City are still well on track to claim promotion for the third season running – after a roller coaster weekend.

City looked to gain 6 points from the weekend encounters against Inverleith and Edinburgh Uni – but had to settle in the end for just 4.

On Saturday promotion rivals Inverleith visited Queen Anne.  Inverleith needed to win this game to have any chance of overtaking City in the promotion race.

City had the bare eleven for this match – so legs were always going to be an issue against a fourteen man Inverlieth squad full of some very talented youngsters and more experienced campaigners.

City took the battle to Inverlieth in the first half and were two nil up at the break thanks to goals from Brent Walker and Allan Griffiths.  In the second half City went 3.0 up when Miller struck and then became complacent.  Inverleith pressed and pressed and wore down City – with two quick goals they got within touching distance – and with the VERY last touch of the game they scored the equaliser from a short corner via a wicked deflection of Rintouls stick to draw the game 3.3.

FINAL SCORE CITY 3 INVERLEITH 3

(Rintoul,Griffiths,Miller)

On Sunday City needed 3 points from their encounter with Edinburgh Uni 6s.  City watched as Stirling Uni (Citys nearest challengers) hammered 6 past Edinburgh Uni 7′s in the match before Citys.

City were again with a threadbare squad – added to that skipper Walker had broken his finger in the Saturday game (he didnt know that at the time) while the Uni side had a squad of 16 – so  similar to the Inverleith game this was going to be a game where City would tire late on.

City survived an early scare when Murray made a tremendous stop after being abandoned by his defence.  City then went ahead when defender Gareth “McD” Edwards stormed down the right wing – he crossed into empty D – where the ball came of a defenders stick and went into the back of the goals to put City one up.

Walker then added a second from close range.  Half time City were again 2.0 up.

Second half City missed a number of chances to extend their lead before Rintoul half volleyed a rebound home to put City 3 up – then DEJAVU – City sat back and leaked a couple of goals.

With five minutes to go the score was 3.2 to City – and the legs had gone.  Rintoul led the fight though – holding onto the ball as much as possible on his own frustrating the Uni side.

The final whistle blew to the relief of City – and three points in the bag.

Final Score EDI UNI 2 CITY 3

(OG, Walker, Rintoul)

City twos only had ten men for the visit to Falkirk on Saturday – despite this – they fought valiantly – and although they lost 6.0 they took a lot of positives from the game.

On Sunday City had to concede a game for the first time ever against Peebles as a result of not enough players being available and the ones needing to call players into their squad.

(Full match reports will follow.)