|
MATCH REPORT |
SUNDAY 2ND MARCH, 2008
U15 DIVISION 4
CLOUDY/SHOWERS 8C |
|
EDINBURGH SOUTH COLTS |
1 |
5 |
SETON BC |
|
Darling '34
(pen) |
|
|
Johnston '8,
'17, 21, '49, '60 |
■Dale
Johnston slams home his, and Seton's, 4th goal of the afternoon
at Inch Park
Two red cards on the stroke of half
time and a full time brawl took the shine off this good football
match and the striking performance of the season from Seton's
number 9, Dale Johnston.
Johnston bagged all 5 of his side's goals as they swept
Edinburgh South Colts aside to go top of Division 4. But the
ugly scenes at full time, triggered when the sides were supposed
to be shaking hands, will unfortunately be the main talking
point and form part of referee Alan McEwan's report.
A heavy shower greeted the start of this match and it was Seton
that adjusted to the conditions better as they blew Edinburgh
South Colts away in a devastating opening 21 minutes. The
Edinburgh side simply did not get out of first gear in the
opening period and Seton were first to every loose ball as they
stamped their authority all over this game.
 As
the rain poured down, Dale Johnston fired the East
Lothian side into an 8th minute lead. Picking up a lovely ball
from midfield he strode forward and coolly slotted the ball into
the far right hand corner of the net past South goalkeeper
Thomas Watson, with the home defence posted missing.
On 17 minutes he served up a copycat goal. Edinburgh South Colts
were actually on the attack but their corner was easily cleared
by the Seton rearguard and a quick breakaway saw Johnston
again in acres of space to calmy stick away number two into the
same bottom right hand corner.
South didn't have any time to recover and it was three. This
time Johnston had a bit more work to do, picking the ball
up in the right hand channel with a defender at his side. But
his physical "stature" was too much for the challenging South
player and he was able to make a yard of space for himself
before rifling an unstoppable shot into the top right hand
corner of the net.
21 minutes gone. 3-0. And a hat-trick for Dale Johnston. It was
quite brilliant stuff from Seton and this game looked over
already.
 But
Edinburgh South slowly started to see more of the ball and they
began to spend a bit more time in the Seton half of the pitch.
However, it was fully 30 minutes before they had their first
real attempt on goal, Kevin Darling trying a long shot that
drifted harmlessly wide of the right hand post. A minute later
they went closer as Declan Mutch hit another shot from distance
that this time only just went past Alex Valenzuela's left hand
post.
Then on 34 minutes South were given a lifeline in this match
when they were awarded a penalty kick. It was Jordan Edwards
that was pulled down as he bore in on goal and Kevin Darling
slotted home the resultant kick to the goalkeeper's right.
Seton almost grabbed a fourth when Craig Love was put through
but Thomas Watson was off his line quickly to save well with his
legs.
On the stroke of half time this match suddenly boiled over.
Declan Mutch looked to have been fouled by David Woods as the
Edinburgh South player drove into the box but nothing was given
and as referee Alan McEwan waved play on the Edinburgh player
barged Woods. The two of them then traded blows and ended up
rolling about the ground fighting. All of this took place whilst
play was heading in the opposite direction and so mostly behind
the referee's back. But he was alerted to the disgraceful scenes
by the onrushing coaches trying to separate the pair as well as
one or two other players who saw fit to try and join in.
When they were eventually pulled apart they were both shown the
red card and the whistle blew for a half time cooldown. It was
an unfortunate end to a good first half of football.
Half Time 1-3
Edinburgh South started
much more brightly in the second period and had a tremendous
chance to pull another goal back three minutes after the
re-start. Sylv Kai-Harding showed his terrific close control and
skills as he tormented the Seton defence on the far left wing
before whipping over a brilliant low cross that went across the
face of the goal towards the far post. It was met there by the
onrushing half time substitute, Darren Kane, but he blasted the
ball wide of the post with the goal at his mercy.
South were made to pay
for that mistake when Dale Johnston got back in on the
act with another terrific example of striking. He chased the
ball down on the edge of the South box as they struggled to
clear and drifted inside towards the centre of the box before
unleashing another powerful strike, this time with his left
foot, high into the roof of the net from 16 yards.
The game was now out of
Edinburgh South's reach but they continued to press in a more
even second half and Kai-Harding was played in on goal only for
Alex Valenzuela to save well at his feet as the skilful South
player hit his shot.
The south defence were
soon back on their heels as firstly Charlie Craig cleared a Kyle
Burrows shot off the line before the rebound was tipped over the
bar by Thomas Watson after another ferocious shot by Johnston.
But Johnston was
not to be denied a fifth and on the hour mark he got it. He was
again left in acres of space through the middle after a terrific
ball from Rury Fleming and he made no mistake shooting low and
hard past the helpless Watson.
 The
rest of the game petered out and there was even time for Dale
Johnston to be substituted to a well deserved round of applause
from the Seton touchline as well as some good humoured shouts
from the South touchline as time wore on.
As the referee blew for
full time the players convened in the middle of the park for the
now customary hand shakes when suddenly all hell broke loose. It
was impossible to tell where it all started but there was
suggestions that the two red carded players were at the start of
it. This time however the fighting wasn't restricted to two
players as bodies fell to the ground in the centre circle.
Punches, stamping and kicking as all the coaching staff ran on
to try and stop the melee with the Edinburgh South side clearly
the main perpetrators.
It was an awful way to
end what had mainly been a keenly contested but entertaining
match. The losers were the players themselves as there was no
time to take team photographs for this website and the
frustration of the Edinburgh South coaches was obvious to see
with at least one saying he had had enough. I understand that
Kevin Guiney and his volunteer coaches have been with some of
these boys wince they were seven years old. What a terrible way
to repay these guys for 9 years of hard work, giving up their
time and enabling boys to play football.
Full
Time 1-5
Back to the football.
Seton were terrific from back to front and won this game in the
first 20 minutes when they showed more energy and desire. Craig
Love was involved on the right during this period and he was
ably supported by right back, Stuart Morgan, who had a fine
game. Wee Kyle Burrows is a great little footballer and was
always liable to serve up something unusual with the ball at his
feet. Daniel Owenson also impressed in midfield and the back
four kept Edinburgh South at bay throughout this game. Rury
Fleming had a fine second half as sweeper following a half time
adjustment to allow for 10 a side.
For Edinburgh South, Sylvester Kai-Harding showed brilliant
skills with the ball at his feet and Darren Kane did well in the
second half. Thomas Watson had no chance with any of the goals
and did well with anything else thrown at him in goals. Kevin
Darling and captain Charlie Craig had decent games at the back
but could do nothing about the power and finishing of the Seton
centre forward.
 But
the obvious Pink Man of the Match this week is Dale Johnston.
5 goals, all finished clinically with either calm slots home or
powerful blasts it was as good a striking performance as I have
seen this season and belied his coach's description of him as
"lazy but a great finisher"!
Dale Johnston |
