19th March 2019 Heriot Watt University v Jeanfield Swifts 1-2

After a frustrating weekend I was looking forward to going to a game again. On Saturday I had intended to go and watch Bonnyrigg v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale as if Bonnyrigg gained a point they would have clinched the championship of their East of Scotland League Conference. However after overnight snow and rain the match was called off, as where all other minor league matches in and around Edinburgh. I did think about heading to Hamilton for the Hearts game but after the last few performances I did not fancy another afternoon of sterile football. That left Hibs at Easter Road but I was not keen on paying to watch Hibs v Motherwell. I there spend a football-less  day although I was cheered up by the Scotland performance against England in the rugby where a second half comeback resulted in a 38-38 draw. Malcolm texted me and asked if I was going out to the Oriam tonight for Heriot Watt University v Jeanfield Swifts and I did not need to be asked twice. Caught a 35 bus just after 18.30 and arrived at the outdoor astro pitch around 19.10. £5 admission and a £1 programme represented good value for money.

The game promised to be interesting as although Jeanfield are third in Conference C of the East of Scotland League and Heriot Watt (HWU) eighth, the team had met ten days previously at Jeanfields ground in Perth with the home side only winning 2-1. HWU fielded Lumbert Kateleza, on loan from Penicuik, at centre-forward in his first game for the club. Kateleza is a strong running player with a lot of skill although I think his finishing sometimes does not match the rest of his game. HWU player assistant manger Gavin Malin, who played for Spartans and a number of SPFL sides, was only recently back from injury and did not play. Jeanfield fielded a strong side with a number of players who have SPFL experience. 

Early in the game HWU keeper Callum Reid rushed to the right hand side of his penalty box to head clear a long through ball. The ball landed at the feet of Connor McLaren and his cross went of the head of the goalkeeper ,who was rushing back to his goal area, but a HWU defender was in position to head the ball clear. Shortly afterwards Kateleza fouled Jeanfield central defender Lee Deans on the touchline. The defender rolled of the pitch clutching his legs nd let out a tirade of abuse towards Kateleza. The forward was clearly unimpressed and suggested that the defender was making the most of the foul. Considering Deans got up and back into play without any treatment Kateleza was probably correct. After twenty minutes Reid rushed from his goal to attempt to collect a through ball heading towards the centre of the penalty box. He blocked  the ball at the edge of the penalty box with his arm but his run and dive had carried him outside the box. The referee correctly awarded a free-kick but only cautioned Reid as, in his view, there were defenders running back who could have blocked a goal-scoring opportunity. The free-kick was hit round the defensive wall and Reid had to dive to turn the ball past the post. Just before the half hour mark Jeanfield took the lead after a cross from the left. Rhys Davies took the ball to the side of two defenders and shot low into the net from around fourteen yards. HWU came back into the game five minutes later with an equaliser. A corner-kick on the left was met by Kateleza eight yards out with an over-head kick. Jeanfield keeper Mark Mitchell dived to palm the ball out but it fell to Ryan Higgins who fired the ball into the net. Jeanfield regained the lead just before halftime when another long ball was chased by Connor McLaren. Reid rushed from his goal again but the ball bounced over his head and McLaren squared the ball across goal. Despite the presence of several defenders the ball ended up in the net from a shot by Rhys Davies. The HWU website gave the goal to Keith Dewar but the Jeanfield Twitter feed credited Davies and I also thought it was Davies who netted.

HWU tried hard for an equaliser in the second but were unable to make many clear chances. An early cross from Taylor Huxford was blocked by the Jeanfield defence. Kateleza then had a chance with but shot over the bar from a good position. HWU substitute Lewis Duffy had a header from a corner blocked as the clock ran down. Jeanfield however were not only defending and McLaren looked dangerous on the wing. Near the end of the match he fashioned a chance for Scott Smith who shot past the right hand post just before the final whistle blew.

After the game Malcolm’s partner Anne picked us up and gave me a lift home in time to take the dog for his last walk of the day.

Teams

Heriot-Watt University: Reid, Hogg, Munro, Barclay, Quinn, Spence, Laurenson, Shrive, Kateleza, Huxford, Higgins.

Subs: Duffy, Singh, Muttitt.

Jeanfield Swifts: Mitchell, Kennedy, Whitehead, Deans, F Smith, Simpson, Anton, S Smith, McLaren, Davies, Dewar.

Subs; Woolley, Fergus, Mackie.