Premier League, Tuesday 19th April 2005

Whitehill Welfare 2 Civil Service Strollers 1

A thoroughly deserved victory for Welfare with a very polished performance from start to finish. Welfare created lots of danger down both flanks for their opponents with Lee and Birrell in good form. Lee was always willing to get forward and Birrell did likewise with both players also working back well to win the ball when any home attack broke down.

However, it was almost Welfare who fell behind when McGurk sliced a clearance straight to a Strollers forward. The Welfare defence was stretched and to the relief of the home fans, the Strollers forward shot wide.

A period of home pressure followed and then the breakthrough arrived after 15 minutes. Shanks played the ball out to Jamieson on the right and his cross was headed out to the edge of the box by Hogg. The ball dropped nicely for Ross Johnston who sent an unstoppable volley whizzing into the net.

The goal gave Welfare the confidence to begin knocking passes around and on the odd occasions when Strollers threatened, they found Ross Johnston in their way with the centre-back winning every challenge he went in for. The home side went in at the interval with a deserved lead.

The second half saw Welfare continue to dominate and a second goal arrived on the hour mark. A corner from Birrell was punched clear by Flockhart. Shanks picked it up and worked a neat exchange with Darren Whyte, who then fed the ball out to Lee. The full back switched the play over to Birrell on the left and then he rolled the ball into the path of Johnston who side-stepped a Strollers defender and sent an unstoppable right-foot drive to the keeper’s left. Another three points for Welfare and a tremendous show from Johnston with his two goals the icing on the cake.

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