Match Report
Match Report - 13 Apr 2019, Dunfermline City Hockey Club Dunfermline City First Team beat Peebles
Dunfermline City played in the sunshine today against Peebles. It was however baltic with a cold wind.
Citys knew a win would put them to second temporarily as Peebles and others have games in hand but it was a preverbial 6 pointer.
City were missing Rintoul and Edwards who are two of the most influential players so we felt we were going to be up against it. Peebles had what looked a strong team but were missing a few faces from when they hammered City earlier in the season either through injury or the lambing season having started.
The game started and seemed well balanced.
Peebles were playing arial after arial forward while City tried to play the ball forwards.
There were a lot of chances early on. Finally through there was a shot on goal from Peebles which came from a short corner. This was to be their only shot on target in the game.
City had a couple of shorts but Peebles were out sharp and Whitsed and Santi both were foiled.
Whitsed was having a massive influence on the game pushing up from the back starting all of the attacks.
There were some mind games going on with Peebles trying to intimate striker Kinnear from the outset but he held his temper well.
Whitsed went to take a short corner and a Peebles player tried to get him sent off the park as he had a little blood showing on his knee... Jamie just pulled up his sock which covered it.
Half time 0.0 and City never looked threatened but never made any clear cut chances either.
Second half City pushed from the outset.
Al Green almost had the ball in the net when Miller belted the ball into the D Al first timed an effort which the keeper saved brilliantly.
City through Buttercase Cunniffe and Whitsed and Santi dominant kept pressing and had around 5 short corners in quick succession.
Whitsed forced saves from the keeper as did Santi but it looked like it was going to be one of those days.
That's was until Miller pounced on a loose ball in the D and forced it home.
1.0 going on 5.
City then continued to press. Peebles did counter but the back which alternated with Luff Coles and Buchanan all were solid along with the dominant Fleming and Whitsed.
Creag Campbell roaming up and down the right wing all day was unlucky when he drove into the D and his shot was saved.
Miller tried to add a second but couldn't get onto a loose ball as Peebles forcibly scrambled clear.
City then thought they had the killer second goal. Whitsed played in a ball which deflected into the D. Santi got a tiny touch on the ball to deceive the keeper. As City celebrated the Peebles defender claimed he never touched it and said we will give them a corner. The umpire didn't spot the tiny touch and Santi didn't seem convincing enough so the corner was awarded. It was a touch call as it was just the slightist of touches and there was no arguments.
City should have scored more another two shorts - one played back to Miller who fluffed it off his own foot from close range and one where he was wrong footed by a Whitsed pass.
All in City probably had near to 10 shorts but couldn't convert any.
City held on convincingly as they never loooked troubled and the film time whisltle blew.
Well deserved win and excellent performance. With some more clinical finishing it could have 5 6 or 7. But not today.
Man of match to Jamie Whitsed although everyone put in an excellent shift. Jamie however covered every blade of AstroTurf.
Dunfermline City Hockey Club Dunfermline City First Team 1 - 0 Peebles