Andy Kelly Memorial Cup, Saturday 21st July 2007

Easthouses Lily 2 Whitehill Welfare 4

Whitehill fell behind after only eight minutes as they attempted to get the East Fife Disaster out of their systems. A superb low drive from McMillan whizzed into the net past a helpless Ryan McGurk.

Welfare were level on the half hour mark when the referee gave a penalty for a tug on a Welfare striker. Andy Doig took the kick and made no mistake with a cool finish. A bizarre caution for Doig followed when he made contact with the ball in a sliding challenge which the referee didn't appear to see. Doig was booked for his subsequent protest.

Five minutes from the break a Pryde free kick was collected by Cairns on the six yard line but he screwed his shot across the goal and wide of the target.

Welfare took the lead a minute from the break when another Pryde free-kick caught Easthouses out and Gormley brought the ball down before sending a crisp shot into the net.

Torrential rain had dampened the first half and it didn't let up in the second half. Welfare new boy Morrison was making heavy weather of the conditions and needlessly brought down McEwan inside the box in the 53rd minute. McMillan sent the resultant spot kick cleanly into McGurk's left hand corner to tie the match at 2-2.

There were chances at both ends with McGurk denying McEwan and then Gormley did everything right with a Pryde through ball but flapped at his finish and sliced the ball away from goal.

Welfare made changes on the hour mark with McDonagh for Morrison and Wilkes for Cairns. With more impetus on attack, Doig and then McDonagh forced good saves from the Easthouses keeper.

A further switch with Wayne McIntosh for Cornett and a change to a 3-4-3 formation saw Welfare go for a win but the next chances created saw both Wilkes and Calvey shoot wide.

Welfare finally went ahead again in the 84th minute when McIntosh fastened onto a superb through ball from Pryde and he lifted a sublime chip over the keeper to make it 3-2.

The fourth goal was the pick of them all in the 89th minute. Doig knocked the ball down to Gormley and he laid it straight in the path of Calvey who smashed a rocket shot into the keeper's top right-hand postage stamp corner.

Welfare should have been awarded a fifth goal when Lee sent Gormley through on goal. He chipped the keeper and the ball appeared to have clearly crossed the line before a Houses defender kicked it clear. The ref who was near to the half way line was poorly placed to judge and waved play on.

Whitehill: McGurk, Cornett (W McIntosh), Lee, Johnston, Woodburn, Cairns (Wilkes), Morrison (McDonagh), Pryde Gormley, Doig, Calvey.

Above: Andy Doig blasts an effort just wide

Above: Scott Gormley in the thick of the first half action.

Above: Kevin Morrison chases the ball down the right wing.