Post match report

Ellon 1 - Hillhead 1
Hillhead won 3-1 on pens

Ellon United were unable to progress past the preliminary stage of The G A Engineering Inter Regional Cup against Hillhead at The Meadows last weekend. The tie finished all square at 1 - 1 at the end of the regulation 90 minutes but some woeful penalty efforts presented the visitors with their safe passage into the 1st round 3 - 1 in the shoot out despite Richard Bowman saving Hillhead’s first two spot kicks.

United had plenty of early possession but it was Hillhead who opened the scoring in the 10th minute. There should have been little danger when Sim moved on to the ball near the byeline but the Hillhead striker strode through a half hearted United challenge to create the space in the goal area to allow him to score from a tight angle.

Ellon almost drew level in the 24th minute when the Hillhead defence left a long through ball. Cammy Bruce beat keeper Poulard to the bouncing ball only to see his header drop wide of the post. United’s equaliser was only delayed, however, and within a minute they were back on level terms when Steve Gunn came in at the back post to fire home a free kick from Andy McCraw.

United had a let off 7 minutes before the interval. Hillhead were awarded a corner when the ball had clearly been knocked behind by the visiting forward. Tait rose to meet the cross only to see his powerful header come back off the bar leaving the sides all square at the break.

Neat approach work up United’s left saw Stewart Henderson cut the ball back to Matty Edmond whose chip dropped over the bar. Ellon looked to have snatched the lead when Keith Reid latched on to a long ball from Chris Allsop but the striker’s effort slipped the wrong side of the post. The home side were forced to play out the closing 17 minutes with ten men. United were caught out when a poor defensive header put themselves under pressure. Chris Allsop tried desperately to cut out the danger as Hillhead threatened to cash in but the Ellon defender was adjudged to have fouled the attacker and was red carded for his pains for denying the visitors a goal scoring opportunity.

Richard Bowman turned a well struck shot from Allan behind for a corner and the United keeper was able to breathe a sigh of relief when he was wrong footed by a wicked deflection with the ball fortunately dropping behind. At the other end a Keith Reid effort went wide as neither side could force a result in normal time.

Richard Bowman saved Hillhead’s first two penalties but was badly let down by United’s first two efforts which were really awful attempts. Hillhead’s third kick was driven firmly home and although United’s third try was well enough placed it could have been struck more firmly and keeper Poulard made a fine diving save low down at his right hand post. Hillhead’s final two kicks were blasted home to make sure that United could not equal their 3 goal tally
    
ELLON UNITED: Bowman, Irvine, McCraw, Henry,  Allsop, Petrie, Gunn, Henderson, Fletcher, Bruce, Edmond. Subs: Reid, Clark, Anderson, Annand, Robison, Ord.

HILLHEAD: Poulard, Bremner, Cruickshank, Christie, Reid, McHattie, Forbes, Tait, Allan, Sim, Pyper. Subs: Buchan, Milne, Cormack, Booth, Leahy.

United are on cup business again next Saturday in the first of a double header of home games against Culter. Saturday’s fixture is their quarter final tie in The Grill League Cup. The match at The Meadows kicks off at 2:15pm and will again be played to a finish, going straight to a penalty shoot out if required. United will have to stop conceding the soft goals they have been guilty of lately and will have to be far more positive in their approach if they hope to progress.