MATCH REPORT
Date : 22nd July 2023
Opposition : Musselburgh Athletic U20s
Venue : Home
Scorers : Michael Robinson 2, Rhys Bloomfield 2, Christian Temple, Craig Bell, Jay Atkinson, Khaz Mdalasini
Booked : None
Sent Off : None
Attendance : 77
Referee : Boise Allan
Team Lineup :
Euan Robertson
Brad Smith
Joao Vieira
Evan Smith
Christian Temple
Rhys Dixon
Jack Cummings
Craig Bell
Rhys Bloomfield (c)
Michael Robinson
Khaz Mdalasini
Subs :
Ryan Dunn on for Euan Robertson 45 mins
Kieran Cromarty on for Brad Smith 45 mins
Leighton Robertson on for Ciaran Hatsell 82 mins
Sam Straughan on for Khaz Mdalasini 64 mins
Jay Atkinson on for Craig Bell 75 mins
Ciaran Hatsell on for Christian Temple 78 mins
Match Report :
Although their own squad included several younger players, Tweedmouth proved too strong for Musselburgh’s Under 20s in this pre-season friendly on the main Shielfield pitch.
Rangers looked decidedly shaky in the earlier stages, Musselburgh putting together some good moves. The visitors’ blushes were spared by an offside decision when they appeared to have missed their best chance in front of an open goal.
In their own penalty area, Liam Walker’s perfect sliding tackle stopped Michael Robinson from giving Rangers a 10th minute lead but he would soon do so from the penalty spot after Rhys Bloomfield was sent to ground by Shaun Brady.
Musselburgh keeper Adam Gillie looked to have saved from Craig Bell but couldn’t keep hold of the ball which ran loose. Following through, new signing Christian Temple popped it into the net to put the hosts two up.
Tweedmouth added two more in quick succession. Bell broke out of a tackle and set up Robinson to chip the ball beyond the keeper. Khaz Mdalasini then hooked home Brad Smith’s cross from the right with 22 minutes played.
On Musselburgh’s right side, Liam Henderson confounded markers with some deft footwork but Leo Marko sent his useful looking cross high over Euan Robertson’s bar.
On receipt of Temple’s long ball Bloomfield also spun one over the bar albeit a little lower. Six minutes from the interval, with no home men close by, most players and, probably spectators, assumed it would be an easy pick up for Gillie as the ball gently rolled back towards his area. Bloomfield’s quick thinking led to him nipping in to get there first and dart past the last defender to wrap up the first half scoring.
Just after the hour, Bell turned to fire in the sixth goal from close to the edge of the box. Two minutes later, Rangers won another penalty after Bloomfield was again brought down. Robinson had fired high into the net the first time but now went low. Gillie dived the right way to make a fine save, one of half a dozen in the second period.
In contrast, Tweedmouth’s Ryan Dunn had little to do with most of the second half action occurring in the visitors’ half. Home sub Ciaran Hatsell was involved for only four minutes of it after popping a hamstring.
Gillie was finally beaten again twice in the last four minutes. Stopped inside the box but helped by a Musselburgh foot, Robinson managed to poke the ball back to Jay Atkinson to bang home the first of the pair. At the end, Atkinson regained the ball with a crunching tackle and passed on to Bloomfield to finish off.