Midlands League
Saturday 24th August 2024
Match report from Ross McGowan
It was back to the bread and butter of the Midlands League this afternoon for Lochee United after their midweek cup exploits. Whilst today’s opponents East Craigie have had an up and down start to their own campaign, encounters between these two in recent years have been highly competitive affairs. With the Shipbuilders sure to bring bags of energy complimented by a potent goal threat in Lee Lorimer up front, Lochee knew that they’d need to be on top form to prevail today.
Bobby Linn and Jamie McCabe were reinstated and a trialist added to an otherwise unchanged starting lineup from Wednesday’s win up in Forfar.
There were no early surprises as Craigie used their high press to good effect and Lochee looked frustrated in the opening 15 minutes conceding a few fouls in a scrappy start to the game.
Pressed back into their own half, Lochee tried to get something going on the counter-attack when Callum Moore burst down the left and picked out Kerr Hay but his shot was blocked by the defence.
East Craigie had started the game well but were undone by a lapse in concentration in the 17th minute. Bailey Steel won a booming header on the half way line with Bobby Linn picking up the scraps and when the Craigie defence backed off he needed no second invitation to shoot with his 25 yard effort slipping through the keeper’s fingers and into the net to give Lochee the lead.
For a spell the goal seemed to spur Lochee on and they came agonisingly close to doubling their lead when Callum Moore danced through the defence and into the box before thundering a shot off the underside of the bar and away to safety with the keeper a helpless spectator.
But Craigie were still absolutely in the contest and they caught the Lochee defence sleeping when a quick throw-in down the right sent Lee Lorimer loose and he burrowed into the box before stinging Jamie McCabe’s palms with a shot to the near post. From the resultant corner there was another let-off as East Craigie rose the highest but the header flashed just wide.
Lochee responded well and looked to force the issue higher up the park with Bobby Linn threading a good ball through for Kerr Hay who poked a shot past the advancing keeper but was denied by a covering defender. Bailey Steel then went close picking up the loose ball from a corner kick and firing inches wide from 18 yards out.
But having done a good job of steadying things towards the end of the half Lochee shot themselves in the foot when a long ball forward caused a mix-up between keeper and defender 30 yards from the Lochee goal and Lee Lorimer gambled as all good strikers do to take an easy open goal and tie the game at 1-1.
That was how the teams went in at half time after a pulsating opening 45 and whilst there was disappointment in the Lochee ranks at having surrendered the lead East Craigie will have felt their equaliser was a just reward for their first half energy and application.
Any disappointment in the home dressing room however was soon vanquished when Lochee battled their way back into the lead in the 55th minute. A corner kick from the right was never fully cleared by the Craigie defence allowing Bobby Linn to float the ball back into the box and when Bailey Steel kept it alive at the back post Kerr Hay showed all of his striker’s instincts to capitalise on the six yard box stramash that ensued hooking the ball home on the turn to put Lochee 2-1 up.
With Callum Lamb walking the disciplinary tightrope of a booking and a final warning, Ryan Paterson was introduced from the bench and the change seemed to inject some life into the Lochee attack.
First, Calvin Colquhoun headed narrowly over the bar from Paterson’s corner. Bobby Linn then drifted inside off the right flank and cannoned a shot off the post with Hay heading the rebound just wide. Callum Moore then went close having a shot well saved after a lung-bursting diagonal run into the box.
But despite the waves of Lochee pressure East Craigie’s spirit would simply not break and they began to fight back with Lorimer driving into the box off the right and beating a defender before forcing a terrific save from Jamie McCabe in the Lochee goal.
But with Craigie pushing for an equaliser Lochee were able to exploit gaps on the break and so it proved when the Shipbuilders couldn’t make anything of a free-kick at the edge of Lochee’s box and immediately found themselves on the back foot as Bobby Linn turned on the jets and went flying up the right flank. Drawing three opponents in, Linn waited for the perfect moment the play the ball in behind for Callum Moore who beat the offside trap and bore down on goal taking a composed finish to propel Lochee into an unassailable 3-1 lead.
In the dying embers Lochee continued to surge forward with Paterson thwarted by the keeper’s feet and Linn once again denied by the frame of the goal when a shot from a seemingly impossible angle crashed off the bar but by then the game was already won.
3-1 it finished in what was a highly entertaining game to watch. East Craigie never make things easy for us, any victory against them is always hard fought and well earned, and today was no different.
Every Lochee player did their bit today in what was a terrific all-round team effort. This felt like the sort of game we might have drawn a year ago but a strong winning mentality and a refusal to back out of any challenge saw Lochee over the line today.
Calvin Colquhoun put in another commanding display at centre-half today and we hope the injury that saw him withdrawn towards the end is nothing serious. Bobby Linn brought all of his skill and experience to bear constantly making the right choices to keep Lochee driving forward. But today’s man of the match was Bailey Steel who won countless individual duels in the middle of the park to protect the Lochee defence and keep us in possession while the battle raged around him.
Next Saturday we begin our senior Scottish Cup adventure with a home tie against borders outfit Hawick Royal Albert.
As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
