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Fauldhouse United 2017/18


Derek Sharp

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COPY OF DUKLAWANDY'S EXCELLENT REPORT (AND PHOTOS) FROM YESTERDAY'S GAME
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Saturday 18 November 2017, 13.45, Parkview

A top of the table clash in the East Premier League between Fauldhouse United and Musselburgh Athletic.

We last saw Fauldhouse when they won 3-2 at Tranent at the end of September.  Cup ties and a postponement have meant that they have only played twice in the league since then.  A draw at Haddington and a win at Dunbar saw them sitting in second spot in the table, five points behind the leaders.  With the top two going up automatically to the Super League (third spot wins a play-off place against third bottom of the Super League) they were looking to maintain their form for the rest of the season and go straight back up to the top league after relegation.

Fauldhouse had made a couple of signings since we last saw them.  Midfielder Chrissy Patrick had joined from Whitburn Junior and former Falkirk and Albion Rovers forward Jake Coulter had also signed up.

It was a first sighting of the season of Musselburgh for us, having last watched them fall on penalties to Tranent Juniors in the semi-final of the Fife and Lothians Cup in May.

Musselburgh suffered heartbreak when they were relegated on the final day of last season, ending their eight year stay in the Super League.  They managed to keep the bulk of the squad together and have quickly taken to their new surroundings in the Premier League.

They sat in top spot after 12 matches, having won eleven and drawn one.  With their lead over their second placed opponents at five points, a win would provide a big step in making their time in the Premier League a short one.

To supplement the squad for their assault on the Premier League, Musselburgh brought in former Hibs and Hearts youth player Bradley Whyte, left back Chris Gray has returned to the club from Linlithgow Rose after 7 years away, goalkeeper Asher Tufail from Edinburgh United and striker Stephen MacDonald, who arrived at the club from American football.  (That’s soccer, not grid iron.)

With Fauldhouse’s scheduled home fixture being postponed the week before, we’d kept an eye on the weather all week, but a 9.30am pitch inspection confirmed the game would be on.

We were through early and were greeted by the always friendly gents at the entrance who must provide the warmest welcome in football.  Always ready for a chat regardless of your team and always with good humour.  This continued after we procured something from the pie stand as a local by the name of “Robert” chatted to us in the ground.  He told us he’d been married 51 years and was always concerned when he went out to put something in the bin, that his wife would “lock the door so I couldn’t get back in.”

The friendly nature of those associated with Fauldhouse was spoiled a little when a BMW parked behind the goals was hit by a ball shot by a home player warming up.  I’m sure it wasn’t deliberate.  The car was moved soon after.

Fauldhouse are one of the sides that have a board up that they write the team names and numbers on before the game.  I can’t tell you how much I like teams doing that.

It was clear a lot of work had been done to get the pitch playable, but it was certainly patchy in parts.  The referee was inspecting the worst parts and we had worries of a very late call off when he bounced the ball several times without any movement whatsoever.

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There were around 100 in attendance.

With 7 minutes gone, Moffat won the ball for Burgh from O’Donnell and exchanged passes before winning his team a corner which came to nothing.

A minute later up the other end Currie flicked the ball on for Bennett.  He took the ball past a defender and was through on goal.  He struck his shot well, but Adams made a good save and the Burgh defence got the ball clear.

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Ward had a strike at the Burgh goal from 25 yards in 10 minutes, but he was off target.

Burgh’s Whyte looked as if he might have a chance when he ran onto a pass on the right hand side of the box in 13 minutes, but Ward was across to slide tackle the ball away.

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Currie ran into the Burgh box on the left in 16 minutes and flashed a shot across the face of goal, but it was wide of the far post.

Dunn won the ball from O’Kane in 17 minutes and took it forward before deciding to go himself from 20 yards, but it was a comfortable save for Adams.

Currie turned very well in the Burgh box in 23 minutes to get away from McManus, but a heavy touch gave Adams the opportunity to claim the ball.

In 24 minutes, King ran onto a pass down the right and took the ball into the Fauldhouse box. He cut inside a defender before seeing his shot blocked by Hutchison’s leg at the near post.

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Thomson came forward for Burgh on the right in 27 minutes and beat Brown before cutting the ball back for Cherrie, whose shot was blocked behind.

Fauldhouse broke quickly in 28 minutes and Currie sent Bennett through on goal.  It was another great chance, but again he couldn’t beat Adams.

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McLeod required treatment in 29 minutes after the Fauldhouse player was subjected to a robust tackle in the middle of the park.

It was clear the importance of the game with how much players were shouting at team mates.  Particularly if they made a poor decision.

