20 July 2011

Gremlins took a squad of 14 players to a cloudy but muggy Auchenhowie for their return clash with CARS. With 9 ladies and 5 men available it meant that all the leg-weary men would have to play the entire match. Gremlins welcomed back the refreshed Kevin Kane but were minus the still injured Andy McKellar and the unavailable Colins, Clark and McAdams.

Gremlins were on the attack from the first ball and Loretta Kane was unlucky not to get on the end of a strong pass from Jamie Mathieson which tore through the middle of the CARS defence. Great play down the right wing by Jill Christie earned Gremlins their first penalty corner after 3 minutes and it led to the opening score of the match. Andy Paterson injected, Mathieson controlled and Loretta fired in a good shot which the keeper blocked. Andy Paterson rushed across and flicked the loose ball into the net to put Gremlins ahead.

Gremlins turned up the heat and won another penalty a minute later from Mathieson’s penetrating run. The ball was played in for Alison McLaren who hit a well-struck shot goalwards but it was blocked back to her by the CARS defence and her second effort was wide of the target. Kevin Kane took off on a meandering run and played the ball in to the circle where Nia Philips and Gale Black combined to earn Gremlins their third penalty corner after 7 minutes. This time the ball was delivered for Jill to shoot but the CARS defence stood firm, blocked the shot and came away with the ball and mounted a counter attack down the left which was snuffed out by the alert Andy Leaker.

With 9 minutes gone a great free-flowing passing move by Gremlins almost brought about a second goal. Kevin Kane made good progress down the right and played the ball on to Gale who switched the ball quickly inside to Loretta. She returned the ball to Kevin who had continued his run and he found Mathieson who sent in a reverse stick rocket which whistled past the post. A great jinking run by Kevin Kane forced the ball across the home side’s circle towards Gale but it came off a CARS boot for a short corner after 10 minutes. This time the ball was directed to Nia whose shot came off a fellow Gremlin’s foot and was cleared by CARS.

Gremlins doubled their lead on 13 minutes when Andy Paterson picked up a pass from Mathieson, shook off a challenge and slalomed his way through most of the CARS defence before depositing the ball in the bottom corner of the CARS goal. Paterson was clearly intent on notching his first hat-trick and hastily shot wide after 18 minutes following good approach work by Loretta and Mathieson. Gremlins clearly had the CARS defence on the back foot and they were relieved to clear a shot from Nia on the left after 19 minutes. 60 seconds later some great close control by Kevin allowed Loretta a powerful shot on goal but it slid just the wrong side of the upright.

After 21 minutes Mathieson picked up the ball in midfield, sold a dummy to an incoming CARS defender and played a magnificent through pass to Kevin Kane who gathered the ball just inside the ‘D’ and sent an absolute screamer inches wide of the upright.

After 27 minutes Rose Fitzpatrick-Lane made a good tackle in her own half and laid the ball off to Paterson who strode into CARS territory and played a precise pass through to Jill whose well-struck shot was blocked by the keeper’s pads. CARS broke speedily downfield and looked menacing but Rose cut across and made an important interception and Fiona Speirits completed the clearance.

Gremlins won another penalty corner after 30 minutes when Paterson played the ball through to Rachel Whillans whose initial shot was blocked. The ball came back to her and her second shot was stopped by a CARS player’s foot and a penalty corner awarded. From the set piece the ball was delivered to Fiona who sent in a vicious shot which was pushed behind by the keeper.

Almost at the close of the first half Paterson rushed another shot which whizzed dangerously through the CARS defence.
 
Half-time Score: CARS 0 Gremlins 2

The first real goal-scoring opportunity of the second half fell to Paterson after 42 minutes when he latched on to a Mathieson pass but his flick was saved by the keeper and went behind for a corner. Gremlins’ third goal was only delayed by 60 seconds. Loretta laid the ball off to George Armstrong who sent a defence-splitting pass through to Andy Paterson coming in from the right side of the ‘D’ and his quick flick gave the CARS keeper no chance.

A break by CARS down their right wing gave their striker a chance but Alison Dawson came to her side’s rescue with two good saves. A brisk attacking move by Armstrong, Paterson, Jill and Kevin Kane was brought to an abrupt halt by a good defensive tackle allowing CARS to quickly counter-attack but Armstrong read the play and intercepted. He pushed the ball forward to Fiona who sent it wide to Mathieson. He galloped down the wing before returning the ball to Fiona whose snap shot was well blocked by the goalie’s pads and whacked clear.

An intense period of pressure from Gremlins saw Mathieson and Rachel create an opening for Loretta who returned the ball for Mathieson to shoot wide after 48 mniutes. Then another twisting solo run by Paterson resulted in a flick at goal which was blocked by a CARS defender. Paterson then found Mathieson who ran in on goal but his flick was turned behind by the CARS custodian. Gremlins, after a hesitant start, were now moving the ball about with aplomb.

CARS threatened the Gremlins goal on occasion but Leaker and Armstrong in the heart of the defence were giving nothing away and as a result the home side were rushing their passes which more often than not went astray. A swift passing move by Gale, on to Nia and then Mathieson tore through the heart of the CARS defence but Mathieson’s final ball to Rachel was slightly over hit and CARS were able to recover and clear. After 58 minutes Gale picked off a CARS pass and charged forward and won a free hit off a defender’s foot. Paterson drew a couple of players towards him and played a square pass to Nia who got her shot away but it skewed wide and fell to Rachel but she was unable to force it home.

From Armstrong’s free hit just outside the CARS circle Rachel slipped the ball through to Fiona whose first-time shot slid just past the post narrowly missing the onrushing Gale who couldn’t quite get a touch to divert it into the net. With 4 minutes remaining Rachel and Paterson worked an opening for Armstrong but his shot was blocked at the expense of a short corner. From the set piece Gremlins moved the ball around the edge of the ‘D’ for Rose to try a shot but CARS tightened their defence and brought the ball clear.

After 68 minutes a stunning pass from Paterson ripped through the heart of the CARS defence to Gale whose flick slipped narrowly wide of the target. A quick free hit from Gale then picked out Armstrong advancing through the centre but his shot from just inside the circle was stopped on the goal-line and cleared by CARS. In the dying seconds of the game Paterson pushed the ball through to Mathieson who found Fiona in space and she sent a fine cross-field pass on to Gale but her rushed shot squeezed just past the post. That proved to be the final action of a very entertaining game played in a thoroughly sporting manner with both sides giving their all despite persistent attacks by the local airborne wildlife.

Full-time Score: CARS 0 Gremlins 3

This was another comfortable win for Gremlins despite the fact that most of their men were still suffering a little from their weekend exertions. Once again all of the men played the full term and with another game scheduled for tomorrow must be near to exhaustion, but the fresh legs of the returning Kevin Kane certainly helped them get through tonight’s match. All the Gremlins performed admirably, particularly in the second half when their passing game, for which they are rightly renowned, was much in evidence. Choosing a Gremlin-of-the-Game for this match was not too difficult. With his powerful running, incisive passing and well-taken hat-trick Andy Paterson was an obvious choice.

Jill smacks in a shot from a penalty corner

Kevin Kane goes oh, so close

Andy Paterson