Premier League, Saturday 12th March 2005

Whitehill Welfare 4 Annan Athletic 3

With Murray Hunter still suspended and Jamie Birrell ruled out with a back injury, Manager John Clark shuffled his pack for the visit of Annan. Kenny Young returned to the side and Johnny Baigrie slotted into the midfield beside him. At right-back, Darren Bald made his debut after stepping up for a trial from feeder side Fernieside Under 19s.

Welfare were first to threaten when Whyte headed a McDonald cross into the Annan six-yard box and a hasty clearance brought a corner which came to nothing. The early exchanges had both sides sizing each other up until the opening goal after 19 minutes which arrived courtesy of a piece of quick-thinking opportunism. Ross Johnston was determined in a double-tackle but the ball broke to Tucker, who flicked the ball up und crashed an unstoppable volley into McGurk’s bottom right corner with the keeper powerless to react to the speed of the shot.

Whitehill were stung into action and within five minutes they were level. A clearance lumped out of the Annan box found it’s way to Jamieson on the half-way line and a quick return lob beat the Annan offside trap as Young ran from an onside position as the other Welfare forwards retreated, not seeking to gain an advantage. Young kept his composure to rifle the ball home from 18 yards. Annan complained bitterly but the video evidence certainly proved the linesman was spot on with his decision.

The home side went ahead in the 37^th minute when Gall made a complete hash of kicking clear after receiving the ball from a throw-in. His panicked slice landed at Young’s feet in front of goal and the wee man will never score an easier goal. Rumour has it that Kirsty’s home videos have asked about the possibility of using the clip in a future show!  Within a minute Tucker was booked for a dangerous tackle on Jamieson who subsequently took his revenge almost instantly when he volleyed home with the aid  of a deflection after a corner kick and Welfare were 3-1 to the good and looking in easy street.

Seven minutes into the second half, Welfare increased their advantage when Johnston found Young with a powerful clearance as he mopped up an Annan attack. Young took control and threaded a superb through ball for McDonald to race clear of the offside trap (aye, the other linesman was spot on with a correct decision again) and he made his usual immaculate job from 18 yards to give Annan the proverbial ‘mountain to climb’.

Annan kept probing to find a way back into the game and certainly found more space to progress down the flanks when Welfare switched to a formation with five at the back. With ten minutes left, a neat move down the left saw McMenamin and Tucker link well to set up McBeth inside the box and he beat McGurk with a close in shot.

Whitehill’s response saw Ryan Curran hit the post with a shot from the angle of the six yard box as they looked to kill off the opposition.

Then in the second minute of injury time, Hogg was cautioned for a crunching challenge and the resultant free-kick gave Annan a third goal. McMenamin found Milligan out on the right side of Welfare’s box and his cross was met by Tucker inside the six yard box and he reacted quickest to reduce the leeway. Welfare held on despite Annan throwing everything at Welfare in the final minute.

Whitehill Welfare: McGurk, Bald, Lee, Johnston, Jamieson, Shanks, Young, Baigrie, McDonald, Hogg, Whyte. Subs: Curran,  Martin, Faichney, Bradford.