Halliburton v Ellon Thistle

Division Two East

Lawsondale felt like Hurricane Katrina was colliding with it and it was only a matter of time before a sheep from the adjacent fields blew past, but was this to scupper Ellon’s plans of hitting third spot in the league, due to the fact they fail to produce their best football in such tempestuous conditions.

Steve Beaton, Mark Cockburn and Callum Duncan were not in attendance due to wife, wife and family duties respectively, this leaving Jags boss Kev Kennedy with some squad readjustments to ponder. Ellon, looking for a very important three points started the game without striker Mikey Wild which left the Jags faithful bemused at his omission for such a vital game. So in went Duncan McGill. There was also a return to the fold for Captain Ryan Birnie and striker Richard Longmuir after his goal in the previous week.

Ellon started the game shooting with the wind hoping to clock up a decent half time score. They were also the brighter team in the early stages and took the game to Halli’ right from the off but never troubled the keeper. Stuart Batty was lucky to avoid injury in the early stages when after crossing, an opposing midfielder left his foot in only for Batty to connect on the follow through.

Good chances were scarce with the hosts having an effort fly by the post leaving Adamson untroubled and Ellon troubling the keeper once pulling a reasonably comfortable save out of him. Ellon did break the deadlock on the half hour. After some good work down the right from Batty, McGill received the ball and with an inventive back heel rolled the ball to BIRNIE who fired home.

Stuart Batty was to get injured in the first half after a collision which left him hobbling about like he had a stone in his shoe for the final five minutes of the half, and didn’t look like he was to return after the break.

Half-Time: Halliburton 0 Ellon Thistle 1

An Ellon change was made with Wild on for Batty during the interval. Wild looked like he had a point to prove with some decent runs early on. Halliburton had a decent chance when the number 9 found himself in space at the back post and rustled the net, but much to his disappointment, his woeful effort wound up in the side netting.

The hosts were extremely lucky to have eleven men after their number 2 scythed menacingly into a leg breaking challenge on Anderson who was lucky to be walking after, let alone able to carry on. Bruce Alexander took offence to the challenge and attempted to throttle. The number 2 was booked and Alexander followed.

Halliburton had another decent chance when they seemed to beat the offside trap but were blatantly offside, but Ellon survived when the striker decided to be greedy and sclaffed the ball high and wide.

Once again Halliburton were lucky to finish the game with eleven on the park when Adam Kerr was on the end of a ludicrously late and dangerously reckless challenge on the left hand touchline which the referee deemed to be ok, leaving the defender to require treatment from Wullie Webster. Another poor decision from the referee.

The game was put to bed in the seventy-eighth minute when man on a mission Mike WILD got past what looked to be an offside trap but ended up a shambolic mess and Wild slipped a cool finish into the keeper’s left hand corner.

A decent and well deserved victory for Ellon who seem to have found a bit of rhythm to their play after an indifferent start to the season and are now undefeated in four matches.

Final Score: Halliburton 0 Ellon Thistle 2

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