Kennoway Star Hearts 1 Sauchie 2
It was back to league business with both team`s looking to get a much needed confidence boost of a win and three points to edge themselves away from the bottom of the table.
Inside the first minute Sauchie pounced on a slack pass from the KSH defence and grabbed the opportunity to take the lead when the Sauchie striker collected the ball and showed his composure as he found the bottom right hand corner of the goal leaving Paterson helpless.
A very nervy start from the home side was not what the management was expecting. The game was littered with unforced errors early on from both sides as neither side settled into any sort of rhythm with the passing not up to the standard both sides usually show.
The effort was there in abundance, tackles and aerial duels aplenty but again no real flow to the game.
It was no surprise that the next goal would again come from a defensive lapse, this time it was Sauchie who provided the error with in form striker M.Gay pouncing on the ball on the edge of the penalty area before skipping past a few tackles and finishing from ten yards with his usual ice cold precision.
The play was still a bit stop start as very little in terms of goal-scoring chances were created by either side. Band saw one effort from just outside the box saved comfortably by the Sauchie `keeper.
With the half drifting to the interval Sauchie grabbed a second goal with a flowing move down their left flank. The ball was cut back from inside the penalty area before a late run from a midfielder get on the end of the pass with a thumping finish into the roof of the net. HT 1-2
With little between the two sides KSH task to get back into the game took a blow when they were reduced to ten men five minutes after the break with Rolland receiving a straight red card for dissent.
Despite the set back the home side continued to try and get on the ball and take the game to Sauchie.
A penalty claim was rejected by the officials when C.Gay looked to have been fouled inside the area as the home side stepped up their efforts to grab an equaliser.
A resolute Sauchie defence were quite content to sit in and give up possession to KSH in the middle third of the pitch. The little spark of creativity that was needed to get behind the defence was dealt a blow when top goalscorer M.Gay limped off with Johnstone coming on.
Within minutes Johnstone had to be substituted as well as he was also injured after a late tackle on him. Collins came on and almost immediately the youngster looked to bring some calm and composure to the play.
He saw a shot from eighteen yards saved as the game entered the last quarter.
Paterson had one save of note in the second half as he tipped over a powerful shot from fifteen yards.
With six minutes left a lovely ball from Collins found Muir wide on the left hand side of the box, the midfielder connected with a firm angled drive that looked net-bound but the Sauchie `keeper stretched to dive low to his left and tip the ball around the post. FT 1-2
TEAM: Paterson Young Doig Partridge Brewster C.Gay Rolland McGowan M.Gay Muir Band Subs: Lindsay Craig Collins Johnstone Newlands
