Match Report - BANCHORY AMS - 05 Jan 2019

*** Tolbooth kick off 2019 with 3 points ***

Tolbooth 5-4 Banchory

Shand ??????

Scott Keith ??

Riley ??

Chapman, Fuller, Bain, Petrie, Murray (Paterson), Riley (Grant), Glennie (Mearns), Scott Keith, Sean Keith, Simpson, Shand (Michie)

Tolbooth kicked off 2019 with a tricky home fixture against Banchory at Hazelhead. With notable post festive break rust, it was the visitors who went one up after an early corner found an unmarked Banchory player who headed in from close range. Things went from bad to worse as Banchory doubled their lead after a mistake from Bain released the Banchory striker who rounded Chapman before the covering Petrie blocked on the line, with the rebound then fired into the net. Tolbooth finally sparked into life midway through the first half when Simpson pass found Riley who finished superbly into the top corner. Tolbooth continued to press with Scott Keith unlucky to see curling effort from outside the box strike the outside of the post. The equaliser arrived shortly after when Simpson dropped deep and picked out Shand with an excellent long ball, the Tbooth Number 9 raced clear and lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper before firing in from close range. Before in the interval, Tbooth was unlucky to not go in leading after great play from Sean Keith ended with his curling effort smashing back off the post. Half time 2-2

Tolbooth came out the blocks in the second half racing into a 4-2 lead. Firstly Sean Keith's corner found Scott Keith who fired in from close range. Shand added his second of the game when Riley cut back and Shand blasted the ball beyond the goalkeeper. The lead however did look fragile with Banchory hitting the post with a powerful strike from the right. On 60 minutes the visitors were awarded a penalty after Bain was judged to have fouled the striker inside the box. Chapman was hand to produce a fine diving save to his right from 12 yards to keep the 2 goal cushion. It wasn't to last long as Banchory pulled a goal back with a well hit strike from outside the box found the top corner. Banchory almost pulled level when the ball broke to their striker 6 yards out but Chapman turned the goal bound effort round the post. It looked to be job done 10 minutes from the end when Fullers long ball released Shand who rolled the ball beyond the onrushing goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick. Banchory again came back into the game with a late goal when a free kick was awarded at the edge of the box was curled round the wall and into the corner. Tolbooth withstood further late pressure to secure a hard fought 3 points! Final score 5-4

Certainly not a vintage display from the lads, but after suffering defeat in our last game of 2018 vs Echt and the two week break from all footballing activities we took over the Festive Period - 3 points is all that matters today. Onto the next we go ?????

MOTM: Shand

#uptheTbooth