Chirnside United 2

Tweeddale Rovers 1

THE old cliché ‘a game of two halves’ was rolled out again last Saturday.

It was Chirnside who ultimately came out on top having scored two goals in the first half when they were in the ascendancy.

Tweeddale dominated the second but only managed to pull one back.

Division A looks likely to be very competitive this season, but Chirnside will be one of the contenders.

The attacking trio of Daniel Pattenden, Alan Jess and Stevie Shennan were on fire in the first half and Rovers struggled to cope with their movement.

Shennan supplied both goals, with Pattenden and Jess profiting from his creative play.

Jess turned the first in at the back post after Shennan’s dinked cross.

And the experienced forward was at it again, crossing from the byline for Pattenden to head home.

Tweeddale did have their moments and were not completely on the back foot. Craig Collin smacked the post and he also got down the right to put a cross on Grant Wilson’s head but he could not generate enough power.

The two goal deficit at the break convinced acting manager Greig Shortreed to change the team’s shape.

The switch to 3-5-2, with Simon Warren moving from left back into midfield, had an effect and changed the momentum of the play.

There was a scare early in the half when Shennan curled a free kick off the inside of a post.

That would have put Chirnside out of site, but having survived that, Tweeddale began to dominate the ball. The extra man in midfield helped and they were able to get their wide men on the ball a lot.

They needed a goal to give them hope and that came when Wilson slipped in Blair Meikle on the left and he sent the keeper the wrong way.

The pressure was mounting as it looked increasingly like a dramatic late equaliser was on the way. Warren burst forward with intent twice - but he did not get enough on his first pull back, and too much on the second.

A Wilson free kick presented the last chance to draw level, but he sent it over.

Tweeddale: Bertram, Dobie, Thomson, Rathie, Warren, Collin (Smith), R.Meikle, Rogers, B.Meikle, Mullins (McNaughton), Wilson. Not used: Pincott, Hart,