Match date: 2nd April 2022 Kickoff: 2.30 pm
Dunbar United 1 Whitehill Welfare 1
After last weekend’s victory against Linlithgow Rose, it was back to League Cup action for Dunbar United, and it was a must win game for them if they were to progress to the later stages of the competition whilst Whitehill Welfare needed only one point to qualify.
Jamie Devlin went close for the home side after only four minutes while a defensive mix up almost resulted in a goal for the visitors midway through the first half, but Daniel Laing in the home goal saved the day.
Dunbar looked the more dangerous but some resolute defending by the visitors kept them at bay. Neave and Steven Thomson both had shots deflected for corners as Dunbar threatened and the pressure paid off seven minutes from the break when Devlin ran on to a through ball from Balde, who then rounded the keeper and stroked the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out after the young linesman flagged for offside.
Three minutes later and the game changed after Neave was booked for a soft looking foul in midfield, Miller’s free kick fell nicely for Welfare’s Ryan Weir and he blasted the ball high into the net to give the visitors the lead.
Two minutes after the restart Steven Thomson played in Darren Handling but his shot struck the post before going out of play with the visitors keeper beaten.
Dunbar piled on the pressure and equalised after 65 minutes when Fraser Neave’s cross from the right was headed down and into the net by Jamie Devlin at the back post.
Dunbar knew that another goal was all they needed and top scorer Andy Jones was introduced to replace Jaciz Balde. Liam Ireland had a 30 yard effort for Whitehill saved well by the Dunbar keeper before Andy Jones was sent clear by Ben Bathgate and with only the keeper to beat Jones shot drifted inches past the post.
Jamie Devlin went close eight minutes from time after a miskick by Ricky Miller at the centre of the Whitehill defence, before Bob Berry brought out a brilliant save from the impressive Musa Dibago in The Whitehill goal.
Ben Bathgate caused havoc with yet another inswinging cross as Dunbar piled on the pressure before the same player struck the bar with a fierce volley and when the ball rebounded nicely into the goalkeeper’s arms Dunbar knew then their luck had deserted them.
With only three minutes of added time played, despite an earlier lengthy stoppage for a Whitehill injury, the game ended with Whitehill picking up the point they needed and qualifying to the next stages of the competition.
Dunbar will rue the one lapse in concentration when the visitors scored, but will feel a bit unlucky not to have won the game after twice hitting the woodwork and putting the Whitehill defence under a lot of pressure but they can now fully concentrate on the remaining League games to ensure safety from relegation starting next weekend with an away game against Broxburn Athletic with kick off at 2.30 pm.
Dunbar United :- Daniel Laing, Grant Thomson, Jamie Devlin, Bob Berry, Steven Thomson, Darren Handling, Fraser Neave, Evan Fleming, Jaciz Balde, Darren Smith, Dean Whitson.
Substitutes :- Declan Hannan, Michael McFarlane, Andy Jones, Ben Bathgate, Scott Hay.
Whitehill Welfare :- Musa Dibaga, Trialist, Bryan Wilson, Ricky Miller, Finn Thomson, Fylay Connor, Josh Walker, Ewan McKinlay, Jordan Burrows, Ryan Weir, Liam Ireland.
Substitutes :- Ross Gilpin, Declan Roose, Ryan Hodge, Eusabio Mendes, Murray Wilson.
Referee :- John Stewart.
Match report courtesy of Laurie Wood.
Photos by Gordon Maitland & Alex Drysdale
