Match date: 20th August 2022 Kickoff: 14.30 pm
Tweedmouth Rangers FC 2 Dunbar United 3
Dunbar United travelled south to Old Shielfield Park, Tweedmouth on Saturday for a South Challenge Cup First Round match against Tweedmouth Rangers who play in a League below them, and with a bumpy bone hard pitch and very gusty conditions this was always going to be a potential banana skin for the visitors with the hosts having nothing to lose in the cup tie.
Dunbar made three changes from last weekend’s side with Shea Dowie, James Redpath and Kerr Allan replacing Sean Brennan, Fraser Neave and Darren Handling in the starting eleven.
Dunbar played down the slope in the first half and went close in the 7th minute when James Redpath’s cross was headed over by Bob Berry and with the home side penned in their own half, it was no surprise when Dunbar opened the scoring four minutes later. James Redpath’s inswinging corner was parried on the line by the home keeper and Jordan Hopkinson was on hand to tap the ball into the net.
Eight minutes later Dunbar increased their lead to two when another Redpath corner was going into the far corner before Bob Berry had the deftest of headers to score his first ever goal in Dunbar’s colours.
Tweedmouth were toiling to make any impression on the Dunbar defence but Adam Deans had a shot saved and Michael Robinson fired high over the bar as they tried to get a foothold back in the game.
Johnny Edmond brought out a great save from Stephen Mason in the Tweedmouth goal as Dunbar threatened, and the same player was denied minutes later when the keeper saved his header from another Redpath corner before Edmond scooped the rebound over the bar.
Eight minutes from the break Ben Bathgate was upended just outside the penalty box and James Redpath saw his free kick curl round the wall but rebound off the crossbar with the Tweedmouth defence beaten and Dunbar went in at the interval with a well deserved two goal advantage.
Good footwork from Dean Whitson after the restart set up a chance for Bob Berry whose shot went over the bar but Dunbar striker Johnny Edmond was injured in the build up and was replaced by Cammy Dawson in attack.
Minutes later a Darren Smith cross was headed into the net by Michael McFarlane but his goal was ruled out by the referee for offside. Twelve minutes into the second half Ben Bathgate was brought down inside the box and Darren Smith made no mistake from the resultant penalty despite a valiant effort from the Tweedmouth keeper and Dunbar coasted into a three goal lead.
This should have been game over but within a minute of the restart the hosts pulled a goal back when Shea Dowie in the Dunbar goal saw his high clearance blow back towards him and strike the base of the post where Rhys Bloomfield was on hand to tap the rebound into the empty net.
The hosts’ confidence grew after this goal and they almost added another minutes later when a shot from twenty yards bobbled over the Dunbar keeper but was cleared off the goal line by Michael McFarlane.
Regan Graham had a shot saved and Rhys Bloomfield fired one over the bar as they used the slope to their advantage, and in the 67th minute Tweedmouth’s pressure paid dividends in bizarre fashion when Shea Dowie misjudged a passback and his fresh air clearance left Drew Cummings the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into the net to make the score 3-2 to the visitors.
Several changes for both sides as Dunbar regrouped and went close to increasing their lead fourteen minutes from time when Cammy Dawson set up Bob Berry but his dipping shot went inches over the bar.
Four minutes later and Jonny Grotlin’s cross was dropped by the home keeper under pressure before Willis Hare’s shot was blocked by a home defender before being cleared to safety as Dunbar saw out the remainder of the game and progress to the next round where they will meet Preston Athletic at home in the second round.
Dunbar had to grind out a result after sailing into a three goal lead, but credit to Tweedmouth who fought for every ball and never gave up until the final whistle.
A trip to Innerleithen next Saturday for Dunbar United when they play Vale of Leithen in the Preliminary Round of the Scottish Cup with kick-off at the later time of 3 pm. Hopefully their good form will continue against their East of Scotland League First Division opponents.
Tweedmouth Rangers FC :- Stephen Mason, Rhys Dixon, Craig Heath, Evan Smith, Drew Cummings, Regan Graham, Michael Robinson, Rhys Bloomfield, Craig Colquhoun, Melvin Sebastian, Adam Deans.
Substitutes :- Joao Vieira, Jay Atkinson.
Dunbar United :- Shea Dowie, James Redpath, Michael McFarlane, Kerr Allan, Bob Berry, Ben Bathgate, Johnny Edmond, Jordan Hopkinson, Aaron Congalton, Darren Smith, Dean Whitson.
Substitutes :- Sean Brennan, Grant Thomson, Jonny Grotlin, Cammy Dawson, Darren Handling, Fraser Neave, Willis Hare.
Referee :- Lewis Hogarth
Match report courtesy of Laurie Wood.
Photos by Gordon Maitland.
Mon the Seasiders!
