October 31st 2009 – Home

League

Bryansburn Rangers v Orangefield 1st XI

With their first away game in seven weeks, Orangefield needed to be on good form as they visited second placed Bryansburn on Saturday. A win for either side would make them top of the league, Bryansburn clear and Orangefield joint with Dundonald.

Both sides started well with a couple of half chances either end, but most of the game was concentrated in midfield as one team tried to get the upper hand on the other.

A couple of through balls from Bryansburn nearly let the home side’s willing midfield runners through on goal, but one was caught out by a well organised off side trap and the other well tracked by Ryan Hardy who is continuing his good form this season.

A five minute spell of pressure by Bryansburn at the end of the first half resulted in the first goal of the game. A ball dropped into the Orangefield box wasn’t cleared properly and the Byansburn midfielder only needed two touches, one to control and the other to bend the ball into the top corner of the net. A good goal, but one that would not have presented itself with a better clearance.

Half-time: 1- 0

Conditions weren’t great in the second half, an already water logged pitch not helped by the heavy rain now coming down. Orangefield needed to push forward in order to get back in the game and so the defence needed to be even more alert than in the first half. Sam McNaul and Ryan Hardy were doing some great covering on the right hand side when needed, with Wilsy on the left winning most balls in the air.

The midfield pushed on, causing problems in the Bryansburn defence, but the final ball into the box wasn’t quite right on a few occasions and the home side were let off the hook. The break came when the ball fell to Harvey outside the box. With his back to goal, he side stepped the home centre half and slid the ball into the corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.

The game was even for a further spell before an alleged push in the box while defending a corner resulted in a penalty to Bryansburn. Up stepped the number nine, but he fired against the post and Orangefield were able to get the ball away to safety. A let off for Orangefield, but perhaps justice was done as a late handball in the Bryansburn defence was waved away by the referee five minutes before the final whistle which could have handed the win to the visiting team.

Full-time: 1 -1

Lineup: G. Taylor, R.Hardy, S. McNaul, A.D’Arcy (Capt), D.Wilson, B.Reynolds, J.Gibson, T.Craig, D.Cousins, J. Dempster, Harvey Subs: D.Finlay, D.Tittensor, S.Hamilton