Match date: 18th of July 2023 Kickoff: 19.30 pm

Dunbar United      4       Edinburgh South      2

Edinburgh South were the visitors to New Countess Park on Tuesday night as Dunbar United continued their pre-season build up with a Friendly against the East of Scotland League Second Division side.

Darren Handling, who was making his 300th appearance for Dunbar was named as captain for the game and ex Dunbar player Jordan Cropley was named in the Edinburgh South starting eleven.

The visitors got off to the best possible start in the first minute when a low cross from the right deceived the Dunbar defence leaving Edinburgh South’s Trialist centre forward the simplest of tasks to stroke the ball home at the back post.

Dunbar pushed on looking for the equaliser and went close from a Handling shot and a neat back heeler from Gregor Goldie which was cleared of the line. Goldie had another shot saved by the Edinburgh keeper’s legs before Gordon Harris fired an inviting cross across the face of goal which only needed a touch.

In the 16th minute Taylor Hendry was upended inside the box and Darren Handling was given the ball for the resultant penalty but unfortunately for him his strike at goal was worthy of a conversion at Murrayfield which was not really on the script and the chance went sky high over the bar.

Rory Anderson fired wide in a rare Edinburgh attack but Dunbar kept plugging away and the equaliser came in the 28th minute when Gregor Goldie’s cross from the right was turned in at full stretch by Taylor Hendry at the back post.

Four minutes later, Dunbar scored again when Michael Barfoot’s through ball found Gregor Goldie leaving the youngster to square for Taylor Hendry to smash the ball high into the net and give Dunbar a 2-1 lead.

Michael McFarlane and Michael Barfoot both went close before the break but despite a lot of possession the hosts had only a hard earned one goal advantage to show for their efforts.

Dean Whitson had a 30 yard shot well saved just after the restart and in the 50th minute Dunbar scored their third goal when Taylor Hendry found Aaron Congalton on the edge of the box leaving the youngster to drill in a fierce low shot into the bottom corner giving the Edinburgh keeper no chance.

Dean Whitson went close with another header which was turned over for a corner before Edinburgh South scored another goal in the 61st minute when their Trialist number nine drove forward from the halfway line and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top left hand corner from fully 25 yards to make the score 3-2.

Six changes for Dunbar after this which disrupted the flow of the game before Ben Bathgate and Michael McFarlane both went close to adding to the scoreline.

Dunbar’s fourth goal was scored in the 72nd minute after Ross Gilpin in the Edinburgh goal dived full stretch to turn James Redpath’s free kick round for a corner and from the resultant cross Bob Berry headed home unmarked at the back post to give the hosts a two goal cushion.

Cammy Dawson, Bob Berry and Willis Hare all went close before the final whistle sounded with Dunbar winning comfortably by a 4-2 scoreline. Dunbar did well to come from behind to win this one against a big physical side and they played some neat football with everyone working hard for each other with more valuable game time gained for all of their squad.

Dunbar’s final Friendly match takes place on Saturday at New Countess Park when Northern League Division One side Newcastle Benfield make their first ever visit to Dunbar with the kick off time at 2.30 pm and hopefully another entertaining match is anticipated. Tickets are on sale via Fanbase:

Dunbar United :- Sean Brennan, Michael McFarlane, Gordon Harris, Dean Whitson, Grant Thomson, Michael Barfoot, Gregor Goldie, Aaron Congalton, Darren Handling, Kyle Somers, Taylor Hendry. 

Substitutes :- Trialist, Cammy Dawson, Ben Bathgate, James Redpath, Sean Stewart, Liam Gregory, Bob Berry, Willis Hare.

Edinburgh South :- Gilpin, Rixon, Addison, Horn, Ferguson, Scott, Hassan, Cropley, Trialist, Vaughan, Anderson.

Substitutes :- Riley, Kerr, Somerville, Kerr, Walker, Fox and Tonner.

Referee :- David Gallagher.

Match report courtesy of Laurie Wood.

Photos by Gordon Maitland. For more photos please click on the link below

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100063914791733/search/?q=edinburgh%20south%20

Attendance: 138

“Mon the Seasiders”