Dickens Waterfront posted their third win on the trot for the first time in their short history in the ESAFA Second Division, coming from a goal down at half time to claim a 3-2 win away at Fisherrow against The Stand. It took a brace, his first goals of the season, from lone striker Shaun Crichton and a solo strike from his brother Colin to seal victory, although an excellent late long range goal from The Stand midfielder made it a nervy ften minutes until the full time whistle.

With a strong onshore blowing across the pitch, Dickens tried to get the ball down onto the deck to counteract the elements, and for the first 20 or so minutes were successful, carving out several good chances, which either fizzled out to nothing, or ended with a disappointing finish. With ‘poor in the air for a big man’ Kevin Thomson throwing himself into his new midfield role with gusto, Dickens dominated the opening spell. However, The Stand weathered that opening onslaught and began to get a grip of the game and create some good chances of their own. Indeed, long balls over the top were causing problems and it took some good one-on-one saves from keeper Ryan Williams to keep Dickens in the game.  

Half time fireworks from manager Martin Grassick, similar to those being let off on the side of the pitch by locals, saw a fired up Dickens come out for the second period, with a slight formation change. It worked well as the midfield trio of Thomson, Ramsay and captain Duff took a strangle hold of the game and started to pull the strings for wave after wave of Dickens attack.

It took a delicate chipped ball from stand-in left back Jason Newman to finally open up the Stand defence with a dinking a ball over the top to Shaun Crichton to pounce on some indecision between the defence and keeper and instinctively prod the ball over the line for his first goal of the season.  However, his second came approximately 20 minutes later. It was a sharp finish after good work down the right hand side from debutant Liam Baird, holding off a couple of challenges, he fed a through ball onto Crichton, who dispatched the ball past the keeper.

The confidence was flowing through Dickens at this stage, and the third goal had a feel of inevitability about it. Colin Crichton picked it up the ball on the left hand side near the half way line and embarked on a run towards the Stand’s goal that left him open in front of goal. He let fly, although rather scuffed his shot, and the keeper will be disappointed to see the hand he got to the shot only tip the ball onto the post and into the net.

At 3-1 up Dickens inexplicably took their feet off the gas and paid the price when a Stand midfielder stepped inside one challenge and let fly from 25 yards into the top corner. This spurred them on to create a few more chances before the end but it was a deserved win for Dickens Waterfront, consolidating their mid-table position and leading them nicely onto the minor task of taking on Premier League leaders Cramond Star tomorrow in their President’s Cup match at Saughton.
 
Going great guns in the Second Division Lothian Star, who have scored 21 goals in their last two games.  Last Sunday they met the impressive Sighthill United at the Gyle but it was the visitors who played the football that resulted in a 7-2 victory.  With his 7th goal in two games Jamie Glyn scored a hat trick and was followed by a braces from Gary Wood and Andy Flood. 
 
Longstone Welfare continued their steady persomances with a 3-1 victory over Leith Persevere at Memorial Park in Loanhead.   The game started briskly with both teams up for challenge and a few tasty tackles went in early. After 25 minutes it was the visitors that went ahead when a free kick outside the box took a deflection and beat the keeper at his near post. Longstone strived throughout the rest of the first period to get on level terms and it took until the last minute of the first half for Andy Seaton to burst through the offside trap and beat the keeper and level the scores.  Second half was quieter untill the 80th minues, when Longstone forced a corner which was swung in on the keeper and was planted into the net. Longstone then pressed for the killer third, which came in the last minute from a great 20 yard shot from Mark Halcrow for a 3-1 victory.  
 
Whispers raised their morale with a 5-3 victory over Roseburn Athletic thanks to a hat trick from Andy Patterson and two goals from Robert Branley.

First Division Top of the Toon convincingly trounced Stew Mel at Saughton with goals from Graeme Hunter, Martin Young (pen) and Darren Allan whilst a doule from Marc Stephen and singles from Darren Bald and Mike Wilson set Roslin de Vinci on their way to a 4-1 victory over Braids.

A depleted fixture list this week due to the Scotland match but there are a couple of interesting fixtures in the 1st Round of the President's Cup with in form Second Division leaders meeting Fa'side Bluebell and a local derby at Fisherrow between Mrs Foremans and the Stand.  All games kick off at 1.30pm.