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Whitehill picked up a crucial three points to keep
them focused on a fourth placed League finish and an
outside chance of third place. With top scorer Colin
McDonald ruled out with a virus, John Clark brought
in Brian Foster from Bo’ness on a loan/trial basis
and the big striker would turn in a hard-working
shift. Jamie Birrell took up a position on the right
side of midfield.
Welfare kicked off into a heavy wind on a very cold
night at the open Peffermill playing fields. Early
play was very scrappy and the wind was wreaking
havoc with the creative efforts of both sides. The
first clear chances came after 14 minutes when Hogg
had a shot charged down inside the penalty area and
as the ball rebounded, Lee hit a shot on target
which the keeper got down to save at his right post.
A couple of minutes later, a fine ball over the top
of the Uni defence, set Darren white away in the
clear, but as he attempted to chest the ball down
the ref adjudged he had handled, which was a great
pity as a superb finish was applied with a full
volley into the net.
Edinburgh then came into the game and forced McGurk
into two point blank saves in a matter of minutes.
The
breakthrough came for Welfare just on the half hour
mark. A long throw-in from Lee on the left wing was
nodded on by Foster and Hogg was well placed
to flick a header towards goal, with Edinburgh’s
Gerard helping it into the roof of the net. A second
goal was then denied when a Lee free-kick was
floated in for Foster only for his well-placed
header to find its way to the keeper.
Just
before half-time a Johnstone free-kick was headed
goal wards by Hogg but the keeper saved easily with
the effort lacking in power.
Whitehill created the first real chance of the
second half out of nothing in the 59th
minute when McGurk sent a long ball out onto the
left wing. Kevin Lee anticipated the flight of the
ball, and with the keeper off his line attempted a
first-time lob from 35 yards out. The ball looked to
be dropping in only for it to agonisingly bounce off
the top of the bar and away to safety.
A
few minor half-chances fell to both teams with the
game mostly a battle for midfield supremacy.
Edinburgh made loud appeals for a penalty in the 75th
minute when their left-back went on a long run up
the left wing. He was in the process of losing
control of the ball and threw himself into Ross
Johnston before falling dramatically. Put it this
way, the video evidence clearly shows it wasn’t a
penalty and the ref was spot-on to disagree. The Uni
fans strangely continued to complain bitterly for
several minutes thereafter.
The
last ten minutes saw Ryan Curran (who replaced Whyte)
come close with two efforts which went just wide of
the post with the keeper beaten on both occasions.
The same player then made a good run down the right
and looked to have won a corner. The linesman
decided otherwise and Curran was booked for
petulantly kicking the ball away.
Best
for Welfare were Jamieson and Johnston who were
solid in the middle of the defence while Johnstone
put in a tireless showing at left-back. Hogg and
Shanks kept things going in the middle with Birrell
making little impact and uncharacteristically giving
the ball away a few times. A deserved victory sums
it up!
Whitehill Welfare:
McGurk, Johnstone, Lee,
Johnston, Jamieson, Baigrie, Foster, Shanks, Birrell,
Hogg, Whyte. Subs: Curran, Faichney, Bald,
Martin, Bradford.
Above: Jamie Birrell gets
up to head clear.
Above:
Ryan McGurk brings off a fine one-handed save a
point-blank range.
Above:
Kevin Lee connects on a full volley but his lob over
the keeper bounced off the top of the cross bar.
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