11/08/2018  |  League

Civil Service Strollers   1  v  0  Cumbernauld Colts

he Colts travelled through to Edinburgh on the back of two decent results
hoping to maintain their good start to the season. A task made more
difficult with first choice strikers Sean Brown and Fraser Team being
unavailable.

The match started at a frantic pace and it was the Cumbernauld side who were
unlucky not to go ahead when a Holmes shot was deflected just wide. Not long
after, Colts' left back, Fergus received the game's first yellow card when
he was deemed to enter the park after receiving treatment without the ref's
permission. The away support were baffled as they clearly witnessed the
assistant ref wave him on! The game continued to be fairly even but it was
the Colts who had to survive a couple of nervy moments when some slack
passing by the visitors' defence came to nothing. At the other end the
absence of Brown and Team proved critical as the visitors found it difficult
to break down a Strollers team who defended in numbers playing most of the
game with 5 men strung across the park.

The Strollers, sensing Colts' frustration, began to take control of the game
late on in the first half and felt aggrieved when their shouts for hand ball
in the penalty area were waved away by the referee. Next up was a shot just
over the bar after another Colts' slack pass and in the dying minutes of the
first have Pettigrew was twice called into action when he produced to quick
fire saves.

The second half began as the first had ended and it wasn't long before
Strollers capitalised when Jordan Hopkinson's angled shot from inside box
found the back of the Colts' net.

Having secured the lead Strollers were content to allow Colts possession, a
tactic which almost backfired when a shot by Holmes forced the home sides'
keeper, Kyle Rankin, into producing a great save.

The visitors kept up the pressure but failed to breach the Strollers'
defence who at times defended as if their lives depended on it. It was
turning out to be a bad day at the office for the Cumbernauld outfit and the
sending off of O'Neil for what the referee deemed to be dissent served only
to underline matters.

All in all the Colts will feel that it was a needless 3 points dropped but
with no time to feel sorry for themselves, in what is already turning out to
be a highly competitive league, will have to regroup quickly as next up are
East Stirlingshire who visit Broadwood in their next game.