Westdyke BC v Kemnay FC

Kemnay FC Blown Away at Blustery Lawsondale

After defeating Newmachar United 5-0, Kemnay went into this Batt Cables Section 3 fixture knowing that a win would result in A League football in the season ahead and that a defeat would mean B League competition. Westdyke too had defeated Newmachar by the same score and so it was winner takes all today.

Unfortunately Kemnay came up short on the day and were beaten by a decent Westdyke team, even if the five goal margin perhaps didn't reflect the game as a whole.

The first half was an extremely tight affair with very little in the way of clear cut chances for either team and much of the game being played out between the penalty boxes. Westdyke were probably playing the slightly more composed football with their number 8 particularly influential and on occasion they did turn Kemnay's back 3 with clever through balls. Archie was always on hand though and he was quickly out to clear the danger.

Having soaked up a bit of pressure Kemnay did create a couple of half chances themselves. Jordan was put through on the right but shot wide and Liam showed deft skills to create some good openings down the Kemnay left. One move particularly should have seen Kemnay move into the lead. Liam fed Jordan in space, he drove down the left before playing the ball into the centre. The Westdyke keeper waited, Matthew Law didn't and he beat the keeper to the ball to poke it over the line from close range to make it 1-0. Matthew celebrated, only to see his celebrations cut short when the referee disallowed the goal, despite several spectators (one of whom was my wife standing at the corner flag and she's always right!) stating that the ball had crossed the line.

Shortly after Westdyke took the lead and again there was an element of controversy about the goal. The hosts played a high ball into the box. Archie came for it, had both eyes on the ball and appeared to take it cleanly. However in the act of doing so, he appeared to be nudged by an attacking player and he dropped the ball, giving the home player a simple tap-in. When asked afterwards why it wasn't deemed a free kick the referee explained that the keeper actually impeded the striker as he came to catch the ball, so I look forward to lots of similar occasions of strikers getting the benefit of the doubt in making challenges with keepers this season.....

So half time saw us trail 1-0 when it could easily have been a 1-0 lead.

Kemnay actually started the second half the better team and put the hosts on the back foot, playing some nice football and creating some half chances. So it was slightly against the run of play when the hosts doubled their lead. Kemnay conceded a needless free kick about 25 yards out and Westdyke's number 8 blasted a wind-assisted shot past Archie to make it 2-0. Kemnay immediately hit back and cut the deficit when a shot from Liam was spilled by the keeper and Jordan reacted quickest to make 2-1.

Unfortunately after that the wheels came off a little. Kemnay conceded cheap possession, didn't press their opponents enough and allowed them too much time and space to pick their passes. This allowed Westdyke to add to their tally almost at will it seemed. Matthew Robertson was fortunate to escape a booking for another rash tackle 25 yards out and when Keiron was found to encroach on the free kick we was booked. Harsh perhaps under the circumstances and in our second competitive fixture surely a talking to would have sufficed. Again though the booking was administered due to the fact that the referee felt that he could have booked Matthew before but didn't. Different incidents entirely and maybe a clumsy attempt to right an earlier mistake by the whistler.

Westdyke were awarded a penalty to add to Kemnay's displeasure when Callum Fryers was deemed to have pushed the Westdyke striker. There's no doubt there was a push, and perhaps Callum was naive to have done so with the striker heading away from goal, but it was clearly outside the box. The ref thought otherwise again and Westdyke scored from the spot. Callum picked up a booking for his trouble too.

Kemnay pulled one back when Callum Campbell poked the ball home from close range to score his first goal for the team but Westdyke added another goal to run out deserved winners.

Before I start to sound like Arsene Wenger in blaming everyone but ourselves, it should be said that we didn't lose because we didn't get the rub of the green from the referee (although they didn't help). We lost because we didn't show sufficient composure on the ball when we had it, we didn't work hard enough to get it back or to pressure our opponents when we didn't have it and we didn't play the football we're capable of. On the day Westdyke deserved their victory, so congratulations to Brian and his squad and good luck for the season ahead. 

Kemnay FC - Archie Simons, Mason Reid, Callan Boyle, Cameron Cheyne, Matthew Law (Ross Davidson), Matthew Robertson (Robert Lamb), Keiron MacLeod (Callum Scott), Callum Fryers (Callum Campbell), Lewis Beaton (Daniel Duguid) Liam Morrison, Jordan Sangster.

Scorers - Jordan (1), Callum Campbell (1)

Booked - Keiron, Callum Fryers