NEWTON STEWART 2 MID-ANNANDALE 0

John McNaught reporting from Blairmount Park.

A good crowd attended Blairmount Park last Saturday for Newton Stewarts South of Scotland League match against Mid-Annandale.  They witnessed a very close match between the sides with the winning goals coming for the home side near the end of the contest. Newton Stewart were without regular keeper Harry Fidler but were well covered on the day in that position by stand-in keeper Jason McDonald.

Newton started very well and produced some good football which after five minutes play resulted in them winning the first corner of the match which was eventually cleared. Five minutes later an excellent Willie Cloy free kick found no takers as it flashed across the Mids goalmouth and went narrowly past the far upright.  The visitors defensive plans were then upset when they lost defender Ross Smith with a knee ligament injury which required hospital treatment.

In the twelfth minute though striker Andrew McEwan had a good opportunity to open the scoring but drew a good save from keeper Pringle. As Newton continued to pressurise the Mids defence McEwan again went close but in the eighteenth minute the home side rode their luck when the upright came to their rescue.  In the visitors first attempt on goal Jamie Robison shook off his markers to fire in a fierce shot which beat keeper McDonald but was cleared after hitting the far post.

The game then began to flow from end to end although Newton Stewart had the majority of possession and in the twenty third minute a long throw-in from McEwan caused havoc in the Mids goalmouth with Gary Smith finding the last touch which again narrowly missed the target. With the midfields dominating the match the sides went in at the break goal-less.

At the start of the second half Martyn Henry was replaced by Jamie McKie for the home side and this seemed to give them a bit more bite in the midfield area.  Two goal scoring chances in succession fell to Willie Rennie just after the hour mark but the elusive goal still did not come as he failed to find the target on both occasions.  With fifteen minute left to play it was Mids turn to be let off the hook when a Stewart Taylor effort came back of the post following a good solo run by the Newton forward.  The home side continued to dominate but the game remained goal-less as it entered the last five minutes of play. 

It was then that substitute Jed McLean who had been introduced to the play a short time earlier turned the match.  In the eighty sixth minute McLean headed on a ball over the top which found Sean Taylor running in on goal on the right side to pick his spot to break the deadlock.   This gave the home side a deserved one goal advantage with time running out but stand-in keeper Jason McDonald pulled of a great save to keep this advantage as Mids pushed for an equaliser. Supersub McLean though made sure of the points a minute later when he was played in by Willie Cloy after some good solo work when he blasted home from ten yards to seal victory and a valuable three points for Newton Stewart.

This was a very good victory for Newton Stewart and although they left it late to find the net their overall display was very good with some good passing movement on show. Mid-Annandale were as usual a hard nut to crack so it is to Newtons credit that they eventually took the three points from this contest.

NEWTON STEWART; McDonald, Henry, Walsh, Hyslop, Richardson, Cloy, Stewart Taylor, Sean Taylor, McEwan, Smith, Rennie, Subs; McKie, McLean, Wilson, Agnew and Lowe.

MID-ANNANDALE ; Pringle, Smith, Anderson, Bell, Dodd, McCulloch, M.Henderson, Sloan, Hodgkins, Norval, Robison, Subs; S. Henderson, Notman,and Morton

Attendance; 80