NEWTON STEWART 3 CRICHTON 0

John McNaught reporting from Blairmount Park

The more fancied Crichton came to Blairmount Park expecting that they would not have things their own way but what they would not have expected was the ease in which the home side eventually won the match scoring from three set pieces.  This was an outstanding performance from the Creesiders and hopefully is the fore-runner of much more to come from this young side.  However things could have been that much different if Crichton striker Roman Soltys had taken an early opportunity to put his side ahead.  The visitors won a free kick just outside the eighteen yard box on the left in the first minute of the match and when the ball was swung over Soltys found space to force a header goalwards with keeper Fidler beaten but fortunately for the home side the striker missed an open target.

Three minutes later the Creesiders had Fidler to thank in keeping the game goal-less when the keeper brought off a good save to deny Soltys. With five minutes played though Crichton keeper Tommy Muirhead was tested when Martyn Henry put over a superb cross from the right which the keeper did well to deal with.  Two minutes later the visitors almost went behind when an excellent curling shot from captain Johnny Fisher  from eighteen yards came of the woodwork at the top postage stamp corner.  The home side were enjoying the match as they pushed forward at every opportunity as the visitors seemed to in awe at the way their opponents’ were taking the game to them.  In the eighteenth minute Fidler set up Gary Smith on the left with a throw out giving him the opportunity to run at the Crichton defence but when his back post cross met the head of striker Sean Taylor the effort on goal was weak and was easily handled by keeper Muirhead.  Seven minutes later with Newton well in command of the game Henrys effort after beating the keeper was cleared off the line and shortly after another effort from the same player from a Taylor cross should have found the net but was fired high over the crossbar.

Andrew McEwan was causing the Crichton defence all sorts of bother and following a good solo run and through ball from Taylor the striker hesitated with his shot ten yards out and a good chance was lost. With twenty eight minutes played the home side got what their play deserved when Gary Smith swung in a corner from the right to the back post which McEwan headed across goal for Fisher to fire the opener high into the roof of the net. Three minutes later Newton had the chance to double their score when a Smith cross found McEwans head but the strikers effort went just past the upright with the keeper stranded. However Crichton almost drew level a minute before the break when Fidler dived at the feet of Richard Maxwell and the ball squirmed upwards giving Maxwell the chance to fire the ball into an empty net which he failed to do sending the ball over the crossbar which was a right let-off for the home side.

Newton Stewart started the second half as they had played the first and within two minutes could have went further ahead when a glancing McEwan header found Taylor but his effort on goal was off target for what was a real good opportunity for goal number two.  In the fifty third minute keeper Muirhead had to be at his best to stop a Darren Agnew shot and on the hour mark Smith came close with a twenty five yarder which won a corner on the left.  Smith took the corner which was met beautifully by the head of Taylor who scored Newtons second goal with a superb glancing header and the visitors looked a defeated side.  With thirteen minutes left to play a great solo effort from Fisher deserved a better fate but his effort on goal found the upright with the keeper well beaten. Goal number three looked inevitable and it came in the eighty first minute following yet another corner kick. The Crichton defence failed to clear Smiths inswinger and in a goal mouth scramble striker Andrew McEwan found the space to force the ball behind keeper Muirhead and into the net to give the home side a comfortable three goal advantage. 

Crichton looked a beaten team and until the end of the match failed to trouble keeper Harry Fidler who had a fairly easy afternoon doing everything well that he needed to do to keep his goal intact. This was a very good victory for Newton Stewart against a team who won ten league two seasons ago and were in the running again last time around.   The only downside to mar the proceedings was the straight red car handed out by Referee Stuart Clingan to player/manager Davy Hyslop three minutes from the end following a tussle with a Crichton player just outside the eighteen yard box.

Newton Stewart; Fidler, Hyslop, Wilson, Richardson, Henry, Smith, McKie, Agnew, Fisher, McEwan, Sean Taylor, Subs;  Stewart Taylor, Walsh, Thom, and  Lamont.

Crichton; Muirhead, Maxwell, Parker, Milligan, Richardson, Murray, Schneider, Stankiewicz, Soltys, Kennedy, True, Subs; Brownrigg, Beattie and Kirk.