Midlands League – 14th November 2024 @ Thomson Park
Lochee United were back in league action this afternoon with the Thomson Park ground staff doing a magnificent job overnight to mitigate the worst excesses of Storm Darragh and ensuring that this afternoon’s game went ahead.
This afternoon’s opponents Kirrie Thistle JFC have been Midlands League top half mainstays in recent years and with encounters between these two sides usually producing goals it would have taken a brave man to predict the outcome of this one.
Lochee were made to battle hard for a 2-0 victory over Brechin Vics last weekend and went into today’s game without the suspended Paul Lunan.
There were chances for both sides early on with Lochee keeper Jamie McCabe picking out Kerr Hay with a long punt upfield and for a moment it looked as though Hay had a sight of goal 18 yards out but the door quickly closed on him with a good defensive block. Kirrie quickly counter-attacked with a long ball forward of their own and there was a brief moment of panic when Cammy Henderson rounded McCabe but Ewan Murray did enough to put Henderson off with his shot drifting wide.
Lochee then tried to get something going down the right with Ryan Paterson and Callum Moore combining well to deliver a dangerous low ball across the face of goal that just evaded the sliding outstretched studs of Callum Lamb in the middle.
Whilst the strong cross-wind didn’t really favour either team over the other, it was clear that both sides were struggling to adapt to the conditions with the play becoming scrappy and the game developing into a physical battle.
However, as the first half progressed Lochee began to get a hold of the ball and create some chances. First, a good ball into the inside left channel from Paterson released Hay whose low angled shot required a fingertip intervention from Jack Shaw in the Kirrie goal. Then from the resultant corner a good old-fashioned goalmouth stramash ensued with Mackenzie Lemon helping the ball to the back post where it spun off a cluster of bodies before being cleared off the line.
But for all the hustle & bustle and honest endeavour that both sides brought to the table, it would take a moment of supreme individual quality to separate these two teams. As Kirrie looked to clear their lines and move the game higher up the park, they were caught completely off-guard when Ryan Paterson showed the awareness to home in on a loose ball midway into the Kirrie half and seeing Shaw off his line measured a fabulous first-time effort into the top corner from all of 35 yards out to put Lochee 1-0 up.
After taking a while to get to grips with the game Lochee were now finishing the first half in control as they looked to pin Kirrie back and they came close to doubling their lead when Hay danced into the box to go one on one with Shaw who did well to spread himself and get a foot on Hay’s low effort.
1-0 to Lochee at half-time with the elements making any fluency hard to come by and Kirrie showing that they are no pushovers.
In the early stages of the second half Kirrie looked to reassert some control and pushed Lochee back winning a few corners. When one was delivered to the back post Craig Batchelor looked to be in a great spot to capitalise but his shot was snatched just wide.
Lochee looked to counter-punch using Callum Lamb’s trademark bursting runs out of the midfield and after beating a defender he kept Shaw honest with a shot from the edge of the box that was palmed away.
But with Kirrie still very much in the game, an act of self-sabotage made their task considerably more difficult when Henderson was shown a straight red card following a verbal exchange with the match officials and Kirrie were faced with completing the game at a numerical disadvantage.
Lochee were quick to grasp the initiative and take control of the game and it wasn’t long until they had their two goal cushion. Ryan Paterson got things moving sending Callum Lamb charging through the middle and when he threaded a ball into the box Kerr Hay used his first touch to steer himself away from the defender before firing low and hard through Shaw’s legs to put Lochee 2-0 ahead.
With Lochee now dominant and using the extra man to good effect they went chasing a third goal. Substitute Craig Moore went close picking up a cross from Paterson on the right but he was unable to get the ball out of his feet from close range and Shaw gathered the rushed snap-shot on the goal-line. Kerr Hay then picked up possession at the edge of the Kirrie box and turned his marker before clipping the top of the crossbar with his shot.
In the end Lochee had to settle for two and the management will be delighted to have come through today’s game against a tough opponent and with a few absentees to take the three points.
Kirrie will be disappointed to have lost a man at a stage in the game when they were still very much in contention. For Lochee is was a case of ensuring that we did not lose the key battles today and, although the visitors put up a good fight, by the time the full-time whistle went nobody could say Lochee weren’t good value for the points.
There were a few candidates for man of the match today. We say it every week but Calvin Colquhoun provides a solidity and assurance at the back that helps settle games down for us. Callum Lamb’s boundless energy in the midfield helped keep Kirrie on the back foot. And Ryan Paterson’s first half wonderstrike sent us on our way to victory. But today’s match ball sponsor UtilityConnect Scotland chose Louis Joyce as their man of the match for excelling in an unfamiliar midfield role this afternoon.
Next up is our rescheduled Scottish Junior Cup tie away to Troon next Saturday. As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
