League Cup, Wedneday 16th August 2006

Peebles 0 Whitehill Welfare 3

Welfare got their League Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a 3-0 win away to Peebles. They met a determined home side who held Welfare in the first half and created a few half chances of their own. The best chance in the opening half fell to Welfare but Wayne McIntosh somehow managed to drag his shot wide with only the keeper to beat from close range. McIntosh then managed to earn himself a yellow card for a handbags altercation with the Peebles centre-half when walking away would have been easier. Welfare were then forced to replace Doig with Christie. A high challenge caught Doig in the mouth and with blood pouring from the wound, it was sensible to withdraw him. It was mystifying why no action was taken against the initial challenge, which caused the injury.

The second period saw Welfare dominate. This was helped with a goal only four minutes into the half. Wayne McIntosh collected the ball on the edge of the box and hammered a shot toward the keeper’s left hand corner. Despite the goalie getting a touch, the ball flew high into the net for the opener. Welfare were content to keep possession for the main part and it was not until the late introduction of Alan McDonagh that the work rate stepped up. With ten minutes left a Nicky Walker cross from the right was met by McDonagh for a simple tap-in. Five minutes from time, Wayne McIntosh bagged a second goal. Some neat footwork from the front man fashioned the chance to shoot and he curled a delightful shot into the keeper’s left hand corner yet again but this time the goalie was nowhere near it. A minute later McIntosh almost had a hat-trick with an audacious chip which hit the bar.

Welfare: McGurk, Cornett, Lee, Wilkes, Woodburn, McKenna, C. Fisher, Hart, W. McIntosh, Doig, Walker. Subs: Christie, McDonagh, Malone, Swain.