Postal ALC 1 - Newburgh 6 - Stephen Shield 1st Round - Webster Park - 14/10/2023

TEAM - 1. S.Walker 2. S.Carter 3. A.Baxter 4. S.Allardyce 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. A.Clark 8. T.Raynard 9. P.Frampton 10. S.Abel 11. N.Willey 12. A.Esson 14. S.Cotovici 15. K.Dowbekin. 16. N.MacDonald. 17. S.Wells. 18. G.Cormack

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Postal took on Newburgh for the second time this season after getting a 5-0 lesson on the first game of the season. This time, it was the Div1 North League Cup (Stephen Shield) but the outcome would, unfortunately, be more of the same.

There wasn’t a lot to write about in the first half.

The away side were playing very direct football and they took the lead early after only 4 minutes. A simple enough little chip into the Postal box saw Baxter head the ball over the head of his own keeper. 0-1.

After the opening 15/20 minutes where the away side were on top, Postal came more into the game and could be argued finished the first half on top without really troubling the away keeper very often.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC 0 – NEWBURGH 1

Postal started the second half as they ended the first and were very much on top (for the opening ten minutes anyway).

On two minutes they had the ball in the net but it was deemed offside.

3 minutes later they had another half chance to equalise when Frampton beat his man in the box and fed the ball to Hunter who couldn’t get it out of his feet quick enough and the chance was lost.

That was about as good as it got as Postal then proceeded to cut their own throats in a crazy kamikaze 4 minute period.

10 min – Newburgh player got in behind on the Postal left hand side. His cross was headed against the back of ex-Newburgh defender Allardyce and deflected into the goal. 0-2.

12 min – Corner to Newburgh, Postal not marking their men, boy ghosted in at the back post completely unmarked to score the easiest goal he’ll score this season. 0-3.

14 min – Another run down the Postal left, another cross into the box unchallenged, another goal as the forward got across the Postal defender unchallenged. GAME OVER. OUT OF THE CUP WITH A WHIMPER!!!! 0-4.

Postal got a consolation goal back on 23 minutes when Hunter controlled a long throw into the box and kept his composure to score low into the net. 1-4.

A Newburgh defender scored a good free kick from outside the box on 33 minutes 1-5.

With 5 to go, only Postal keeper Walker will know what he was attempting to do when he appeared to come out to catch the ball just inside the box, seemed to change his mind to kick and missed the ball, allowing Newburgh to score a 6th. Comedy goal which summed up the last 35 minutes for Postal. 1-6.

Overall, as crazy as it sounds/reads, Postal didn’t actually play that badly today. Certainly, we’ve played worse football and won, but defensively we let ourselves down today in a crazy 5 minute period which killed the tie. Concentration and mental fortitude are as important as ability sometimes. We had neither in the last 35 of that match.