Stephen Shield at New Advocates Park on Saturday 16th August
Today saw the start of the League Cup Competitions with MS drawn against Turriff Thistle. On an immaculate playing surface and the sun shining MS were first to attack and a shot from Conner flew past the upright. Turriff forced a corner in the eighth minute, Fisher got his head to the ball but put it well over the bar.
In twelve minutes Turriff made a break down the right and when Hay crossed the ball to Anderson his shot hit the post before being cleared. Three minutes later a poor clearance from Turriff’s keeper fell to Conner whose shot was parried by keeper Bennett but no Turriff players were in the box to take advantage.
Turriff’s Robertson had a chance when he turned in the box, fired in a shot that was pushed out by keeper Braidwood, fell back to Robertson whose second attempt was held by Braidwood. MS took the lead in forty minutes with a move by Paul Mitchell and McIntyre giving Conner the chance to slip the ball under keeper Bennett. Three minutes later MS’s Smith was tripped in the eighteen yard box by Stuart and Smith converted from the penalty spot.
Half-time: 2-0
Turriff started the second half the hungrier team and forced MS keeper to make two saves in as many minutes. In forty eight minutes Turriff’s pressure was rewarded with a fine goal by Cumming after a run and a pass by Hay. MS were a different team from the first half and had too many missed passes and were being forced to defend by the advancing Turriff midfield.
In fifty three minutes Turriff’s Fisher got his head to a cross but keeper Braidwood got a hand to the header, pushed the ball to the underside of the bar and the ball fell to Jamieson who cleared upfield. Then keeper Braidwood had to scramble across his goal line to punch out a fierce long distance shot from Killoh. MS’s Leask saved the day when he blocked a shot from Fisher on the line.
Turriff got their just rewards in seventy three minutes when Hay beat keeper Braidwood with a twenty five yard drive. Against the run of play in seventy nine minutes a long ball from MS’s defence went over the heads of Turriff’s defenders who all stood claiming for offsides but MS’s Smith kept going, rounded keeper Bennett and scored from close range.
Braidwood got a pat on the back from his team mates when diving at full stretch he pushed a shot from Fisher round the post. With a minute to go a free kick to MS was taken by Webster. The ball hit Turriff’s Killoh and went past keeper Bennett into the corner of the net to make the final score 4-2.
Full-time: 4-2
MS Utd: Braidwood, Jamieson, Scouller, Paul Mitchell, Leask, Rollo, Gunn, Hay, Smith, Conner, McIntyre. Subs – Milne, Keith Mitchell, Stables, Thomson, Webster.
Turriff Thistle: Bennett, Stuart, Anderson, Smith, Killoh, Robertson, Fraser, Cumming, Clark, Hay, Fisher. Subs – Buxton, Mitchell, Bain, Bruce.
Referee: David Mitchell
