FC Polska v Ellon Thistle

Division Two East

Ellon Thistle faced European opposition in the shape of FC Polska in their Division Two East fixture on Saturday. Man flu sufferers Keith Duncan and Michael Gibson dropped out of the starting eleven to be replaced by Paul Ironside and Callum Duncan.

The best early chances to open the scoring fell to the visitor’s as Stuart Batty wasted two opportunities in front of goal before Duncan McGill lashed a shot off the crossbar from inside the box.

Paul Ironside looked to have been fouled midway inside the Poles half but play continued and Michael Wild was unlucky not to benefit from the referee’s decision to play on when he narrowly missed the right hand post.

Half-Time: FC Polska 0 Ellon Thistle 0

Poor finishing by the Poles prevented Thistle from going behind in the second half but the visitor’s were just as reckless in front of goal at the other end. David Anderson struck the crossbar before Paul Ironside had an effort from a corner cleared off the line. The match had a goalless draw written all over it.

In a tactical change, Andy MacLean was introduced in place of Ironside in an attempt to break the deadlock and it would not take long for MacLean to threaten the Poles goal. Michael Wild got the benefit of a close offside decision and pursued the ball down the left flank. The striker squared the ball to MacLean who slipped the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into the net. The irate Polish keeper, convinced Wild had strayed into an offside position, argued his way to a red card and reduced his side to ten men.

Despite being numerically disadvantaged, FC Polska were unlucky not to snatch a point. Thistle goalkeeper Daniel Adamson denied a Polish striker from point blank range in the dying seconds after the Thistle defence had gone AWOL.

Final Score: FC Polska 0 Ellon Thistle 1

Ellon Thistle: D Adamson, B Alexander, R Birnie, A Kerr, N Henderson, D Anderson, C Duncan, S Batty (S Beaton), D McGill, M Wild, P Ironside (A MacLean). Subs Not Used: S Cruickshanks, R Longmuir