Dunn took the ball into the Burgh box in 32 minutes and exchanged passes with Currie, but his shot was blocked.

A cross from the right in 33 minutes came to the feet of Bennett who struck the ball on the half volley, but it fizzed wide of the Burgh goal.

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Musselburgh won a free kick 25 yards from goal in 35 minutes and Thomson had a go at goal, but his curling effort was too high.

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After an offside call against Musselburgh in 36 minutes, a defender played the ball across to Fauldhouse keeper Hutchison.  With the ball at the goalie’s feet, Burgh striker King asked him if a free kick had been awarded.  Hutchison replied, “I dunno”, before booting the ball up the park.

Currie played the ball through to Bennett in 38 minutes and a Burgh defender flew across the box to block his shot.  The rebound was fired back at goal by Currie, but deflected over.

With 39 minutes gone, Bennett played the ball across the Burgh goal and it came to Brady at the back post with the goal gaping.  The defender didn’t make good contact though, and the ball drifted wide.  He may have been put off by an uneven bounce.

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Dunn attempted a low cross into the Burgh box in 40 minutes, but it was blocked.  The ball came back to him, but he lashed it over the bar.

Just before the break, as the ball was cleared into the crowd near where I stood, it came off the corner of one of the steps and flew up over my head where I caught it one handed.  The Fauldhouse official running the line shouted “Sign him!”  Still got it.

The hosts had the better of the first half and had some very good chances but had failed to score.  You couldn’t help feeling that might come back to bite them.

As the teams lined up for the second half, the referee looked to both keepers to check they were ready by waving at them.  Adams acknowledged him from the Burgh goal, then Hutchison did so with a very enthusiastic over the top wave, which we found funnier than it probably was.

In the opening minute of the half, Fauldhouse’s O’Donnell had a strike from the edge of the box, but his low effort was taken by Adams.

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Currie played a one-two with O’Donnell on the right for Fauldhouse in 47 minutes, but his cutback was cleared.

O’Kane had a go from a Burgh free kick from more than 25 yards away in 48 minutes, but he put it well over the bar.

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A deep cross into the Fauldhouse box by Moffat from the right in 50 minutes found King at the back post, and he sent a looping header over Hutchison, but a defender headed the ball off the line.

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Burgh’s Gray was shown the yellow card in 51 minutes and had a bit of a slanging match with the Fauldhouse linesman afterwards.

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Currie crossed into the Burgh box in 52 minutes and the ball dropped between players, but Adams was quick to smother.

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In 54 minutes, MacDonald threaded a ball through the Fauldhouse defence for King, but Watson got across to clear the danger.

Bennett played the ball into the feet of Currie in the Burgh box in 57 minutes and he showed great skill to turn the defender in close proximity before shooting low into the corner to give the home side the lead.

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Two minutes later and King read an attempted passback from Fauldhouse and was onto it in a flash.  He quickly took the ball around Hutchison and slotted home for the equaliser.

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Burgh had their tails up after the leveller and broke forward in 61 minutes with Whyte playing the ball to Thomson on the right.  He cut the ball back to King, but Hutchison made a fantastic save to keep out the shot.

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Fauldhouse’s Bennett was next to go into the referee’s book in 62 minutes.

Moffat passed to Whyte in 67 minutes and his shot was partly blocked and spun up in the air into the grateful Hutchison’s arms in the Fauldhouse goal.

Burgh’s MacDonald made progress down the left in 68 minutes and smashed the ball across the face of goal, but nobody could get a touch in the middle.

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The visitors were having a good spell and Whyte set up King in 70 minutes, but a block took the sting out of his shot and Hutchison saved easily.

MacDonald burst up the left in 73 minutes and beat two defenders before he was tackled in the Fauldhouse box.  The ball came to King and his shot took a bit of a deflection, but Hutchison saved well.

Burgh were almost undone in 75 minutes when a passback to Adams was hit a little hard and he took a heavy touch, but managed to get the break of the ball as Bennett tackled him.

King limped off in 76 minutes with what looked like a hamstring pull.  Not good news for Burgh.

Nice play by Fauldhouse in 78 minutes between Bennett and Currie saw the latter’s shot blocked.  The ball came to O’Donnell, whose shot was also blocked and Adams was able to take possession.

O’Kane passed to Moffat on the edge of the Fauldhouse box in 82 minutes and he sent a shot goalwards which beat Hutchison, but came off the bar.  The defence managed to get the ball away.

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Moffat was involved again a minute later when he picked out Murphy at the back post in space, but Hutchison made a fine save to turn his shot around the post.

