East End v Newmachar Utd

Match Reports 22/23

Nov 09

East End 3-1 Newmachar Utd

We arrived at East End missing Murray Dawson, Neil Scott, Skipper Euan Dryburgh, Peter Melvin &  Jack Cowie but welcomed Ryan Cormack back into the squad.

A poor start where we conceded after just two minutes from a mistake meant we would be chasing the game from the start. The home side put us under pressure and Mitchell had to make a couple of decent saves to keep us in the game and after 20 minutes the home side went further ahead. We finally started to get into the game and created a couple of half chances with Zack Ellis saving down low from a Mewse drive. Ellis then miscued a back pass and Greg Wood just had to tap the ball into an empty net but a pull on the strikers shirt saw the ball roll out at an impossible angle to get the shot away meaning the half finished with us trailing 2-0.

We came out in the second half with a point to prove and started far better and pegged the home side back. We created a couple of chances and the home keeper had to be at full stretch to stop a Watt shot. We did claw one back after an hour after a couple of corners when Mewse initially brought a good save from the home keeper after a strong header and was first to react to put us back in the game.
We pushed for the equaliser but left ourselves suspect to breakaways and with 10 minutes to go the home side put the game to bed when they broke clear and scored a third.
We are disappointed in the final result but satisfied of the effort put in from the players which meant it was a good game between two teams going toe to toe but the home side took the win and we wish them all the best for the next round v Larkhall Thistle and for the rest of their league season.

Full Time 3-1

NUFC Team – Mitchell, B Dryburgh (Duthie) Robertson, Young, Whelan, Reynolds, Watt, Whelan, Mewse, Walton, Reid (Gerrie)

Subs – Duthie, Gerrie, Whyte, McDermid, Collins, Cormack, Hudson

We caught up with the gaffer after the game to get his thoughts…

Gaffer

We started poor and gave ourselves a mountain to climb. We’ll take the positives in that East End are 4th or 5th best team in the North Region just now if you look at the league table and i didn’t think there was much between the teams. A poor first 45 cost us. East End were probably a bit more experienced than us and took their chances where we didn’t. At 2-1 the next goal is crucial and with us pushing for the equaliser, it leaves a lot of spaces at the back and East End got their third to kill it. Another step in the learning process for this group of players as we build what we hope can be a great future for the club.

The fact the boys are in the dressing room hurting at losing to one of the strongest junior teams in the area shows where the club is heading.