Westhill FC 2-0 Glendale

This was easily the most solid performance of the season which is backed up in just our second clean sheet of the season.

We defended excellently as a team but great credit must go to firstly Gibbo, and then the whole back 4, who were all first class.

We started the game quite tentatively as I think there was a bit of nerves due to the importance of the game but after 10 minutes we settled in and caused them a few problems through midfield and with Kyle always making himself an available outlet and option as he shone as captain.

We were restricted to a drive from outside the box from Jamie which he never quite caught as we got most joy down the left side. Charlie had a wonderful driving run and splitting pass for Munro who crossed and they hacked clear for a corner.

Sadly this was just about the last piece of action for Charlie who took a bad turn on the pitch and had to be replaced by Johannesen, who was absolutely magnificent when he came on. The amount of running and tackling he does is unreal. Thankfully Charlie was fine and will be in full training on Wednesday.

They caused us some problems on the break and they always looked dangerous, especially with things coming through their number 7 who had a bit of class but everything was defended by the back 4 and if not with Gibbo coming so quickly and strongly off his line to mop things up, as well as being dominant in the air, the best all round performance I’ve seen from him.

We switched off and played ourselves in trouble on the half hour mark but thankfully their striker lifted over Gibbo and just over the cross-bar.

At the other end Kyle squared nicely for Munro who held the ball up well and tried to square for the oncoming Jamie where I felt the shot on the turn may have been more effective.

The pair looked to combine moments later when Jamie picked the ball up on the touchline and pinged a great cross-field pass to the advancing Munro who controlled excellently and smashed the half-volley near-post only for their keeper to save well for a corner.

Right on half-time Gibbo made a great save low to his left as the shot came through a ruck of bodies which made a big difference and was a match winning save.

With Dee coming off at half-time after running out of steam, another very strong performance from him, and myself replacing him we were able to get a little more going forward in the second half as I played directly alongside Kyle to support him.

We had slightly more of the play and got into good scoring positions but it wasn’t quite falling for us. Jamie shot over following a great break which saw Munro cross and Kyle square to the advancing McInnes only for him to drill over. Later we got into a 3 on 2 situation with Johannesen overlapping Kyle and he should have slipped it into his path but perhaps he never got the shout.

Then Lewis powered through the box and held his man off only to clip over when at full stretch trying to guide it in. It just felt like it could be another frustrating day for us but just when we needed something special we got it as a bit of quality was always going to win this game.

It came with 8 or 9 minutes to go when Jamie delivered a great free kick from the right and Kyle rose brilliantly above everyone and powered in a magnificent header right into the top corner from 12 yards out, a goal worthy of winning any game and a goal he fully deserved.

They had a bit of an onslaught for the last 5 minutes which always happens and you could see the nerves in our play. The ball then broke forward and I took past their defender and they must have thrown men forward as they had noone fully covering so I took it in on goal and slotted it past the keeper to virtually seal the game.

From here we still defended brilliantly and heroically with everyone winning headers, last ditch tackles and clearing well up field when required.

A fantastic all round display and a big 3 points.

Onwards & upwards

Starting line-up:

1. Gibson
2. Jamieson
3. Monahan
4. Clark
5. Reith
6. Davidson
7. Wilson (C)
8. McInnes (Man of the Match)
10. Munro
11. Hart
12. Denham

Substitutes:

9. Milton (45 for Davidson)
14. Johannesen (23 for Denham)
15. Houston (70 for Monahan)
16. Gillies

Kaimhill 4-3 Westhill FC
at Kaimhill (Grass)

I was very proud of everyone in this game, the unity and togetherness as a group was excellent and it’s that that we need to continue to show to try get some form going.

Nobody could have given any more, everyone played well and there were some excellent performances. The back 4 and Gibbo were very good. Everyone worked together which was great to see and the communication was a lot better which is crucial. This was all down to Ryan Skinner for me who was excellent and talked and organised the whole game, a true captains performace from him.

Shaun Clark was outstanding alongside him in having one of his best games for the club. Another positive was having Steven Davidson back in a Westhill FC shirt and he had a game to be proud of for his first game in 9 months.

It was dissapointing to go 1-0 down as we just edged the first 15 minutes and it was sloppy to lose a headed goal from a corner when we had been so solid apart from that. This is a definate area where improvement is needed as there is no excuse for people getting free headers, something that happened twice in the space of a few minutes.

