1st Team Preview vs. Gretna 2008 FC (11/02/2012)

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Created on Friday, 10 February 2012 21:12

Tomorrow, our East of Scotland 1st Team face Gretna 2008 FC in the Central Taxi’s, Premier League and three points is a must for the team, if they are to move up the league table. 

The game kicks off at 2:30pm at Telford College Sports Ground, Marine Drive and entry is free.  There will be a full-colour, match-day programme available at the game for only £2:00.

Managers’ Thoughts: 

Last weekend was yet another Saturday where we went without playing a game.  Since the 10th November (twelve weeks), we’ve only played three competitive games and whilst two of those weekends were set aside for the festive period, to have only three games in ten weeks is not good. 

We decided to give the players last Saturday off, so with no training and nothing on locally, we travelled to watch our under 21’s team in action and Paul and I had a look at the next batch of players coming through the great youth system that we have at Leith Athletic.  The game finished 3-3, but the team played well, especially in the 2nd half, with really good performances coming from George Gibson and Lachlan Thom. 

Having had Saturday off, we expected to see the players firing on all cylinders at training on Tuesday night, but that wasn’t the case and we felt that we didn’t work hard enough.  We had a few words before training last night and the players reacted well and we had a cracking session and everyone was looking really sharp and we’re looking forward to tomorrow. 

Unfortunately, we’re missing Jack Combe and Neil Lowson through suspension tomorrow and Jon Manson is coming back from a knock to his ankle.  Martin Macaulay is unavailable, but Iain Gordon returns from holiday and we include Sean MacPherson from our Under 19’s. 

Gretna are a very good team and we’ll need to play well tomorrow if we want to win the game.  We played each other a few weeks ago and whilst the game finished 2-2, I felt that we done enough to win the game.  Very few teams will leave Raydale with anything this season and if we apply ourselves as we did that day and for 70 minutes against Edinburgh City, we’ll do well tomorrow.  I just hope that our players go into the game with the sharpness and hunger that they showed us last night!

Derek

Scottish Cup Quarter-Final Preview

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Created on Thursday, 09 February 2012 17:40

This week will see the Under 17’s travel to play Banchory Boys in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup after defeating Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts in the 5th Round on penlaties (4-2) after the initial game finished 1-1.

As the remaining survivor from Edinburgh at this age group and the last Leith team left in the competition we are looking forward to the game.

Managers Thoughts:

Banchory Boys are currently undefeated in all competitions and only dropped their first league points of the season last week in a 1 all draw away to Devronvale. Our contacts in the North have informed us that Banchory are a big, strong and well organised team. If you add the fact that we have a 3.5 hour bus journey to get there then I think you can safely say we are the clear underdogs in this tie.

Training is going well this week, the boys are looking forward to the game and appear to be thriving on the tag of underdogs. At this stage in the competition there are no weak teams, including ourselves and I’m sure the winners on the day will be the team that performs to their best and potentially manages to handle the occasion. The winners of the game will be rewarded with a semi final date against Harmony Row at a neutral venue, so there is everything to play for. Our last training session is tonight, Stevie, Davy, Merv and myself will be looking to keep the boys focused and well prepared for the trip North.

Our bus will be leaving Leith Links at 8.30am on Saturday, anybody wishing to come up and support the team will be more than welcome. Several committee members have already indicated that they are looking to come up to support the team, so the more the merrier!

Weekend Preview (11th/12th Feb)

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Created on Friday, 10 February 2012 17:34

This weekend sees a number of huge games for the club, throughout a number of age groups and as long as the weather holds up, we’re hopeful of getting some games played on both Saturday and Sunday. 

Tomorrow, we have four games being played, with our East of Scotland 1st Team being at home to Gretna (2:30pm) in an important East of Scotland Premier League match.  A full match preview will be available later tonight. 

Our Under 21’s travel to Camelon Juniors (1:30pm) for the second time after the initial game was abandoned at 3-3 with the pitch becoming unplayable.  If the team play as well as they did in the 2nd half last week, we’re hopeful that they can progress to the last eight of the Lady Darling Cup. 

The under 19’s are at home to Hunterfield ‘93’s (2:00pm) and look to go top of the league with a win and the game of the day, sees our under 17’s travel north to Banchory FC (1:30pm) to play their Scottish Cup, Quarter-Final match.  A preview of the under 17’s match can be found here. 

On Sunday morning, there are three games at Leith Links at 11:00am, where our under 13’s face Tynecastle in the Ken Ritchie Cup, the under 14’s also play Tynecastle, but in the Kenny McLean Cup.  In the biggest game of the morning, our under 14’s 98’s face Musselburgh Windsor Colts in the South East Region Cup, with the winners gaining a semi-final spot away to Hutchison Vale FC.  Finally, our Under 14’s Whites are away to Bonnyrigg Rose Reds in the League Cup.  

