LOOKING at the scoreline from this Aberdeenshire League game at Harlaw Park
on Monday night, one would get the impression it was a runaway victory for
Inverurie Locos, but the final result was certainly not a true reflection on
the game and had Huntly taken more of the chances which came their way it
could well have been a much closer result, writes Alex. Bremner.
Locos got off to a dream start with a goal after only three minutes. From
Huntly's first attack on the home goal, the ball was belted down the field
to catch the visitors' defence in a tangle which left Ardavan DJAHANSOZI
with an opening to give Craig Stephen no chance.
In the home side's next attack, Neil McLean broke through and when he
found Neil Gauld with his cross it took a great blocking save from Craig
Stephen to prevent the homesters from increasing their lead.
Huntly came into the game when Andrej Koc broke on the right but when he
sent the ball inside to Craig Dorrat, the latter slipped and fell when
trying to control the ball.
Simon Leslie then came through in a great run for Huntly but when he sent
over an inviting cross Steve Reay missed a great opening with his glancing
header.
In a quick break by the home side, the Huntly defence was again caught out
and when they failed to get the ball clear, Jamie McKINNON was left with an
opening to bang the ball into the net in 23 minutes.
From this set-back, Huntly broke quickly to the home end to open up the
home defence with Craig Dorrat pulling a fine save from Kyle Reid.
Play was moving swiftly from one end to the other and when Neil Gauld
broke through for the Locos in a tricky run he sent the ball over to gain
another corner when Neil McLean had his shot blocked by Nicki Sinclair.
From Craig Stephen's clearance when he collected the ball from this,
Huntly broke swiftly to the home end for Kyle Reid to pull off a brilliant
save from Steve Reay at the expense of a corner, and when the ball was sent
over from this, Dean STUART pulled a goal back when he headed the ball into
the net at the near post in 30 minutes.
It was then the turn of the home side to go on the attack and there was a
mad scramble in the Huntly goalmouth until David Ross was penalised for a
hand ball which stopped the danger.
Huntly were trying hard to get back on level terms and in their next
attack Craig Dorrat gave Dean Stuart an opening only to fire his drive just
wide.
In their next attack on the home goal, Andrej Koc split their defence with
a great through ball only for Craig Dorrat to be shown the yellow card for a
rash challenge on Kyle Reid when they both went for the ball.
Right on the half-time whistle, Locos broke to the Huntly end and when the
ball was sent over by Mattie Gairns, the unmarked David ROSS was in position
to hammer it into the back of the net with a thundering drive from just
inside Huntly's penalty box on 45 minutes.
Half-time 3-1
Locos went straight into the attack on the resumption and had the Huntly
defence struggling until Geo Mackie eased the pressure with a good
clearance.
The home side quickly came back on the attack and when Neil McLean
collected a loose ball and sent it through to Neil Gauld, the latter had his
shot blocked by Lee McGregor at the expense of a corner off which Allan
Padua headed narrowly over when the ball was sent into the goalmouth.
Huntly were giving as good as they got and when a long ball was sent
through the middle of the home defence, Kyle Reid came charging out of his
goal to beat Steve Reay in the race for it to clear the danger.
In the home side's next attack, Craig Stephen held the ball when fired in
by Neil Gauld and when he sent a long clearance into the Locos half, Kyle
Reid had once again to come racing off his line to prevent Craig Dorrat
collecting it when sent through by Andrej Koc.
Huntly were trying really hard to reduce the leeway and when Andrej Koc
once again broke clear it took a brilliant save from Kyle Reid to prevent
him from scoring.
With 63 minutes gone, however, Locos increased their lead following a good
move which resulted in Badu Baji being given an opening to send the ball
through for Mattie GAIRNS to give Craig Stephen no chance with his drive
into the net.
This goal gave Locos new drive and when David Ross was upended just
outside Huntly's penalty area, Neil Gauld fired the free kick just wide of
Craig Stephen's goal.
Locos went quickly back on the attack from this miss and when Craig
Stephen came charging off his line in an effort to collect the ball, Nail
GAULD was first to get to it to sent a great lob over the 'keeper's head
which ended in the back of the net although the 'keeper did get a finger-tip
to it in 67 minutes.
Huntly hit back straight away and when Andrej Koc sent the ball through,
Kyle Reid pulled off another fine save from Steve Reay at the expense of a
corner.
With 73 minutes gone, Huntly's efforts saw them pull a goal a goal back in
rather bizarre circumstances which saw Locos reduced to 10 men. When Huntly'
s attack started a mad scramble in the home goalmouth, it resulted in Jack
Wattie being shown a straight red card when he handled the ball on the Locos
goal-line, with Craig DORRAT making no mistake from the resultant penalty.
Despite now being a man short, Locos went storming into the attack and
when David Ross broke through in a great run, he sent the ball across the
face of the Huntly goal for Diauo KHASSIMIOU to make no mistake when he was
left unmarked at the far post in 75 minutes.
Huntly never gave up hope and when Andrej Koc was fouled right on the edge
of the home penalty box he got up to fire in a fierce drive only for the
defensive wall to block the ball with Phil McKibben heading it past for a
corner when it was sent back in.
Locos hit back straight away and when David Ross split the Huntly defence
with another great through ball, the visitors were fortunate not to lose
another goal when Diauo Khassimiou was caught offsides.
Inverurie Locos - Reid; Wattie, McKibben, McKinnon, Padua, Cutler (Baji
60), Ross, Gairns, Djahansozi (Khassimiou 57), Gauld and McLean.
Huntly - Stephen; Leslie, Mackie, McGregor, Milne, Strachan, Sinclair
(Morrison 71), Stuart (Rusling 56), Koc, Reay and Dorrat. Unused sub. -
McKay.
Referee - David Watt.
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