22/08/07 K.O. 14.30 League Photos and Highlights Next Match League table
Both teams will look back and wonder how they did not win but really a point although fair will feel like two lost as both teams battled each other and a comedy referee at a beautiful and sunny Olivebank in front of a big crowd. Newtongrange started well and forced several early corners but failed to test the Musselburgh defense. Unfortunately the referee who Newtongrange have had problems with last week and Musselburgh found strange last season managed to hand out seven yellow cards, at least forty free kicks (none of them right) a penalty. He added on nearly ten minutes of injury time (yet there were no injuries) and if put in charge of tougher games may end up causing a riot! Clearly the training for referees needs to improve otherwise fans will turn away; they pay to watch football not the referee who hasn’t improved since his last visit.
Finally though a good passing move from the home team ended when a through ball from Paul Tansey found CHRIS KING in space and although he has faults when one on one there are not many better and he calmly stroked the ball past Burgess.
The second half seen Musselburgh sit back and impressive displays from Wes Mitchell and Johnny Bain at the back cleared all that the Star had until the last minute when a penalty was awarded to the Star and Chris Mason stepped up to blast the ball past debut goal keeper Ronny McPherson. Musselburgh then lost the concentration and deep into ‘injury time’ the Star took the lead but with the last kick of the game ROSS BARNES scrambled the ball in after a free kick fell to him in the box.
Although Newtongrange looked good I only counted three shots on goal and think that although both teams needed the three points they will take the draw. I can only hope that our Polish referee is shown a DVD of how football should be played – contact sport, advantage play, tackling and competing for high balls. Please SFA help this man!
Next week Musselburgh are at home to third placed Boness and Newtongrange travel to table toppers Kinnoull hopefully big crowds will watch both teams as they look like they are finding their feet in a tough league
Musselburgh : McPherson, Hawkins, McManus, Mitchell, Bain, Quinn, Porteous, Murray, King, Barnes, Tansey
Newtongrange Star: Burgess, Swaney, McCaul, Britton, Hutchison, Gielty, Dunn, Thomson, Manson, Meaney, Roseburgh. Subs: Dunbar, McNamara, Curran, Hardie, McNicol
Pictures by Liam and Ryan Kelly.
Designed and developed by Liam & Ryan Kelly 2008 ©