■ Colts' captain Thomas Gates goes close again as his side "blew" North Merchiston aside at Harrison Park

Edinburgh City Colts produced an excellent all round team performance to take all three points in atrocious conditions at Harrison Park this morning. With the strong wind and driving rain behind them they secured a three goal lead by half time and then went on to defend it resolutely in the second period. Indeed North Merchiston were restricted to just one shot on target and it was City that might have added to their winning margin.

For the home side it will have been good to get a game under their belts again as this was the first match they had had in 2 months. A combination of postponements and remarkably some teams not willing to travel to play them causing the long absence without matches.

Monsoon conditions greeted the teams, their coaches and spectators onto the bigger of the two Harrison Park pitches. It was difficult enough to stand and watch this game, due to the weather, never mind play in it. Taking notes and trying to handle a camera wasn't too easy either!

But to their great credit both sides put in a good performance with strong winds and driving, horizontal rain in their faces. The proverbial "game of two halves" was set in store and it was Edinburgh City that took hold of the first half advantage attacking east to west.

It was almost one way traffic with City's two big central defenders, Thomas Gates and Harry Macquarrie able to easily clear their lines and the driving runs of Ewan Anderson finding extra momentum with the stormy gale at his back.

Colts took the lead on 14 minutes with a typically wind assisted strike. Good play just inside the Merchi half created space for Matthew McCann and the industrious central midfielder saw his 25 yard shot sail over the arms of Andrew Bell and slam high into the centre of the home side's net.

City  continued to take the game to North Merchiston who, facing the rain and wind, were finding it almost impossible to make any headway. Ewan Anderson continued to stride about midfield with Craig Sloan showing some great skill out on the left hand side. The visitors probed and harried as they sought to establish a decent lead before turning around to face the storm and two goals in as many minutes set them up perfectly.

The first of these came on 25 minutes. A corner on the left wasn't cleared properly by North Merchiston and it fell at the feet of Harry Macquarrie who slammed home a vicious shot that hit the back of the net via the face of team-mate Craig Sloan. Macquarrie's shot was heading for the net however and he rightly claimed the goal.

Edinburgh City's third goal came on 27 minutes. Ewan Anderson was again the driving force behind the attack and his through ball into the box looked destined for the sanctuary of home keeper Bell before "speedy" forward Keith "Usain Bolt" Buckley beat him to it and coolly slotted the ball past the outrushing number one and into the empty net.

Half Time 0-3

North Merchiston set themselves up for a reverse onslaught in the second period but it never quite materialised. They certainly saw more of the ball with Andrew MacKay, Callum McLean and Chris MacDonald prompting and probing from the centre of the park but chances remained at a premium.

Indeed it was City that almost extended their lead within a minute of the restart when Matthew McCann, Keith Buckley and Ewan Campbell combined on the right with Buckley awarded a foul against him in the six-yard box just as he was about to make it four nil.

Merchi were trying to create openings but Colts were defending doggedly from front to back and restricted the home side to just one really good opportunity which came on the hour mark. Substitute David Niccol hitting a fine 20 yard shot towards the top corner that was well saved by Josh Cullerton who turned the ball around for a corner.

It was Edinburgh City that continued to look the more threatening however on the break and Thomas Gates almost headed them further ahead on 62 minutes. His header blazing inches over the bar.

Then Glen McKenzie combined with Lyle Griffin but the latter's shot slid wide of the post.

As the minutes ticked down this match was clearly over and the referee's final whistle brought welcome relief to the players, coaches and spectators who quickly dispersed to warmer and drier confines.