Newmachar Utd 2-0 Sunnybank
We welcomed Ryan Whelan, Sol Collins & Liam Mewse back to the squad with Murray Dawson dropping out with work.
What a big performance tonight with everyone playing their part in getting us back on track with a solid hard fought 3 points against the league leaders.
After two defeats in a week on our travels it was important we got back to winning ways at home.
The first 20 minutes was all blood and thunder with not much football being played and very little clear cut chances created by two teams who both knew the importance of the game.
But it was who broke the deadlock and got our noses in front when a break down the left saw Conor Watts efforts stopped by the away defenders arm in the box. Ryan Whelan stepped up and placed the penalty past the away keeper to put us in front.
We gradually took hold of the game and went further ahead when a ball was played over the top Ryan Cormack raced onto it and with two defenders breathing down his neck and the away keeper advancing he coolly lobbed the ball over the keeper from 20 yards to put us two up not long before the half time whistle.
HT 2-0
We knew the away side would look to come out of the blocks at the start of the second half but we coped very well and Simon Mitchell wasn’t really bothered apart from a driven shot he saved comfortably.
We started to play some good football and created a number of chances throughout the half with Conor Watt having a shot tipped over the bar, Ryan Cormack just missing a ball at the far post, Caly Reid putting the ball wide when one on one with the keeper and Liam Mewse got into a couple of good positions but tried to square it when he might have been better shooting.
Although we had the chances we restricted the away side to long range efforts and as the half went on the away side became more frustrated and their discipline started to erode with several bookings and then a red card for dissent in the final 10 minutes which made their job harder to come back.
We managed the game well and held onto our lead to take a very valuable 3 points.
To rub salt into the away sides wounds another player was sent off after the final whistle for something he said to the referee.
FT 2-0
NUFC Team – Mitchell, B Dryburgh, Young, Robertson, Walton, Reynolds, Reid, Watt, Whelan, Mewse, Cormack
Subs – Munro, E Dryburgh, Cowie, Duthie, Collins, Baxter, Whyte
We caught up with the gaffer after the game to get his thoughts…
Great to see us back. Great performance from the lads. Obviously they were very disappointed with the past 2 games and were keen to put that right. They’ve done it and being a bit more clinical could’ve had a couple more. I thought we were defensively solid and especially second half, caused them a lot of issues going forward as they pushed to try and get back in the game. Hopefully that momentum now carries into the remaining games and gets us over the line starting with what will be another very tough game against Glentanar