Association Trophy First Round at Denmore Park on Saturday 6th September
Nicolls and West End are propping up the Premier League and both have been struggling to field a settled team. Nicolls won the toss and took advantage of a strong wind at their backs. They started the livelier team forcing a corner in the first minute which was headed over the bar.
West End’s first attack saw Craig’s shot go high over the bar. Both teams seemed nervous and were giving the ball away and conceding niggley fouls and it was not until the twenty-first minute that either keeper had a shot to save when West End’s Munro beat full back Ward and his shot was brilliantly saved by keeper Lawson.
In twenty-five minutes a long clearance from West End gave Craig a chance but keeper Lawson raced out of the eighteen yard box to head the ball clear. Nicolls went ahead in thirty minutes when Ferguson received a ball on the halfway line, made his way upfield unchallenged, crossed the ball to the far post where Rainnie headed into the net from four yards.
Nicolls made another chance from a corner in forty-two minutes when a drive from Fleming was pushed away by keeper Gilbert for a corner. From the corner Nicolls’ Skene’s header was cleared off the line by Moir.
Half-time: 1-0
With the strong wind behind them West End were pushing forward and had several shots at goal but keeper Lawson coped with them well. Nicolls were forced to make a change when O’Donnell had to be carried off with a badly injured knee. Middleton replaced him and was soon showing his skills with a run down the left and a cross that was put past the post by Adams.
Nicolls’ Martin was next to try a shot. Again keeper Gilbert got a hand to it and pushed it for a corner. In sixty-seven minutes Nicolls’ Fraser pounced on a loose ball in the six yard box and drove the ball past keeper Gilbert to make the score 2-0. Nicolls had another chance just on time when Middleton had only the keeper to beat but shot past the post.
Full-time: 2-0
Nicolls Ams: Lawson, Ward, O’Donnell, McRobb, Skene, Fleming, Ferguson, Martin, David Askew, Rainnie, Adams. Subs – Fraser, Reid, Middleton, Stewart, Ian Askew.
West End: Gilbert, Morrison, Moir, Graham Smith, Cocker, Gill, O’Hare, O’Rourke, Munro, Craig, Sim. Subs – McKay, Derek Smith.
Referee: G. Catto
