POSTAL ALC 2 - AC MILL INN ACADEMY 2 - WEBSTER PARK - DIV 2 NORTH - 27/8/2022

TEAM - 1. D.Cruickshank 2. R.Webster 3. A.Baxter 4. S.Carter 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. S.Ahmed 8. J.Steele 9. N.Cain 10. B.Webster 11. A.Clark 12. L.Melia 14. P.Coutts. 15. C.Reith

OPPOSITION MOTM – J.Steele

Postal arrived at Webster Park on another hot sunny afternoon. Todays opponents were double cup winners from last season, AC Mill Inn Academy. The young Stonehaven team had drawn and beat Postal last year so a hard game was anticipated.

Postal welcomed back Carter into defence, Ahmed into midfield, Clark on the left and Cain up top.

Postal got off to a really bad start when they conceded a goal after only a minute. A corner to Mill Inn on the Postal left hand side was flighted in. Webster (Ross) was standing beside his man but failed to challenge and the free header from about ten yards out went through Cruickshank’s hands and into the net. 0-1.

There wasn’t a great deal to write about in the first half. Postal looked lethargic compared to some of their recent performances and though they tried to pass the ball about at times there was no real zip to their play at all in the first half as the young stoney side stifled most attacks.

Postal had a chance to equalise on 25 minutes and should have done better. Hunter did well, initially, to force his way into the away box, but with only the keeper to beat he slipped it by the post. Recent misses from Postal, in the last few games, would suggest we need to start putting our laces through the ball in front of the keeper, perhaps.

Postal huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half, and were probably the better side without creating many chances to worry the impressive Mill Inn keeper.

Just when it looked like Postal would go in, one down, they pressed the self-destruct button.

A “sclaffed” attempt at a clearance from Carter saw the ball fail to clear the box. When Carter and the Mill Inn forward attempted to get to it first the striker went down and the ref gave a pen. A soft pen, from a Postal point of view, which was duly converted to leave Postal a bit shell shocked going into half time. 0-2.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC – 0 – AC Mill Inn Academy 2

Thankfully Postal responded in the second half with a much more energetic/enthusiastic performance.

The first chance of the half came on 6 minutes. Postal forced their way into the opposition box with some nice passing. The ball eventually fell to Bruce Webster but the keeper made a save from his shot.

A moment of controversy, 16 minutes into the half. Baxter was now flying up the left at every opportunity and when he skipped by a Mill Inn defender, in the box, he had to hurdle a lazy trailing leg. As much a stonewall pen as you will see but the referee waved play on. Unbelievably disappointing decision from a Postal point of view.

Postal made a change and took on Melia up top, with Clark moving to centre midfield and Ahmed coming off on the hour mark.

On 25 minutes of the second period they pulled one back. A long ball up to Melia from the keeper's kick-out, who nodded down into the path of Bruce Webster. He then drove into the box from the right and confidently slotted it low past the keeper into the corner of the net. Excellent finish, and exactly how we've been trying to get the wide men closer to Melia. 1-2.

It was now all Postal, with the Postal sidelines spending the majority of their time trying to fish balls out of the fields and the bushes to keep the game going as Mill Inn tried to slow it down.

Just when it looked like Postal would need to settle for their first defeat of the league campaign, they came up with the equaliser on 42 minutes. Hunter was trying hard to create a chance from the Postal left but couldn’t get a clear sight at goal. The ball eventually broke out to the Postal right where Ross Webster put in a great cross to find Melia at the back post to head through the legs of the Mill Inn keeper. 2-2.

Postal could have won it right on the death when Clark raced through in the box but his effort agonisingly hit the post.

The management team was reduced to 1, when Bruce was sent from the sidelines soon after and the game finished soon after that.

Overall, a draw which sends Postal to the top of the league tonight but has got to be seen as 2 points dropped at home.

Apart from the 2 goals we “sold” today, the away side rarely troubled Postal. We need to start quicker in matches so we are not chasing games.

It’s the 5th game in a row undefeated though, and we, again, showed great character, fight and fitness levels to pull ourselves back into the game. Well done.