match270903

After Dalkeiths 3 1 win last week this Supplementary Cup group was wide open with everything to play for today.

As soon as the game started the Primrose went for it and in only two and a half minutes Gary Osborne reacted quickest to a spilled ball and stuck it away from the edge of the six yard box.

Five minutes later and a nice pass from Grant Laing was picked up by Stuart Foster but as he was being forced wide his shot only made it into the side netting.

This unsettled Dalkeith and coupled with an early substitution when Smith had to go off injured wasn't the start to the game they were looking for. However in 18 minutes they got a throw in and the ball came over and Moffats diving header sailed over the Primrose bar. It was end to end stuff at this point and Hobbs set up Neil McLeod who shot just wide.

On the half hour Andy Skea cracked a ball from the end of the centre circle for Dalkeith and Smith in the Primrose goal was pleased to see it go wide. Four minutes later and Bonnar attempted a scissors kick which again cleared the Primrose bar. On 37 minutes the rain came and when I came back from getting my coat (30 seconds I was away!) I found that the ever youthful Tommy Ash had cracked in a second for the Primrose. With the start of the heavy rain this took the sting out of the game and the last ten minutes was fairly uneventful.

Primrose kicked off for the second half and Foster just ran straight for goal, leaving 3 or 4 Dalkeith players in his wake and his shot needed work from Duke to keep it out.

2 minutes later and a long Hobbs throw was won well in the box by Neil McLeod who knocked the ball back to Ross Millar who's shot was a bit high.

12 minutes in and Graham Westgarth was judged to have fouled inside the box and a penalty was awarded. This was smashed high to the young keepers right and he pulled out an absolutely amazing save. The resultant corner ended up with a cracking shot that the keeper saved with an even better stop than the penalty save.

On 15 minutes the keeper made it three miracle saves in as many minutes but unfortunately the corner this time was forced in when the Dalkeith players reacted quicker than the Primrose defence.

Graeme Deans almost made it 3 for the Primrose but after a lot of good work his shot went wide.

However all this counted for nothing when around 25 minutes into the half Dalkeith player Andy Skea fell awkwardly and dislocated his left knee, as he was unable to be moved and an ambulance had to be called the decision was taken to abandon the game.

All at Crossgates Primrose wish him a speedy recovery. (Post script 12/05/04 - Andy has no permanant damage and should be back training in 4 to 5 weeks.)

Primrose:
Smith, Hobbs, Westgarth, Millar, Lakie, McLeod, Laing, Ash, Osborne, Deans, Foster
Subs: Patrick, Trialist, McBride, Rushford

Dalkeith Thistle:
Duke, Cornett, Smith, Nisbett (Trialist), Cowan, Ayton, Moffat, Gillan, Skea (Trialist), Manson, Bonnar
Subs: Boyd, Halbrook, Morrice

Ref: Brian Colvin **** Tried hard to keep the game flowing and coped well with the emergency when it arose.

Man of the match: Kevin Smith. Fantastic saves kept the Primrose in the game.