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With
Willie Jamieson, Andy Hogg and Murray Hunter missing
from the squad which lost at Annan, Welfare were
pleased to welcome back Kenny Young and there were
starting places for youngsters Darren Bald and Mitch
Faichney.
The first scoring opportunity after two minutes saw
a McDonald effort from 20 yards easily dealt with by
Walker in the Edinburgh goal. The home team
responded when Coogan shot over the bar after 10
minutes.
Welfare continued to press and Shanks set McDonald
up only for his weak shot ending up an easy save for
Walker. Moments later McDonald was in the thick of
the action again as he held onto the ball well and
created a chance which ended with a stinging shot,
which Walker did well to save down low to his left.
Mid-way through the half Athletic forced three
successive corners. From the latter corner, McGurk
brought off a superb point blank save from a
net-bound header and from the rebound effort, Lee
kicked the ball off the line.
The remainder of the half was very scrappy with no
clear cut chances of any note created.
After the break, the dearth of scoring chances
remained the same and it took until the 60th minute
for the next chance to present itself. Shanks and
Young combined superbly on the right wing to feed
the ball to Curran, but after racing clear with only
the keeper to beat, he hooked his shot high and
wide.
A surging run from Bald up the right wing ended up
with the full-back sustaining an injury to his knee
in a collision. The knock ended his afternoon with
Johnstone replacing him.
In the 66th minute, Whitehill finally broke the
deadlock. Darren Whyte raced down the right wing and
his excellent first time cross was headed home
forcefully by Young.
With Athletic continuing to pose little threat,
it was Johnstone who came closest to scoring next
with a curling free kick which went just wide in the
70th minute. Just after this, goalscorer Young
pulled up with what looked like a twisted knee and
was replaced by Baigrie. In the 72nd minute, Ross
Johnston headed just over from a Whyte corner.
There were five minutes left on the clock when
Johnstone sent Whyte away down the right and his
pass into Baigrie forced Walker to turn his shot
away for a corner. Welfare replaced Whyte for Finlay
with two minutes left and the veteran sub almost
scored a collector's piece goal when set up nicely
after good work by McDonald, only to slice his shot
high and wide.
In the end, Welfare ground out a win with a depleted
squad and best on the day were Johnston at the back
and Bald (who never put a foot wrong until unluckily
injured). In the middle Shanks worked hard and
McDonald put in a tremendous shift up front and was
ably assisted by Whyte's willingness to run at the
Athletic defence.
Whitehill Welfare : McGurk, Bald,
Lee, Johnston, Faichney,
Martin,
Young, Shanks,
McDonald, Curran, Whyte.
Subs:
Baigrie,
Johnstone Finlay.
Above:
A close shave
for Welfare in the first half as Lee clears off the
line.
Above:
Raymond Shanks holds his head as Ryan Curran misses
a great chance to score in the second half.
Above: A worrying sight for Welfare supporters
as Kenny Young pulls up with the injury to his right
knee which forced him to come off.
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