Another bugged 3pm Wednesday game in the South Challenge Cup. A 16 mile journey west along the M9 so no real travel time, so only a half day holiday needed for our part-timers from their real jobs.
Linlithgow Rose ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linlithgow_Rose_F.C. ) are a club steeped in history. In game they are a East Of Scoitland Conference C side, IRL they gained promotion to the East of Scotland Premier Division, 1 step below us, for the 2019/20 season.
The scouts show that Linlithgow have some good players and will not be a pushover – They only lost 1-0 to Peterhead in the Scottish Cup so need to be taken seriously.
I will be going 4-1-4-1 DM Wide Positive though – at the end of the day they are 2 steps below us in game at this point. This is also game 2 of 4 in 11 days so we field a well-rotated team.
Guthrie starts up top, Churchill gets some time in CM, McCulloch (Whose attributes are dropping pretty quickly) is in as DLP and Clappers is back from suspension allowing McVitie to have a rest. Newell is back as Leftback and fee gets some time at Rightback. I’ll try and give Kev a rest if we are comfortable at half time. Linlithgow are playing a 4-2-3-1 (2DM) Wide so this could be an interesting clash of similar tactics, and I go into this feeling slightly nervous….
HT Linlithgow Rose 0 Civil Service 1 (Guthrie 37)
A bright start in gusty conditions (11C & rain again); both teams looking comfortable on the ball. Mackay also looked a constant threat on the left but it wasn’t until the 37th minute when a Mackay in-swinging corner from the right found Guthrie unmarked, and he headed home emphatically – 1-0. Possession and Passing showing as usual, we just need to be more clinical, which will come as the players develop and mesh. Clappers will come off for McVitie – I changed Clappers to an Anchorman and told him to Ease Off Tackles as he got another booking for a lunge – he’s becoming a bit of a liability which is a real shame because I really like the rest of his game. Hoping to go 2-0 up so I can give big Kev a rest as well.
FT Linlithgow Rose 0 Civil Service 3 (Guthrie 37,55, Faye 84) Att 259 (7 Away)
A good start to the half with the Strollers on top turned sour when Mackay pulled up with a calf strain (4 Weeks to 2 Months, bugger) – Barras coming on in his place. We went 2-0 after a ball over by McVitie was misjudged by the Linlithgow Keeper – Ross Guthrie running on to score his second. Big Kev headed to the bench 🙂 We made it 3-0, a corner from McVitie pin-balled around and Faye got the last touch as it headed into the Rose net. 3-0 it finished, another good outing in the South Challenge Cup. Guthrie is pushing himself to the top of the pile as my one up top!! Unfortunately McConnell & Clappers have reached the yellow card limit in this cup so will be banned from the Quarter Final, which will be …
Away to Camelon, another Conference C side, so we should be favourites to get to the Semis. This game isn’t until March though, so lets concentrate on the league now.