27/10/07 K.O. 14.30 League
Musselburgh Athletic came back from their trip to Fife with an emphatic victory over table topping Dundonald, and after Musselburgh going two goals in front the home side then had three players red carded and ended the match with only eight players in what was not in truth a physical encounter.After the disappointing result against Arniston the previous week there were a few changes in the Burgh team with Ronnie McPherson returning in goal and there were also starts for Daryl Johnston, Martin Murphy, Andy Porteous and tall striker Chukwoma Osazowa.
The home side was awarded a free kick in the opening minute directly in front of goal but the effort from Gary Cassells went narrowly past the post. Musselburgh had the advantage of the wind in the first half and created their first opportunity when Danny Kelly played Chukwoma Osazowa in down the right flank and his low cross into the box was just in front of Chris King and the keeper got to the ball to save. After fifteen minutes Musselburgh took the lead when Chris King swung over a corner which keeper Ryan Connor got a hand to but only succeeded in pushing the ball in the air and Craig McManus was first to react to head the ball into the net to give Musselburgh the lead. After twenty-five minutes Andy Porteous became the first player to be booked when he was shown the card rather harshly for a challenge on Paul McQuade and he was followed into the book in quick succession by Wes Mitchell for dissent and then manager David McGlynn was also cautioned for a comment to the referee. But two minutes later Musselburgh increased their lead when Paul McQuade tried to pass the ball back to his keeper from inside the Musselburgh half and CJ Osazowa outpaced the centre half and calmly rounded the keeper and although the angle was tight he curled a superb effort into the empty net. Two minutes later Chris King became the fourth Musselburgh player to be booked when yet again he was shown a card for dissent to the referee before he was the victim of a challenge from Gary Cassells which the referee deemed warranted a straight red card and the home side were down to ten men.
So Musselburgh were two up at the interval and within three minutes of the restart that advantage had stretched to four as two minutes into the second half Musselburgh grabbed a goal after a fine run by Paul Tansey down the left his low cross found Chris King at the back post who took a touch before firing low past the keeper. Incredibly straight from the kick off Musselburgh went four up when Paul Tansey outstripped the home defence and calmly slotted the ball low past the keeper. Dundonald striker Paul McQuade became the latest player to go into the referee’s book for comments made. Five minutes later Musselburgh scored their fifth Chris King broke down the right and his cross was met superbly by CJ Osazowa and he bulleted the ball home from six yards. Danny Kelly was then upended by Scott Lawrie and he became the latest home player to be cautioned before Aaron McDonald was shown a straight red for dissent as Dundonald started to loose the place. Then on the hour mark Musselburgh added to the home side’s misery when Chris King got the sixth goal with a tremendous shot from just outside the area. Just when the home fans thought it couldn’t get any worse they went down to eight men with still twenty minutes remaining when substitute Paul Campbell was first of booked for a foul on Andy Porteous and seconds later after having said something to the referee was shown another yellow card and off he went as well and he was joined by one of the coaching staff as he was removed from the touchline. With the home side down to eight men manager David McGlynn would have been furious when the home side went up the park and scored when Scott Lawrie headed home a cross at the back post. Musselburgh made a couple of substitutions when Kenny Munro and Jamie Hawkins replaced Daryl Johnston and Andy Porteous and then Martin Murphy became the fifth Musselburgh player to be booked following a rash challenge. With ten minutes remaining Musselburgh got their seventh goal and CJ Osazowa got his hat trick when he raced through and with only the keeper to beat he placed the ball low to his right and into the net to complete the scoring in a remarkable match.
This Saturday Musselburgh entertain Vale Of Clyde in the second round of the Scottish Junior Cup at Olivebank and in a strange twist of fate the match is to be refereed by Mr McGeachie who was the official in charge of the Dundonald game.
Dundonald: R. Connor, Westwater, S. Connor, McDonald, Milne, Greig, Cassells, Ferguson, Grehan, McQuade, Lawrie, Subs: Campbell, Brown, Ness, Playle.
Musselburgh Athletic: McPherson, Johnston, Quinn, McManus, Mitchell, Murphy, Porteous, Kelly, King, Osazowa, Tansey. Subs: Munro, Hawkins, McGlynn, Currie, Polowyj
Murphy, Porteous, King, Mitchell
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