The response was excellent and we drew level around 2 minutes later when Jamie threaded a brilliant ball out wide to Munro and he showed all his class and awareness to square on a plate to Jamie who had continued on his run and finished superbly in the corner. Jamie played some great stuff and always looked to create something, it was just a shame it was a scrappy game and he didn’t get more of the ball.

At 1-1 we dominated for 25 minutes and did everything but score, we just needed a break in front of goal. Kyle was very unlucky when he took the ball in from a throw and hooked over his shoulder only for it to be scrambled clear adjacent to the goal-line.

We rode our luck for 5 minutes when they looked like they had scored when Gibbo came and punched and it appeared to come off the back of Skinner and looped just over and later when Gibbo pulled off an outstanding save when he tipped it onto the underside of the bar from a freekick right on the edge of our box when the penalty should have been given.

Nearing half time Gibbo put Leon in the clear and he was unlucky after beating the first defender for pace and he didn’t get the shot away properly as the covering defender put enough pressure on him.

Soon after with only 3 minutes to the half we were hit with the sucker punch when a kickout was flicked on and their number 10 smashed it first time into the roof of the net on the half volley from fully 25 yards, a fantastic strike.

That was a body blow and we couldn’t recover from it and we swithced off and they got in too easy to slot a third right on half time, but it was understandable because everyone felt a bit aggrieved I think.

We went out in the second half and played in the same vein as we did most of the first which was really pleasing, as we could have easy rolled over and got beat 5 or 6-1 but there was plenty of fight and spirit.

We should have drew level when Jamie slipped Leon superbly coming in off the left and his touch was perfect but he guided it agonisingly wide of the far post.

It became quite scrappy from there and Kaimhill had the better of the next 15 minutes and we were fortunate not to be killed off as they caught us on the break and twice just put past the post.

It was then our spell when we totally dominated the last 20 minutes and put them under severe pressure, drawing free kick after free kick and corner after corner.

Kyle was very unlucky to head just over from a free kick on the right who worked tirelessly all day and deserved a goal and I should have been more positive when Munro played me in well on the left.

We gave ourselves a glimmer with 7 or 8 minutes to go when Ryan Skinner finished excellently with an outside of the foot volley from a corner. He was a threat all day from setpieces and is a real force in the box.

That showed when he got clattered in the back with only 2 minutes to go from a long throw into the box from his brother David and the referee had the bottle to give it where a lot of referees wouldn’t have.

When I scored the penalty I thought we had got our just rewards with a point and actually thought we might nick it, as I think the team did. That is a good sign because we should always look to take full advantage when we’re on top.

Unfortunatey we were caught in sticking almost everyone up for a corner in stoppage time and Jamies pass back out to me was cut out and they were running at us 3 on 2. Lewis made a great tackle on the half way line and when he looked to kick clear while grounded the block went with their midfielders path and then it got slipped wide to their advancing midfielder who was at least a yard off and he slid it past Gibbo into the far corner.

I thought the whistle would be blown from there but he played a minute more and when Jon took the ball down and played through Leon brilliantly over the top it looked sure to be 4-4.

As he went to pull the trigger he was bundled over, a clear penalty, and the ref somehow gave a corner, a baffling decision, of which he had many.

They headed clear from the corner and that was it, a defeat where we deserved at least a point but nothing but positives to take from the performance.

Onwards & upwards

Line-up:

1. Gibson
2. Jamieson
3. Houston (Man of the Match)
4. Clark
5. R. Skinner (C)
6. Davidson
7. Wilson
8. McInnes
9. Johannesen
10. Munro
11. MacLeod

Substitutes:

12. Denham
14. Milton (54 mins for Davidson)
15. D. Skinner (60 mins for Johannesen)
16. Gillies (70 mins for Wilson)

Westhill FC 2 – 3 Ellon Amateurs
at Westdyke

Westhill narrowly lost out in a relegation six-pointer at Westdyke against bottom of the table Ellon.

Both teams made lively starts and missed good chances to take the lead. The first chance went to Westhill when Munro was played through on goal by McInnes but fired over the bar, then Ellon missed a similar opportunity at the other end. The opening goal arrived for the Foxes after good work by McInnes out wide, and his cross was side-footed home by Munro from a few yards out.

