East of Scotland Premier League, Saturday 5th January 2008

Edinburgh University 2 Whitehill Welfare 0

A strong wind blew the length of the park and the students had the advantage of this in the opening 45 minutes. Both teams lined up with strong formations and nobody in the large crowd could have anticipated the amazing start to the game when Whitehill kicked off but almost immediately lost possession.

The ball found its way to Maxwell on the left, and although he was robbed by the pacey Scott Gormley he persevered and regained possession. He whipped the ball into the danger area and Hazeldine finished with an angular drive into the net.

Whitehill recovered from the initial shock and tried to play the ball low against the elements. Gormley and Graham Hunter combined to set up Darren Pryde who fired a shot from 20 yards only inches wide of the target.

Hunter then won a challenge with the University defender Scott Fusco and passed to Gary Calvey who lifted his effort from the edge of the penalty box over the bar.

At the other end Pryde curled a 30 yard free kick around the defensive wall and also the post. There was plenty of action throughout the first half and it ended with Whitehill goalkeeper Ryan McGurk saving at the feet of Maxwell before Scott Bennett in the University goal, under severe pressure, held a penetrating cross from Calvey. Whitehill were relatively happy to be trailing by a solitary goal and have the wind behind them in the second half.

They took the game to the students and immediately Andrew Kidd tried a speculative lob which Bennett held. A Pryde free kick was then headed clear by Neil Irvine, Calvey had a low shot well held by Bennett, and a Pryde corner was put over the bar by Ross Johnston from all of three yards out.

The University back four, especially central defenders Alasdair MacKinnon and Stephen Thompson, looked very impressive, dealing with wave after wave of pressure. It meant that for all of Whitehill's possession, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances.

Kevin Lee hit a long-range shot wide followed by a similar effort from Pryde then Whitehill goalkeeper McGurk launched a long clearance which bounced once and had Bennett in the opposite goal back-tracking to hold the ball under the crossbar.

On the hour mark Whitehill had to substitute captain Johnston when he broke his nose for the fifth time this season and the bleeding could not be stopped.

The University were not completely overwhelmed and a Jamie Redman cross was well held by McGurk before substitute Liam Hughes, following a pass from Irvine, pulled a shot wide from 16 yards.

With only two minutes of the game remaining the students scored the vital second goal which maintained their second position in the Tyreman Premier Division and opened up a four point gap on Whitehill.

Irvine won the ball on the halfway line and passed it wide on the left to Maxwell. Once more he scampered down the wing and threaded an inch perfect pass to Hughes, who calmly side-footed the ball low beyond McGurk from the edge of the penalty box.

There was no way back for the visitors although Pryde, Gormley and Andy Doig all had late attempts to salvage something.

Whitehill captain Ross Johnston, with his nose still bleeding after the game, said: "Nobody seemed interested and we were not at the races. Edinburgh University were far more hungrier and we could have played all day and not scored. That is our unbeaten run for the season gone so now we just have to pick ourselves up because the league is still there to be won."

Whitehill's manager Raymond Carr added: "We gave them a gift in the first minute. We had an opportunity to clear the ball out of the park and if that had happened nothing would have come of it. It was simply a lapse of concentration and we were caught cold. They managed to hold on to their lead until half time and after the break the University set up Hadrian's Wall and we could not break it down.

"On another day it might have been a different story as the ball did not drop for us and the University defended very well.

Edinburgh University: Bennett, MacKinnon, Maxwell, Fusco, Thompson, Irvine, Beesley (Hair 75), Redman, Hazeldine (Cathcart 85), Hogg (Hughes 75), Cook. Subs: Woods, MacRae.

Whitehill Welfare: McGurk, Cornett, Lee, Johnston (Swanson 59), Woodburn, Kidd, Hunter (Cairns 78), Pryde, Gormley, Doig, Calvey. Subs: Rybio, Russell, McDonagh.

Referee: James Bee.

Report courtesy of Keith Anderson