MATCH REPORT
Date : 9th May 2023
Opposition : Peebles Rovers
Venue : Home
Scorers : Jack Cummings, Regan Graham
Booked : Craig Heath, Melvin Sebastian, Jay Atkinson
Sent Off : Rhys Bloomfield
Attendance : 54
Referee : Michael Dixon
Team Lineup :
Niall Frampton
Joao Vieira
Ctaig Heath
Kieran Cromarty
Evan Smith
Rhys Dixon
Melvin Sebastian
Jack Forster
Regan Graham
Rhys Bloomfield
Jack Cummings
Subs :
Adam Deans on for Jack Cummings 77 mins
Jay Atkinson on for Melvin Sebastian 64 mins
Leighton Robertson
Match Report :
Following the previous Saturday’s dramatic finale at Craigroyston there was an encore at Old Shielfield as Tweedmouth pipped Peebles in the third meeting of the teams this season. For the third time in five matches, Rangers were compelled to see out the game shorthanded with the creator of their first goal, Rhys Bloomfield, dismissed on receipt of a second yellow card.
The visitors won the first of many corners as early as the second minute, this one safely headed clear by Evan Smith. Kieran Cromarty then stopped Harry McGill when he latched on to a long punt from keeper Grant Doyle.
Long and, especially high kicks, were the order of the day for Peebles. This included corners aimed over home heads to beyond the far post in the hope that a man positioned there would be able to return the ball into the net.
In the 25th minute, Jacks Cummings and Forster cut open the away defence but on taking the final pass, Bloomfield was ruled offside deep inside the penalty box. Eight minutes further on, Tweedmouth took the lead, Bloomfield travelling down the left before squaring to Jack Cummings to beat Doyle.
Home keeper Niall Frampton was in top form all night and near the end of the first half was flying to stop Jamie Mackay scoring. Peebles had also hit the crossbar through McGill’s volley and seen a long, strong Paul Dickson strike deflected for yet another corner.
If Peebles did more than shade the opening 45′, apart from an odd Rangers’ foray, they totally dominated the second. That was until the final minutes. Playing down the slope, Rovers kept up the aerial attacks but, especially after Robbie Renwick came on, also had Rangers working furiously to diffuse ground attacks threatening their right side.
They had levelled on 57 minutes when McGill hooked the ball into the net in style after it came over from the right. Yet, they could not force another score. Frampton tipped a thundering shot on to the side netting and saved from Renwick at close quarters. In the middle of all this, Peebles also hit the post.
Meanwhile the yellow cards were totting up. Four players from each side went into the book, not necessarily for fouls. Doyle was cautioned for continually questioning refereeing decisions. As Bloomfield’s was a double he was then shown red with eight minutes of regular time to go.
Out of the blue, the flow of the game changed. Regan Graham made a promising run but in opting to cross rather than go on to try to beat Doyle probably made the wrong decision. Adam Deans put Jay Atkinson away but he fired straight at the keeper. Crucially though, the momentum was now with the home team. The next time Deans had the ball, he was downed just outside the penalty area. Graham sent the free kick through the defensive line up for what proved to be the winner ( 88 mins. ) before a lengthy period of stoppage time in the rapidly fading light.