Silverknowes began their opening league game of the new season knowing a win was a must if they are to have any chance of challenging for the league title, and win they got. Their was debuts for all six new signings this season, three of them starting and three coming on as second half subs, with two of them getting on the scoresheet. The game opened up quite scrappy with Silverknowes dictating the tempo of the game, getting forward with every opportunity but unable to carve out any real chances. Silverknowes thought they had taken the lead though 20 minutes in when Powch received the ball with his back to goal on the dge of the box before swivelling and angling his shot just past. Then Wheelan broken into the box from the angle, but his shot was screwed wide. Civil then almost took the lead against the run of play when their left winger squared the ball across goal and with the striker seeming to take an eternity to slot home, Lumsden got a foot in to clear the danger. Civil then almost scored with a freekick, which Mason looked all to confident of it going wide. Then great inter linking play with the Silverknowes front two of Powch and Scott Manson handed Silverknowes the opportunity to take the lead. Powch recived a throw in form the right, he beat two defenders before cleverly flicking in Scott Manson, who burst into the box, only to be fouled by a Civil defender. Penalty ! Up stepped new signing Lumsden in the absence of Cunningham, but unfortunately tamley hit it straight at the keeper. The rebound also fell to Lumsden, but was pressured when trying to compose himself and the chance was lost.

 

 

It seemed only a matter of time before Silverknowes would take the lead in this game with their keeper, Mason, practically a spectator. Silverknowes finally got thier reward, when great determined play by Powch driving into the box fell to Wheelan who poked it through to Scott Manson, he then slotted home the opening goal of the season. Silverknowes were playing with a lot of confidence and stroking the ball about well on the park in difficult long grass conditions, but lost concentration at a corner and presented Civil with an equaliser. A ball swung in from the left met the unmarked Civil player, who's looping header evaded Mason and David Manson on the post and into the net. Almost immediatley though Silverknowes regained the lead from a corner of their own. The impressive Miller swung a beautiful cross into the front post, where the unmarked Lumsden was there to make amends for his earlier penalty miss and bullet a header past the helpless keeper for a debut goal. Nisbet then scored the goal of the game where he picked up the ball in the middle of the park before beating three defenders, drawing the keeper out and in Nisbet fashion(refusing to shoot), passed the ball into the corner of the net. Scott Manson then made it four with a run into the box from the right and finsihing superbly passed the keeper. It should have been five moments later when great wing play by Miller rode two tackles before putting in a great ball across the box only for Bateman to miss the ball 8 yards out. Bateman did make amends though minutes later, when he picked up the ball on the right, drove forward before hitting a low shot from 20 yards in off the goalkeepers left hand post to mark his debut with a goal. A really good performance from Silverknowes, with the most encouraging thing about the game being the numbers of chances created and the character to bounce back after losing a sloppy goal. Long may it continue.

 

 

 

Mason, D.Manson, Lumsden(Chambers), Craig, Bann, Wheelan(Bateman), Miller, Nisbet, Horler, Sc.Manson, Powch(Burns)