Premier League, Tuesday 26th April 2005

Whitehill Welfare 3 Lothian Thistle 3

Welfare welcomed back Jamie Birrell after he had shaken off the effects of a sore back while Richie Johnstone moved into central defence in place of Willie Jamieson.

 Richie Johnstone struck a free kick which Berwick got down to save near his right post in the second minute.

 Lothian took the lead when a long shot from John McAllister was fumbled uncharacteristically by Ryan McGurk and the ball squirmed into the net. Worse followed within the space of two minutes when a cross from the left was headed home and Welfare found themselves 2-0 down after only 9 minutes. Lothian were moving the ball well and Whitehill seemed in a daze as the visitors did pretty much as they pleased.

 A third goal for Lothian after 20 minutes left Welfare a mountain to climb. A free kick into the box wasn’t dealt with and it fell for Ogilvie who had a clear shot on goal and he made no mistake.

Welfare could easily have collapsed but to their credit, they decided to roll up their sleeves and set about getting back into the game. McDonald and Shanks both had opportunities but couldn’t take them. Their luck changed in the 30th minute when a shot from Birrell was parried by Berwick and Raymond Shanks was on hand to smack the ball high into the roof of the net. It was now game on with Welfare showing more fight and real determination which hadn’t been evident in the opening twenty minutes.

 Lothian reminded Welfare they were still in a game though when McGurk was forced into a point blank save from McAllister and then from a free-kick McGurk spilled the ball and Ross Johnston kicked the ball clear.

Welfare reduced the score to 3-2 when Darren Whyte headed home a ^ cross after 52 minutes and it was clearly a case of ‘game on’ for both teams. Richie Johnstone was booked for a tough challenge which threatened to escalate into a free-for-all as players squared up to each other. Fortunately, they calmed the situation down themselves.

Tackles flew in from both sides and there were howls of derision each time the ref made a decision. To be fair, he appeared to be calling most of them correctly and was spot on when Jamie Birrell burst into the box in the 70th minute only to be scythed down for a stone wall penalty. Andy Hogg stepped up but lost his 100% spot record this season when he hit the post and Welfare were penalised for Hogg either playing the ball first after it had struck the post or the fact that Whyte was in an offside position from the rebound off Hogg’s foot.

Lothian had a great chance to finish the game after 76 minutes when a cross into the Welfare six yard box was hooked wide when it looked easier to score. As the game entered the last ten minutes, McDonald was presented with a clear chance to score but his first touch let him down and as he stretched to regain the ball, Berwick smothered it. Welfare kept the pressure up as the light faded with Hogg, Shanks, Young and Birrell grafting hard to create openings.

A deserved equaliser finally came in the 87^th minute when a cross from Whyte was perfectly flighted onto the head of Colin McDonald who looped a header into the net. A moment later Kenny Young was put through but his shot had the sting taken out of it by a last-ditch tackle and Berwick got down to save before the inrushing Hogg could connect. So a superb fightback although Welfare must now settle for a fourth placed finish which is definitely progress after last season’s nail biting finish!

Whitehill: McGurk, Baigrie, Lee, Johnstone, Johnstone, Birrell, Young, Shanks, McDonald, Hogg, Whyte. Subs: Martin, Faichney, Bradford, Curran.