Soccer World Super League: - Longside 2 Culter 4
H-T 2-3
Scorers: Longside, Wisely 1, Buchan 7. Culter, Cameron 20, Christie 32,
McRitchie 36, Adam (pen) 58.
Culter moved ten points clear at the top of the table
with six games remaining in their quest to retain their title. Nearest
challengers Turriff could only draw and now cannot catch the holders
with their games in hand. It was an amazing encounter at Davidson Park
with Culter looking dead and buried after only 7 minutes gone and
Longside two up but the Deeslders completed a remarkable recovery and
ran out easy winners in the end.
Longside attacked straight from the kick off and hesitation in the new
look Culter defence allowed WISLEY to stroll in and stroke the ball
home. This stung the Deesiders into action and Stewart forced two
corners which came to nothing. Culter were stunned a few minutes later
when the nervous Culter defence allowed BUCHAN to sneak in and add
number two. It looked all over bar the shouting when Cowell was forced
into conceding a comer and from the flag kick M. Reid headed wide with
the goal at his mercy. Culter were thrown a lifeline in the 20t' minute
when Adam floated in a good free kick and CAMERON rose above the defence
to power home a header. Moments later Christie looked to be in on goal
following a Greig long ball but he drifted just offside. Culter were
right back in it in the 32nd minute when CHRISTIE interchanged passes
with Stewart and thumped an unstoppable shot beyond the flailing
Simpson. A minute later, and with Culter in full stride, Craik slipped a
couple of markers to cross for McRitchie but Forbes was on hand to clear
the striker's effort off the line. Pirie was called into actionvat the
other end as Longside sought to get back into it and the big keeper
pulled off a good save from Keith. Remarkably with just 35 minutes on
the clock Culter went into the lead when,-Calder skipped down the right
and sent in ara° out swinging cross which was met, by MCRITCHIE and his
powerful header bulged the back of the net. Culter kept pressing and
-looked determined to make Longside pay for their early impudence and
with Calder and Adam pulling the strings looked as if the could easily
add to their lead. Stewart who was causing the home rearguard all sorts
of problems won a comer which Adam took but Cameron headed the chance
well wide.
Culter started the second period where they left off and Christie was
desperately unlucky with a drive from a Calder pass which whistled just
wide. Longside did have a rare opportunity in the 56th minute when
Stephen forced Pirie into a save but he spilled the ball and Cowell was
forced to hack the ball to safety. Moments later, at the other end, an
Adam corner was flighted into the box and the ref. pointed to the spot
as Cameron was pushed. ADAM grabbed the ball and stepped up the send
Simpson the wrong way to increase Culter's lead. Culter kept pushing and
Adam sent in a ball for McRitchie but McRobbie recovered well to block
the attempt. Longside in an attempt to recover something from the game
sent on S. Reid, Urquhart and Beddie for Keith, McRobbie and Finnie but
this did not alter the flow of play as Culter kept controlling the play.
The Deesiders then put on Smith and Thain for Cameron and Adam who had
previously been booked and the two newcomers combined with Thain
bursting into the Longside half only to be chopped down by Christie who
earned a yellow. Pirie then almost gifted Longside a consolation when he
spilled a Stephen cross but Thain was on hand to snuff out any potential
threat. With a few minutes remaining Ord replaced McRitchie but it was
Smith who almost added to the tally with a crisp shot which was
deflected behind for a comer. In the last minute Ord found the
irrepressible Stewart but Simpson charged from his charge to boot the
ball out for a throw in.
Culter: M. Pirie, Cowell, Allan, Calder, Greig, Adam, Stewart, Cameron,
McRitchie, Craik, Christie. Subs: Smith, Ord, Davidson, Grant, Thain.
Referee: K. Will
Remaining League Fixtures: Home - Glentanar, Turriff, Stonehaven
and Stoneywood
Away - Glentanar and Maud
Scoring Table to Date. In 32 games played Culter
have won 23, drawn one and
lost 8 games, scoring 95 goals and conceding 33 in the process.
R Cameron 33 K Christie 4 D Adam 3
N McRitchie 25 C Craik 4
D Ord 3
P Stewart 15 M Rattray 3
D Calder 2
A Cowell 1
G Davidson 1
A Thain 1.
Next Week's Fixture - Saturday 16 April 2005 - Acorn Heating Cup-2nd
Round
Culter v Wilson's XI (at Crombie Park, Culter). Referee: S McKenzie.
Kick Off 2.15 p.m. - played to a finish.
Forthcoming Fixtures
Soccer World Superleague - Tuesday 19 April 2005
Culter v Glentanar (at Crombie Park, Culter). Ref: M Northcroft. Kick
Off 6.45 p.m.
Soccer World Superleague - Saturday 23 April 2005
Culter v FC Stoneywood (at Crombie Park, Culter). Ref: A Lovie. K.O.
2.30 p.m.
Longside Luck. In the Longside FC Half Time Raffle yesterday
Mario DiMaio, Culter, won a £10 Prize.
Grand National Sweepstake Winners. 1st Place £20 - Steven
Davidson, Culter; 2nd Place £12 - Albert J Moir, Culter; 3rd Place
£8 - Alexander J Irvine, Culter.
