Peebles fail their University test

Published 23 Oct 2009 13:57 0 Comments

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Peebles FC 0 v 12 Stirling University

PEEBLES crashed out of the S.F.A. South Region Challenge Cup to Stirling University, who played some excellent football over the piece in this second round tie at Whitestone Park last Saturday.

In fact, the University could so easily have scored a few more goals as they missed several other scoring opportunities.

However, Peebles were missing several key players due to injuries and holidays as they could only field one substitute, but this still cannot disguise the fact that Stirling were by far the better side over the 90 minutes.

Before the kick-off, a minute's silence was observed in memory of the mother of Peebles manager Ray McInnes.

Stirling posed a couple of early threats with Jacob Arnold-Smith and Abraham Keller coming close to scoring with good efforts before Peebles almost put their noses in front after nine minutes.

A Gary Knox through-ball sent Fraser Henderson racing into the Stirling box before he was on target with a well placed shot from 12 yards until the diving Sam Filler tipped the ball around his right-hand post with a splendid one-handed save at full stretch.

University replied with an Arnold-Smith right-wing cross finding Euan Black, who was just off target with a shot on the turn from eight yards.

But it was Stirling who broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when from a Keller corner-kick on the right, Euan Black gave David Simmons no chance with a powerful header from six yards into the roof of the Peebles net.

The visitors continued on the attack as Simmons foiled Arnold-Smith with a fine save before the University added a second goal after 25 minutes when Lee Nichol neatly slipped the ball through to Euan Black before he beat the helpless Simmons with a cracking angular shot on the turn from 12 yards.

Shortly afterwards, from a Nichol right-wing cross, Arnold-Smith struck the Peebles crossbar with a header from close in before the ball rebounded away to safety.

But it was Stirling who grabbed a third goal after 29 minutes when from an Arnold-Smith through-ball, Euan Black notched up his hat-trick with a crisp angular drive from 14 yards into the far bottom left-hand corner of the Peebles net.

Then the University scored a fourth goal just six minutes later when a Keller cross-field pass sent Jacob Arnold-Smith racing into the Peebles box before he beat an exposed Simmons with a cool finish from 12 yards.

Then Stirling went nap after 38 minutes when from a short University corner-kick on the right, Abraham Keller gave Simmons no chance with a rasping angular drive from 20 yards into the far bottom corner of the Peebles net.

The University then made it six just two minutes before half-time when Lee Nichol scored with a well-placed penalty-kick attempt after Simmons had brought down Keller inside the Peebles box.

Then Stirling were in seventh heaven just two minutes after the break when after latching onto a Craig McLeish defence-splitting pass, Lee Nichol coolly drilled the ball past a helpless Simmons from 12 yards.

The University then made it eight after 55 minutes when from an Adam Newbold right-wing cross, the unmarked Abraham Keller had the simple task of tapping the ball home from six yards.

Stirling were then on cloud nine just two minutes later when from a Graham Anderson pass, Jason Bolam drilled the ball past a helpless Simmons with a low angular shot from 14 yards.

The University made it a perfect ten after 59 minutes when after a neat Stirling build-up down the left, Abraham Keller notched up his hat-trick when he beat Simmons all ends up with a spectacular angular shot from 16 yards into the far bottom corner of the Peebles net.

Stirling continued on the attack as Simmons foiled Bolam with an excellent save before the University scored an eleventh goal in the 68th minute.

After Anderson had struck the Peebles right-hand post with a shot from 18 yards, the ball rebounded back kindly to substitute Joe Dingwall before he slammed it home from close in.

Then the University made it a round dozen in the 76th minute when after pouncing onto a mix-up in the Peebles defence, Lee Nichol also notched up his hat-trick with a deflected shot from 12 yards which completely wrong-footed Simmons in the Peebles goal.

Peebles FC: D. Simmons, D. Urey, G. Stenhouse, J. Ritchie, D. Knox, G. Knox, F. Henderson (D. Rose 58 mins), D. Crosbie, S. Jordan, S. Hosker, K. Martin.

Stirling University: S. Filler, J. Bolam, C. McLeish (J. Dingwall 60 mins), G. Anderson, J. Atkins, R. Milne, A. Keller, L. Nichol, E. Black (A. Newbold 45 mins), J. Arnold-Smith (C. Mason 54 mins), N. Dewar.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 23 Oct 09

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