Lossiemouth FC
Match Reports - 30-Oct-2004
- Lossiemouth v Huntly
Scot-Ads Highland League
Report by Jimmy Shaker
Lossiemouth 1 Huntly 2
Lossie entertained the only unbeaten side left in the Scot-Ads Highland League, but were left wondering what might have been had they gone at Huntly with just a bit more grunt. The visitors won, although it was far from convincing, and gave the Lossie support cause for optimism before the visit of misfiring Clach next week.
The opening half was short on entertainment, but both teams looked like they had goals in them. Lossie were first to test the net minders, with a shot from Thompson stinging the palms of the Huntly 'keeper. Thompson was viewed from the sidelines as a strange choice for a starting number 9, but gave Huntly plenty to think about until his substitution late on.
Huntly were strangely uninvolved at times, allowing Lossie plenty of possession, and didn't look too comfortable for a team who went into the game unbeaten. When they chose to use the wings, however, they had more success, and carved Lossie apart on two occasions, but poor finishing cost the visitors the chance to go ahead.
Despite both goalkeepers having busy afternoons, the game reached half time goalless.
HALF TIME – Lossiemouth 0 Huntly 0
Huntly opened the scoring ten minutes into the half with a penalty. Dunn hauled down one of the marauding Huntly strikers on the edge of the box and the spot-kick was given. It is difficult to see how Dunn could have remained on the park, having been booked for an identical foul in the first half, but on the field he remained. He could do nothing to stop an accurate kick from STAINER, and his record of never having conceded a penalty for Lossie evaporated.
Despite the deficit, Lossie pushed for the equaliser, and had Huntly under control again, but were undone by a Levi STEPHEN free kick just after the hour. The former Lossie man fired in a curler from the right and it bounced all the way through the box and past Dunn.
As at 0-1, Lossie continued to press, knowing that one goal put them right back in the game. It took some good goalkeeping from Bowman to prevent shots from Ellis and later McMullan from giving Lossie hope.
The closing minutes of the game saw Lossie have a goal disallowed, due to the referee not being sure the ball had fully crossed the line. Through the mass of bodies in the box, and the keeper making things difficult on the line, the referee could not give the goal, but the reaction of both sets of players said justice had not been done.
The situation was amended minutes later, however, when SHALLIKER powered home a header that Alan Shearer would have been proud of, and Gordon Banks himself wouldn't have saved. The goal keeps up Lossies impressive record of having scored in every HFL game this season, and with a bit more work at the back, the team can steady itself and begin to move up the table. Lossie will need to show more discipline in coming games, as with another 5 bookings, the disciplinary points total will be creeping up for certain players.
FULL TIME – Lossiemouth 1 Huntly 2
Team – Dunn, Grigor, Sim, Youngson, McIntosh, McMullan, Ellis, Moir, Thompson, Shalliker, Hendry
Scorers – Shalliker (89)
Booked – Dunn, Hendry, McMullan, Riddoch, Shalliker
Sent Off - None
Subs Used – Riddoch (Thompson 67)
Subs Not Used –