Sunday afternoon sees a further two games at Leith Links where our under 15’s look to continue their unbeaten run in the league against Craigroyston BC and the under 16’s play North Berwick Colts where a win and results going our way elsewhere, could see the team moving back to top spot in the league.

On Sunday, our Ladies team play their first game of the season against Edinburgh City FC at Leith Links, kick off is 2:00pm.

Best of luck to all teams representing the club this weekend.

Camelon Juniors FC 3-3 Leith Athletic FC (Under 21's)

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Created on Sunday, 05 February 2012 17:05

Unfortunately, only one game beat the weather on Saturday and even then, that was abandoned after 90 minutes, with extra time still left to play, as the pitch had become so wet, the ball was sticking after every pass.

Camelon Juniors FC 3-3 Leith Athletic FC (Abandoned '90)
Lady Darling Cup, Third Round

The game started in a strong wind and pouring rain, but both teams done their best to try and get the ball down and play.  Leith were playing into the wind and whilst Camelon created a few chances, the away side always looked capable of scoring a goal on the break.  Darren Cain and Darren Davidson looked lively up front and when the ball was given to Steven Philp on the right, he created some problems for the Camelon defence.

After 20 minutes and against the run if play, a corner kick from the left was flighted into the back post and the unmarked Camelon player headed home from six yards.  Camelon doubled their lead shortly after, when a poor clearance from Leith was intercepted by the Camelon right winger and as he drove into the box, he was taken down from behind by captain, Adam Hunter.  Camelons striker stepped up and scored a good penalty, to make it 2-0 to the home team.

Half Time: Camelon Juniors FC 2-0 Leith Athletic FC

Starting the second half with the wind behind us and the rain getting even stronger, we started the much stronger team.  We created a number of chances with Lachlan Thom and Darren Cain forcing two great saves from the Camelon keeper.  It looked like being one of those days where nothing would go in after we struck the bar with a header and we missed numerous chances from set-pieces, but we eventually scored after a good passing move, with a finish from Darren Cain.

Now pushing for an equaliser, we were caught on the counter-attack with a long ball into our left channel.  We allowed the forward to get the cross in far too easily and the Camelon centreback somehow ended up at the back post, with the easiest of tap ins to make the score 3-1 to the home side.  Instead of throwing in the towel, the away side rallied again and pulled a goal back through substitute, Ben MacKenzie, following good passing down the right hand side with Liam Todd and Steven Philp.

Pushing now for an equaliser, we hit the post, before we seen the ball rolling along the line and into the goalkeepers hand and the Lachlan Thom had a great free kick saved by the goalkeeper.  With only two minutes remaining, a great run from Cain down the left seen the ball squared across goal and Darren Davidson slid the ball home from eight yards out, which seen wild celebrations on the Leith touchline.

The referee then brought a halt to proceedings at the end of the ninety minutes and after a brief discussion with both managers, the referee abandoned the game before extra time started, on the basis that the pitch was no longer playable in terms of player safety.  Both teams will need to do it all again and hopefully conditions are much better.

Full Time: Camelon Juniors FC 3-3 Leith Athletic FC (Abandoned)

Leith Athletic: Rankin, Todd, Watson, Keenan, Hunter, Lynch, Gibson, Thom, Philp, Cain, Davidson.  Subs: Marziban, Simpson, Park, Spence, MacKenzie

Assistant Managers' Thoughts:

Never do we do anything easy in this team as we found ourselves 2-0 down after 20 minutes, with the wind against us, one from poor marking at a corner and we gave away a silly penalty, however this did not affect our game and I felt we had the better chances but failed to convert them and went in 2-0 down at the break.  The team talk at half time was simple, we were still in the game but we stressed the importance of getting the next goal and that we did with a good finish from Darryn Cain. Despite going 3-1 down, we stuck to the task and when Ben scored to make it 3-2, i felt that we still had a chance.  If ever there was a time to say cometh the hour, cometh the man then it was with minutes to spare when Darren Davidson scored the equaliser

We were left extremely dissapointed at the abandonment as Camelon had used all their subs and looked dead on their feet, but it wasn't to be and now it is left upto the SFA to decide where the replayed game will be played next.  As much as I feel aggrieved about the way the game ended, we cannot afford to give teams a head start and with the chances we had, the game should have been over in the 90 minutes.  In saying that, i'm extremely proud of my players and their never give up attitude, some of our play was a joy to watch on a tricky surface.

Steven Chalmers