Instead of building on the lead, Westhill relinquished it within a matter of minutes. A long ball over the top of the defence wasn’t dealt with allowing the Ellon right winger a clear run on goal and he lifted the ball over the advancing Gibson into the back of the net. Westhill should have re-taken the lead soon after, but the Ellon defence somehow scrambled clear after Munro was initially denied by the keeper. Milton was first to the rebound, but his effort on the turn was blocked on the line and hacked clear.

It was déjà vu when a kick from the Ellon keeper sailed over the Westhill defence allowing Ellon’s striker to score in identical fashion to their first by lifting the ball over the helpless Gibson. Worse was to follow when Ellon took a two-goal lead after a jinking run by the left winger, who slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-3. Westhill had chances to reduce the deficit before half-time when, firstly, Munro had a shot blocked, then the keeper produced a superb diving save to turn a Ross effort over the bar.

The Foxes did eventually get back into the game in the second half when debutant Carr was brought down in the box after going past the last defender. The referee decided a yellow card was ample punishment when a red seemed the more likely outcome. Milton slotted the penalty into the bottom left hand corner to give Westhill some hope. It looked like they had got the equaliser when Monahan met a corner from the right and powered a header into the bottom corner only for the Ellon keeper to produce his second outstanding save of the match.

Clark was thrown on as a makeshift striker in the last ten minutes as Westhill desperately searched for a leveller. And he almost scored it when a flick-on fell into his path on the edge of the box, but his volleyed effort sailed wide. The last chance of the match was created for himself by McInnes, but unfortunately his effort was inches too high and flew over the crossbar.

Ultimately a very disappointing scoreline for Westhill and they will need to find at least two more wins from the remaining fixtures to give themselves a chance of staying in the division.

Onwards and upwards.

Line-up:
1 Calum Gibson
2 Martin Johannesen
3 Micheal Monahan
4 Cameron Reith
5 Andreas Shewan
6 Charlie Denham
7 Barry Ross
8 Andy Hart
9 Clark Milton
10 Andy Munro
11 Jamie McInnes (MotM)

Subs:
Kris Carr (->7), Shaun Clark (->4), Kyle Wilson, Jon Gillies, Craig Lynas.

Stoneywood Amateurs 4 – 3 Westhill FC
at Webster Park

Westhill went down to a disappointing defeat in an eventful 90 mins against Stoneywood Amateurs at Wester Park.

It was another slow start to a game by Westhill as they went one down after failing to deal with a set-piece into the box. Worse was to follow on the 15 minute mark when a looping header to the far corner of the goal was handled on the line by Monahan. A penalty was awarded to Stoneywood and an inevitable red card for Monahan followed. Things looked bleak for the visitors, but Gibson pulled off a great diving save to his left.

This seemed to rejuvenate the Foxes who equalised moments later after great work down the right by Milton. His shot was deflected off the covering defender and looped over the keeper onto the bar. The rebound fell kindly to Hart and he volleyed home. Westhill were soon ahead when a break of the ball fell kindly to Milton and he slotted past the keeper into the bottom corner.

Despite being a man down Westhill were well on top at this point and should have gone further ahead when Ross found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but he hurried the shot and sliced wide. The third goal did arrive moments later after Munro had been hauled back when clear on goal. An obvious goal-scoring opportunity had been denied so a second red card of the afternoon was shown to the defender. From the resultant free-kick Milton fired a low curling shot round the wall and into the corner of the net.

Stoneywood got themselves back into the game as half-time approached when a cross from the right was volleyed home. This was another crucial turning point of the afternoon as it gave the hosts the lift they required going into the second half. So it proved as Stoneywood equalised when another set-piece was not dealt with by the Westhill defence. Worse was to follow when a clumsy challenge by Johannesen led to a second penalty of the day for the home side and there was no mistake from the spot this time.

Westhill pushed forward in the final 20 mins looking to get back into the match, but were unable to force an equaliser.

Onwards and upwards.

Line-up:
1 Calum Gibson
2 Iain Jamieson
3 Micheal Monahan
4 Cameron Reith
5 Lewis Houston
6 Charlie Denham
7 Andy Hart
8 Barry Ross
9 Martin Johannesen
10 Andy Munro
11 Clark Milton (MotM)

Subs:
Kyle Wilson (-> 9), Andreas Shewan, Craig Lynas.

Rattrays XI 2 – 2 Westhill FC
at Heathryfold

Westhill were ultimately disappointed with the 2-2 draw despite coming from two goals down after a slow start to the game.

