BROXBURN ATHLETIC 3-0 LOCHEE UNITED
Ross McGowan’s match report sponsored by Utility Connect Scotland.
Lochee United were dealt a sobering dose of Lowland League East reality this afternoon as they fell to a slick Broxburn Athletic side at Albyn Park.
The hosts nailed their title credentials to the mast with an impressive victory while Lochee will have to fight another day in this highly competitive league.
Gaffer Steve Fallon named the same starting XI that helped secure our first victory of the season away at Dunipace on Wednesday evening but once again the Bluebells found themselves a goal behind early on.
With ten minutes played Lochee emptied their midfield trying to force the issue high up the park and they were punished by a ruthless Broxburn counter-attack. The hosts’ well travelled veteran Morgaro Gomis stole a march through the middle and set up Jamie Docherty in the box for a well taken first-time hit to give the home side the lead.
The irony is that Lochee had actually started pretty well but it was a stark reminder of the remorseless nature of football at this level.
Broxburn proceeded to take control of possession, bossing much of the first half and the best Lochee could do was a cutback to Callum Moore in the home box but he was blocked in the act of shooting by Quinn Mitchell.
Not long before the interval Lewis Haldane in the Lochee goal had to claw away a looping deflected cross but despite Broxburn’s first half dominance Haldane made it to half-time having had a fairly quiet opening 45 minutes.
But early in the second half Lochee lost a soft goal when their marking assignments seemed to get mixed up in the wide area and Broxburn were able to work their way inside unopposed off the left flank for Scott McCrory-Irving to guide a well directed shot into the net from 20 yards out to double Broxburn’s lead.
In an attempt to turn the tide, Wednesday evening’s two goal super-sub Ross Fraser was once again introduced off the Lochee bench in the hope that he could repeat his midweek heroics.
But instead, it was the hosts who wrapped the game up late on when a cross from the right wasn’t dealt with and Quinn Mitchell gambled at the back post to squeeze home the third and final goal.
3-0 it finished and Lochee will probably come away a bit disappointed that the second and third goals felt preventable. But while Broxburn ran out comfortable winners in the end it certainly wasn’t an onslaught and at no point did we look completely outclassed.
Broxburn will be serious title contenders this term and our season will not be defined by our results at venues like Albyn Park.
The players showed what they could do in the opening two games and it is important that we now get back on track with a strong performance on Saturday when Musselburgh Athletic visit Thomson Park.
Louis Joyce was our man of the match today, leading by example with the captain’s armband.
We look forward to seeing you all back at Thomson Park next weekend.
As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
