Postal ALC 2 - AC Millinn 7 - Stephen Shield Semi Final - 9th Nov 2024 - Webster Park

TEAM - 1. David Finch 2. Adam Veitch 3. Kieron Dowbekin 4. Steven Carter 5. Alli Macrae 6. James Steele 7. Lee Scott 8. Steven Abel 9. Duncan Mackenzie 10. E.Brechin 11. Harry McCauley 12. Scott Stuart 14. Sergiu Cotovici 15. M.Maciver 16. Duncan Paterson. 17. Grant Cormack 18. B.Webster 19. A.Baxter

OPPOSITION MOTM – N/A

Postal ALC were in buoyant mood welcoming AC Millin to Webster park following a good performance the week previous in the league up at Aberchirder. For the first time this season Postal lined up with the same starting 11 for this League Cup Semi Final. AC Millin had won the previous two games in the league last year so the team were aware how tough a task it would be to reach the final were St Marnans awaited todays winner.

Postal were eager to get a good start and kicked off this semi final encounter.

In the fist minute AC Millin advanced up the field and won a corner. With the ball being swung in Number 5 for the opposition out jumped Macrae and hit the bar. A real let off for Postal.

2 min into the encounter AC had the ball in the net following a corner, fortunately the referee seen a push on Veitch and the coal was disallowed.

On the 4th minute the Postal sideline were positive they had taken the lead, an excellent ball in from the Postal right seen McCauley opt to go with his feet rather than his head, not getting a clean strike the ball scrambled about the box until Brechin had a shot blocked on the line. From the resultant clearance a long ball seen Macrae miss his clearance, number 19 shot….hit the post and the follow up tapped in by another AC forward. Slow to transition back, no cover at the back and no sense of danger when the shot was released, a really poor goal to concede.

7 min Postal thought they had equalised, a great free kick from Steele on the Postal right was met by McCauley however his header went wide of the target.

On 15 min a long ball forward from AC was met by Carter with a free header, unfortunately his header went straight to a AC player who released number 19 up front, luckily for Postal his shot went wide.

The warning signs were coming, and Postal looked nervous at the back with no real shape or desire to attack the first ball.

On 20 min another long ball was missed by Dowbekin, then Macrae, eventually falling to the feet of number 19 who again shot……finch saved…….and another AC forward on hand for a simple tap in.

21 min with all discipline failing the Postal defence a Dowbekin foul on the Postal left resultant free kick was swung in from the AC number 11 and AC won another aerial battle in the box pretty easily to march to a 0 – 3 lead.

3 goals down and AC really didn’t have to work for any of the goals. Postal looked shell shocked at this point, and in all fairness majority of the players looked to have conceded after 21 minutes.

On the 25th min a Veitch 50/50 seen the ball break to number 19, who could have easily had 4 goals at this point, miss the target. 26th minute 19 fed in and through on goals, shot, rebound seen number 5 hit the bar with no marker to be seen.

On 36 min a Corner from the postal right was met by Veitch who scored a great header only for the goal to be chopped off by the official.

39 minutes the ball was worked up the AC left, eventually when the winger cut in number 17 was in acres of space and shot from 25 yards. The ball sailing through Finch and into the net.

42 min MacKenzie had a golden opportunity I the box hitting the post from 6 yards out.0 – 4

On 40 minutes Macrae tried to shepherd the ball back to Finch, when realising the distance between himself and finch was greater than the space between him and the on rushing number 19, Macrae attempted to kick for touch. The ball went straight into the path of number 7 standing all by himself who then raced into an empty net. 0 – 5

Half Time

Changes were made at half time, following a total defensive collapse in the first half. Macrae and Dowbekin making way for Baxter and Stuart.

On the 47th minute cross from the Postal left seen number 19 slip in between Veitch and Baxter, he chested the ball down and slammed the ball past Finch. 0 – 6

Mackenzie, Brechin, McCauley made way for Cotovici, Webster and Paterson.

On 50 min Lee Scott played a great through ball to Paterson who exploded his finish into the far corner. 1 – 6

65th min AC substitute rounded Baxter in the box, shot……finch saves and 19 scores the rebound

On the 83rd minute a exquisite Steele through ball found Veitch who smashed the ball into the top corner. 2 – 7

An extremely disappointing afternoon for Postal, what started off as a dream opportunity to get to a final ended up in a nightmare.  The team didn’t win a single first ball until the 56th min.  Lack of desire, effort, team spirit and belief lead to an utterly embarrassing performance.  The team looked nervous from the kick off and this transferred onto the pitch.