Rattrays made the stronger start, but Westhill were their own worst enemies as both goals were a result of individual errors. The first was a cross from the left wing that was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Shewan. The second was a result of sloppy passing in the midfield that allowed Rattrays to gain possession and slide a pass through to their pacey striker, who curled a lovely finish past the helpless Gibson.

A Denham effort from distance that dipped narrowly over the bar had been the Foxes only effort of note in the first half hour, but they began to play their way into the game at this point and pulled a goal back from a superb McInnes volley. A cross into the box wasn’t properly cleared, which allowed Milton to keep the ball alive and his flick was smashed home by McInnes. Westhill carried on pushing forward but were unable to find the equaliser before half-time.

The second half carried on in the same vain as the first half finished with Westhill having the better of things. The only Rattrays chance of note came from a counter attack, which looked several yards offside, and left their striker one-on-one with Gibson. The keeper refused to go to ground too early and was able to clear the ball to safety as the striker tried to go round him.

The equaliser arrived around the 70 min mark when Milton won possession 25 yards from goal and played the ball into Munro. His shot into the far corner was saved by the keeper, but McInnes was quickest to react and smash home the rebound. At this point only one team looked like winning the game. Westhill had a golden opportunity to do so in the last few minutes when a cross was delivered to the far post and Monahan had the goal at his mercy, but blazed over from three yards out.

Time will tell whether this was two points dropped or one point gained.

Onwards and upwards.

Line-up:
1 Calum Gibson
2 Iain Jamieson
3 Micheal Monahan
4 Cameron Reith
5 Andreas Shewan
6 Charlie Denham (MotM)
7 Andy Hart
8 Barry Ross
9 Clark Milton
10 Andy Munro
11 Jamie McInnes

Subs:
Martin Johannesen (-> 8), Leon MacLeod (-> 10), Ryan Skinner, Shaun Clark, Craig Lynas.

Burghmuir 1 – 2 Westhill FC
at Strathburn Park

Westhill produced a resolute performance in poor conditions at Strathburn Park to gain a crucial 2-1 win against fellow relegation strugglers Burghmuir.

The Foxes made the better start and deservedly took the lead when a long ball was flicked on by Milton into the path of MacLeod.  His pace took him clear of the defence and a well-placed finish found it’s way into the bottom corner.  Westhill kept up the pressure and a Graham shot was turned round the post by the Burghmuir keeper.  Several corners followed but nobody could add the final touch to some great deliveries.

Burghmuir came back into the game and were unlucky not to get a penalty when Jamieson was adjudged to have pushed their striker in the back on the edge of the box.  A free-kick was given instead and this sailed high-and-wide but Burghmuir kept up the pressure and it was only thanks to several great saves by Gibson that Westhill stayed one goal up.

Just before half time, a driving run by Denham took him past several Burghmuir defenders and into the box but he failed to his the target and the half finished 0-1.

Burghmuir had the better of the second half chances but were unable to find the target with several efforts and when they did, Gibson was their equal.  At the other end, Westhill took a two goal lead when a Graham shot was parried out wide by the keeper and looked to be heading for a corner but substitute McInnes kept the ball in play and fired a shot into the back of the net from an acute angle.  Despite the protests of the Burghmuir players, the goal stood.

The deficit was quickly reduced however, as Burghmuir broke quickly from defending a corner to score with a fine counter-attacking goal.  A deep cross to the far post was headed back into the middle then volleyed into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance.  Westhill almost regained a two goal lead when a jinking run by debutant Ross saw him beat two Burghmuir defenders but ended with a poor attempted pass to Graham when perhaps a shot was the better option.

Burghmuir threw players forward in search of an equaliser and bombarded the Westhill defence with long balls and crosses but some heroic defending and more superb goalkeeping from Gibson kept them at bay.  A late chance to finish the game fell to Hart after a lay-off by makeshift striker Clark, however the shot flew over the bar.

The game finished moments later and Westhill had secured a much-needed three points.  The only downside to the victory was a knee-injury to Watt which will see him side-lined for several weeks.

Onwards and upwards.

Line-up:
1 Calum Gibson
2 Iain Jamieson
3 Josh Watt
4 Cameron Reith
5 Micheal Monahan
6 Charlie Denham (MotM)
7 Andy Hart
8 Barry Ross
9 Clark Milton
10 David Graham
11 Leon MacLeod

Subs:
Jamie McInnes (-> 11), Ryan Skinner (-> 3), Shaun Clark (-> 8), Craig Lynas.