MATCH REPORT
Date : 27th May 2023
Opposition : Newburgh Juniors
Venue : Away
Scorers : Drew Cummings (2 pens), Michael Robinson, Regan Graham
Booked : Joao Vieira
Sent Off : None
Attendance : 64
Referee : Tayler Martin
Team Lineup :
Niall Frampton
Jay Atkinson
Ctaig Heath
Kieran Cromarty
Evan Smith
Joao Vieira
Drew Cummings
Regan Graham
Jack Forster
Jack Cummings
Michael Robinson
Subs :
Jack Jones
Jake Gibson
Craig Bell on for Jack Cummings 45 mins
Match Report :
Twice trailing by two goals, Tweedmouth once again showed plenty of fighting spirit even briefly holding the lead before Newburgh’s last goal wrapped up the scoring at a sunny East Shore Park. Though Rangers were helped by the award of two penalties, they could also lay claim to the best two of the game’s eight goals. Anyway, the ripple of applause on the final whistle suggested that spectators considered it had been an entertaining end of season game.
At their first attempt at scoring, Newburgh took a third minute lead through Michael Perrie. Along with Harris Mitchell, Perrie also featured in a free kick ploy which, luckily for Rangers, did not bring about a quick second goal. That came in the 23rd minute. After Niall Frampton made an initial point blank save, Newburgh were still able to take advantage of Rangers’ defensive discomfort, Jamie Fyfe squeezing the ball over the line with several Rangers’ men expecting an offside decision.
The away side finally began to stitch together some decent moves. Out on the right, Drew Cummings and Michael Robinson worked together before the ball was sent back infield to Regan Graham for a bobbling shot which went wide.
Taking a back pass from brother Drew, Jack Cummings was closer to the target despite the angle and distance from which he aimed. This one finished a little over the home crossbar.
As Rangers continued to press, just before half time, the ball was handled by a home player inside the box. From the spot, Drew Cummings sent keeper David Chalmers the wrong way to put his team back in the game.
Or, so it seemed. Just three minutes into the second half, Newburgh skipper Andrew Cameron headed a corner ball downwards and over the line to put his side back in the driving seat at 3-1.
Before the next goal did arrive, each side had a decent chance of scoring. First, Rangers’ Jack Forster won possession through some determined tackling before playing the ball on to Craig Bell to send across to Drew Cummings. Though unhurried, his shot was off target. So was Newburgh’s Lewis Stevenson but his thunderbolt following another home corner carried a real threat.
It was Tweedmouth who scored the game’s fifth goal on 56 minutes. Graham’ accurate cross field ball reached Drew Cummings who then channelled it perfectly for Robinson to complete the move with a convincing finish.
Seven minutes on, Jay Atkinson was brought down as he worked his way into the box. This time, Chalmers didn’t move as Drew Cummings maintained his 100% success rate with spot kicks this season by coolly slotting the penalty to bring the scores level for the first time since Newburgh’s opener.
Tweedmouth soon went in front with another well worked goal. Again, Forster’s tenacity saw him come out of tackles with the ball. More good refereeing allowed advantage to be played as he was still making ground despite being fouled. His pass on to Bell was returned for Forster to now feed Graham to net his sixth goal in five matches and put Rangers ahead for the first time at 4-3.
This advantage was short lived as the home side countered just two minutes later when Hamid Eddouss hooked the ball into the net by Frampton’s right post.
Craig Heath joined the attack as Rangers went in search of a winner and struck the ball well from 15 yards out after receiving it from Drew Cummings but, now, Chalmers did move, positioning himself perfectly to block the shot.
It looked even easier for Eddouss when a low ball from the right came his way when unmarked very close to Frampton’s line but he could only stroke the ball tamely giving the keeper an easy save.
A draw was about right. The main satisfaction for Tweedmouth was that they achieved their aim of completing their final five League games of 2022-23 without defeat courtesy of two wins and three draws.
Match Photographs
Courtesy of JEZ GRIMWOOD
