined creativity of Regan Graham and Drew Cummings to his left.
With Tweedmouth’s defence out of sight, Rovers’ James Clare sent a low, angled drive from near his left wing the wrong side of an empty goal. On the other side of the pitch, Jamie Mackay was frequently willing to take on defenders but for the most part, Rhys Dixon and Evan Smith kept him under wraps.
On numerous occasions, the respective goalkeepers were called upon to give the ball a long punt down the field. The hosts’ Cameron Hanratty made the best save of the half from Colquhoun though he needn’t have bothered as the whistle went for offside, Cummings again involved in the build up, this time along with Rhys Bloomfield.
Eight minutes into the second half, the ball fell kindly for Luke Mclean to get in the space between Rangers’ centre back Craig Heath and keeper Stephen Mason to put Rovers in front.
Hanratty made a flying save from Cummings’ free kick given for a foul on Michael Robinson and it was to be the home side who scored again just beyond the hour, Paul Dickson heading in Ross Lamb’s corner.
But Peebles were not yet home and dry(!) as despite players almost getting stuck in the mud inside the penalty area, Tweedmouth responded with a goal of their own just a few minutes later. Colquhoun’s effort was stopped but Robinson managed to get his foot under the ball to lob it into the net. Cummings, whose battery never ran out, set up another chance, for Bloomfield, but this time the final lob was way too high.
In the 79th minute, Harry McGill strode away down the right and with a confident finish practically ensured all three points would stay at home.
Mason dropped on the ball just in time to prevent McLean scoring a personal second and fourth Peebles’ goal. Of Tweedmouth’s three second half replacements, one didn’t even see out the game, Melvin Sebastian sent off following an 88th minute incident with Robbie Renwick.