Peebles 5

Dunfermline Carnegie 3s 0

PEEBLES men played their last match of the season last Saturday.

A few weeks ago, with three games left to play, they were six points adrift of safety and looking ever more likely to be heading for the league trap door. Peebles played two of their three matches in one weekend and ended up losing the first game but winning the second.

This left the Pees with a must-win game to finish the season and they knew it wasn't going to be easy as they faced the side that beat them only a fortnight earlier.

They were up against an already promoted Carnegie 3s team who had a good balance of youth and experience.

Peebles were able to field a strong team, even though they were missing a few key players.

The game started at a high tempo with both teams having good spells of possession and multiple chances, which were snubbed out by strong defences. The Pees had good opportunities from penalty corners, but the Carnegie keeper managed to keep them out.

They eventually broke through not long before half time, when Blundell received the ball in the D, passing to Rowe who stroked the ball past the oncoming goalie.

Peebles came back out from half time feeling positive and played what was to be their best attacking display of the season.

The home side doubled their lead not long into the second half after a long ball by Murdoch was fired into the D.

After a mad scramble, MacNeil tucked the ball past the Carnegie goalie.

The goal fest continued with the team's top scorer Wardhaugh getting on the score sheet. Some strong individual play led to him striking the ball into the left of the goal.

Carnegie were still dangerous on the counter but were foiled by strong defensive play from the Peebles back four.

The defensive outfit were especially strong at penalty corners of which the away side had several they could not convert.

The pressure soon took its toll on the away sides' defence as Peebles scored one of their most well constructed goals of the season.

Some excellent passing and moving from Landrock, Murdoch, Rowe and MacNeil led to Wardhaugh getting his second of the game and putting the match well beyond Carnegie's reach.

With only minutes to spare goal machine Wardhaugh completed his first ever hat-trick after a superb solo effort finished in a crisp final goal.

The match ended with the most convincing win of the Pees' season and a clean sheet to boot.

With three games left the Pees had left themselves a massive mountain to climb, but with the combination of huge determination, maximum effort and a wee slice or two of luck, they managed to avoid relegation and finish a respectable seventh in the third division.

Massive thanks go to K Jackson who has umpired the majority of the lads games this year and is an ever present and positive figure around the club. Thanks also to S Lobb who has coached us all season and really helped the younger members of the club advance their skill level.

Peebles: C.Kalman, R.Parker, S,Barrett, G.Cameron, S.Brown, S.MacNeil, R.Rowe, S.Murdoch, R.Blundell, D.Wilson, A.Wardhaugh and R.Landrock.