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Ralton raced into the Fauldhouse box in 85 minutes, but Hutchison was out quickly to save at his feet.

Fauldhouse were guilty of overplaying a bit in their own half in 86 minutes and Murphy stole the ball and found Ralton on the left.  He took the ball into the box, but dragged his shot wide.

With two minutes left Brogan found some space on the right as Fauldhouse came forward.  His cross into the middle was met by the head of Currie, but went inches wide of the goal.

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Moffat was booked in 89 minutes for a foul on Fauldhouse’s O’Donnell.

As we reached 90 minutes, a kick out by Adams was headed on by MacDonald for Ralton, but he was given offside.

An entertaining game and very much the proverbial game of two halves.  Fauldhouse would have been disappointed not to be leading at the break, but Burgh will wonder how they didn’t win the game in the second half.

Credit has to go to both teams for trying to get the ball down and play football the right way, despite the difficult conditions.

There were a number of good performances and it was easy to see why the two sides are at the top of the table.  For Fauldhouse, Dunn and Ward impressed in the middle of the park and Currie did well up front.  In Burgh’s colours, I was surprised at Cherrie being withdrawn after an hour as I thought he had done well, and Thomson was a constant danger on the right.  Moffat also stood out for the East Lothian side.

There also has to be praise for both keepers, who handled well and made a number of good saves.  They were both helpless at the goals.

An enjoyable afternoon all round.

Full Time: Fauldhouse United 1 Musselburgh Athletic 1

Admission: £6

Fauldhouse United: 1 JC Hutchison, 2 Sammy Watson, 3 James Brown, 4 Chrissy Patrick, 5 Declan Brady, 6 David Dunn, 7 David O’Donnell, 8 Aiden Ward, 9 Jack Currie, 10 Jamie McLeod (Brogan 66), 11 Mathew Bennett.  Subs: 12 Martin Brogan, 14 Jake Coulter, 15 Ben Magee, 21 Johnny O’Connor.

Musselburgh Athletic: 1 Ally Adams, 2 John McManus, 4 Chris Gray, 6 Declan O’Kane, 8 Gary Cherrie (Murphy 60), 10 Mathu King (Ralton 76), 12 Bradley Donaldson, 14 Michael Moffat, 15 Conor Thomson, 18 Bradley Whyte, 20 Stephen MacDonald. Subs: 3 Matty Lynch, 7 Sean Murphy, 17 Ewan Ralton, 21 Asher Tufail.

Referee: Craig Macrae

 
 
 

 

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On 21/11/2017 at 13:04, fu punter said:

Please Mr Weatherman make this rain go away and give the park a chance for Saturday's cup game against Luncarty!

Unless your town has up sticks and perhaps moved to Fakenham, me thinks that Mr Weatherman is totally playing you FU! 

You may have to settle for a pint and watch Australia being beat by Scotland at Murrayfield, in the comfort of the Howff!

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Unless your town has up sticks and perhaps moved to Fakenham, me thinks that Mr Weatherman is totally playing you FU! 
You may have to settle for a pint and watch Australia being beat by Scotland at Murrayfield, in the comfort of the Howff!

Plan B and C in place [emoji106]
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18 minutes ago, jc1 said:


Plan B and C in place emoji106.png

Plan B - you’ve sold your vision of managing Fauldhouse so much, that the committee are erecting a huge marquee over Park View, so the pitch is the only grass pitch playable in junior football this weekend?

Plan C - Luncarty want the match to go ahead just as much as Fauldhouse, so have agreed, on a one off basis, that if Park View is unplayable, the match will be decided by a full squad participation of subbuteo?

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Update
After an appeal hearing at Hampden park tonight for myself and James Brown for our dismissals against Bonnyrigg in the Scottish cup game our appeals were upheld. I just want to comment on the SJFA who come under a lot of unjust criticism for being dinosaurs our appeals were based on video evidence kindly supplied by Bonnyrigg. The fact our appeals were taken and used through this format shows the SJFA are up with the times.

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27 minutes ago, jc1 said:

Update
After an appeal hearing at Hampden park tonight for myself and James Brown for our dismissals against Bonnyrigg in the Scottish cup game our appeals were upheld. I just want to comment on the SJFA who come under a lot of unjust criticism for being dinosaurs our appeals were based on video evidence kindly supplied by Bonnyrigg. The fact our appeals were taken and used through this format shows the SJFA are up with the times.

Great news JC! Correct decision and justice prevails. Good on SJFA for looking at the video evidence and good to see Bonnyrigg helping us out also.

 Go the Hoose !!

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