Halkirk FC - Reports, Results & Photos - Season 2008-2009

League Division 1 - 16/04/08
Swifts 3 - 0 Halkirk

A disappointing start to the league campaign as we suffer quite a heavy defeat in our first match.

With a few first choice players missing it was always going to be a tough game against a pretty strong Swifts team. After an opening ten minutes, when we were a little bit at sixes and sevens we did manage to work our way into the game and started to compete quite well with the hosts. They were enjoying the majority of the possession, creating one or two half chances and also had a very strong penalty appeal turned down midway through the half. We were coming more and more into it and Pockets tested the keeper from long range, and although it wasn't the most powerful of strikes, it was fumbled back into play but we had no-one prepared to take a gamble to follow the ball in for what would've been a tap-in.

With the contest a bit more even, we fell behind.

A free kick was rather needlessly conceded on the edge of the box and it was powered home by Mark Nichol. We almost went level straight away when Martin Bain, who was a threat throughout the match, went close with a strike from a tight angle.

Half Time 1 - 0

We started the second period well and were more than holding our own up until the hour mark although we didn't create any clear cut chances. Then, just when we were looking like levelling the match, we fell further behind.  Poor defensive play allowed a cross to be played along the six yard line and after a failed attempt to clear, Nichol got his second. That second goal really knocked the stuffing out of us but we kept on going for the rest of the game with Martin & Luke running at their defence and Muttley impressing when he came off the bench. However, Nichol completed his hat-trick when he was left with a free header at the back post from a free kick on the left.  Swifts had a chance to extend their lead late on but Poop produced an instinctive point blank save to keep the score at three.

We can take some positives from this game although it did prove that the majority of the team are well short in fitness as it is a much different game from playing 7s at Naver. Hopefully things will improve with the return of Stevie, Charlie & Kitten but we've got another tough game coming up as our next fixture is against Castletown, the defending league champion's. An improvement all round is needed as we look to get our first points on the board.

Go Wildcat's!!

report provided by Liam Bremner

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