PremierLeague, Saturday 16th December 2006

Annan Athletic 2 Whitehill Welfare 2

This turned into an incredible afternoon for Welfare against fellow title contenders Annan. In a torrid opening ten minutes, Welfare found themselves 2-0 down. Annan opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Sloan’s near post cross from a corner found Tucker and he smashed the ball home giving McGurk no chance.

Lifted by their excellent start to the game, Annan kept up the pressure and in the 8th minute Tucker laying passed to Jack and his shot from just inside the box nestled into the bottom corner of the net with the help of the post.

With Welfare reeling, they were handed a lifeline back into the game after 25 minutes when Hill was shown a straight red for a professional foul as Walker bore down on the Annan goal. The home side reshuffled their side and sat in to frustrate Welfare. Their tactics were working with Welfare finding it difficult to break them down. Indeed, it was Annan who fashioned the next real chance with McGurk saving from Grainger when a goal looked certain from a defence-splitting pass from Jack.

Welfare came out for the second half with renewed determination and soon undid the Annan stranglehold with a change of approach. The home side were caught out with a long ball out of defence and Walker showed tremendous composure to beat the out-rushing home keeper to turn the game on its head.

The drama continued a few minutes later when Annan’s Tucker was shown a second yellow card and the red that followed for a crude challenge on Woodburn. With Welfare now facing nine men, it left the home side with a new dilemma in reorganising their depleted ranks and in the 56th minute they were lucky to see a well struck shot from McDonagh strike the outside of the post. Annan had to work hard to contain Welfare made the most of their two man advantage. Indeed, it took until the 75th minute for Walker to level the match with a superb volley.

Welfare continued to bombard the Annan goal in search of the winner but the home side held firm and almost nicked it themselves at the death when Bell headed over the bar.

High drama in this match and the real beneficiaries in this game were leaders Spartans who saw their closest challengers both dropping two points.

Annan Athletic: Calder, Wilby, McGuffie, Bell, Hill, Jack, Sloan, Jardine, Tucker, Hore, Grainger. Subs:  Bell, MacMenamin, Paterson, Allen, Nichol.

Whitehill Welfare: McGurk, Cornett, Lee, Johnston, Woodburn, Wilkes, Christie, Pryde, Walker, Doig, McDonagh,. Subs: Hart, Carlin, McEwan, Morrison, Bennett.

Above: Nicky Walker - who salvaged a point at Annan with a well-taken double.