UNDER-19 CHALLENGE GAME Musselburgh Athletic 1, Queen’s Park 4 Played in bright sunshine and breezy wind at an immaculate Olive Bank Stadium in Musselburgh, on Sunday, July 21, 2013. Musselburgh Athletic - Ryan Forsyth (1), Robbie Martin (2), Dan Moffat (5), Liam Peden (3), John Pearson (6), Brendan Edwards (4), Zack Szenus (7), John Thomson (8), Michael Hamilton (11), Darren McGrath (9), Michael McKenna (10). Subs - Cameron Tulloch, Jack Roden and Peter Riley. *I hope all these details are correct as there were no team lines for this game. I do not have the names of the Queen’s Park squad. I do not think I have seen Olive Bank in such pristine condition as it was for this attractive challenge game. And, as is usual at this venue in the vibrant community of Musselburgh, a good number of spectators were in the ground for the start of a game so well controlled by young referee David Doig. And the pitch was also in great nick with obvious signs of a lot of work put in by the volunteers at this club. Musselburgh Athletic will be one of the new teams in the East of Scotland Under-19 Leagues and they picked tough opposition in Queen’s Park for this warm-up game to the new season that starts in a few weeks time. The famous Glasgow club were deserved winners as reflected in the final scoreline. A file of action pictures taken at the game is available to everyone. Contact [email protected] and the file will be sent in return, by email. There is no charge at all and the pics are free to use. I enjoyed watching this game unfold. On such a day and in such a beautiful setting, it was a really special day to enjoy. And I must say I particularly enjoyed the quite brilliant display of goalkeeping from Musselburgh sub keeper, Cameron Tulloch, in the second half. As is the case in most games I cover, someone ‘stood out from the crowd’ and in this game, it was the Musselburgh goalie. Even early on, in an excellent opening spell, Queen’s Park, looked a really well-organised and skilful outfit. And their star man, well, step up to the plate big No 9, hat-trickster, Nicky Fraser! I don’t know what Nicky had for his pre-match meal, but I certainly could do with some of it in my diet! Quite simply, the Musselburgh defenders found Nicky just too good for them in this game. Sharp as a tack in front of goal, the Queen’s Park No 9 certainly did not mess about and - helped to an extent by some slack defending by the home combine, Nicky it was who scored all three goals in the first half to put his side on the road to success. Queen’s Park, I was told, use some of their young players in the reserve leagues and that was reflected in the high quality of their passing and movement off the ball. Like the words of the song - Musselburgh had their moments, too few to mention and in line with that, they tried to do it their way! And that just did not work! However, it was only their second game together and there is a lot of good talent to work on, but if Musselburgh learned anything from this defeat it must be ‘don’t give the ball away’! Play passes to feet and stop being over ambitious with long balls out of defence for their front-runners to chase. Corners were also wasted, infuriatingly so! At times, Queen’s Park were ‘let off the hook’ by the home side. In between, Musselburgh played some really good passes but most times moves were broken up by a very smart Queen’s Park defence. They too had a good goalkeeper to back them up. Trailing 3-0 at the start of the second half, Musselburgh were well and truly floored by a devastating knock-out punch in Queen’s Park’s first move of the second half and a shot ball from the left to the near post was brilliantly put away by Thomas Collins. His shot from the outside of his right boot screamed in to the Musselburgh net at the left-hand post. The coaches of the Glasgow side had already taken off goal-scorer supreme, Nicky Fraser at the break but they stilll looked a class above the home team throughout the second half. Sharper on the ball, quick to shut down at the back when Musselburgh attacked, it was a cracking second half. Cameron Tulloch was outstanding. Brilliant in fact and some of his saves/blocks/deflections were unbelievable. Near the end of a pulsating second half when the players got a wee bit steamed up, Darren McGrath, notched a consolation goal for Musselburgh. It was only the sheer determination not to give up that got Darren his goal. It made the final scoreline a little bit more respectable, I think. Musselburgh, you will certainly have to tighten up at the back in time for the start of a new, exciting phase in the lives of all the young players in the Musselburgh Athletic colours. *Good luck as well to Queen’s Park. It was like rolling back the years for me to see a team in the famous black and white striped jerseys of this great club. For what it is worth, I thoroughly enjoyed the game and the better side on the day duly ran out winners. Just the way it should be in the greatest team game in the world. *Well done, too, to all the local heroes who have obviously done so much to make Olive Bank in to such a lovely pristine football ground. I hope to make regular returns to cover your games when the season gets underway.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 08:12:22 +0000