Doune Castle 2
Dalziel HSFP 1

Doune finished their home league programme with a hard earned win against a Dalziel side who will feel aggrieved they failed to take something out this highly entertaining match.

Before Kick Off, the Dalziel players formed a guard of honour to welcome the newly crowned League Champions onto the field.

After 7 minutes, Chris Ogilvie cracked a free kick from 22 yards towards the right hand corner of the net. The keeper parried. Lukasz Duszynski latched onto the loose ball but a defender blocked his follow-up drive.

On 10 minutes, Dalziel’s Donaldson broke through a square Castle backline to dash through on goal. Steven Fotheringham reacted quickly and raced from his line. He did just enough to force Donaldson wide and the chance was gone.

Two minutes later, Dylan McGowan drilled a diagonal cross from the right deep into the area after a defender had hacked clear a Chris Ogilvie corner. Niall McClure drifted clear of his marker but his glancing header from 8 yards slipped a foot wide of the left hand post.

A minute later, Jonny Burns surged through the middle before passing wide to Dylan McGowan. McGowan cut inside before drilling a low shot wide of the far post.

After 22 minutes, Dalziel threatened with another quick counter-attack. Donaldson raced clear but shot straight at Steven Fotheringham who showed clean hands to smother the striker’s effort.

On 26 minutes, a corner from the left broke to Paul Statter. With his back to goal, Statter spun and hammered a close-range shot the keeper did well to take cleanly.

On 34 minutes, Dalziel cut through the Castle defence with another lightning break. Steven Fotheringham had to be alert to smother Donaldson’s low shot from 16 yards.

It was then Doune’s turn to demonstrate their counter-attacking prowess.

David Innes ghosted past three defenders with a surging run down the right flank. Innes cut inside the area but scooped his curling shot narrowly past the far post.

Dalziel won a free kick on the edge of the area. They wasted the opportunity, their striker shooting high over the bar.

Doune made the break through after 40 minutes with a spectacular finish from Lukasz Duszynski.

From inside his own half, Jonny Burns drove forward at the heart of the Dalziel defence. Burns sent a diagonal ball towards Duszynski who was speeding in at the far post. Duszynski swivelled in mid-air to hook an unstoppable volley from 14 yards back across goal and high into the net at the far post to make it 1-0.

A sweeping Castle move saw Alan More cushion the ball forward to Chris Ogilvie. Ogilvie slipped towards the right flank before finding Paul Statter with a pass inside. Statter struck the ball well but the Dalziel keeper pushed the ball round his left post.

From the resultant corner, Niall McClure headed powerfully towards the far corner. A defender knocked the ball out. Paul Statter reacted fastest but could only drive against the defender on the line.

Doune remained 1-0 ahead at the break.

Two minutes into the second half, Dylan McGowan powered a drive from a wide right position towards the far corner. His effort deflected off a defender and was re-directed to safety.

After 48 minutes, Doune enjoyed a real let off.

Doune carelessly squandered possession in the middle as they tried to break. Dalziel slipped the ball through towards Bradshaw who had broken clear of the Castle backline. Bradshaw attempted to lob Steven Fotheringham but lofted his effort two yards wide of the left post.

After 53 minutes, Dylan McGowan drove an inviting cross from right across the face of the Dalziel goal. Jonny Burns sprinted forward and flashed a header a yard wide.

Dalziel equalised after 62 minutes.

Doune conceded a corner on their left. When the ball came into the box Donaldson found himself unmarked and he headed downwards towards the net at the near post. Donaldson’s effort was stopped on the line but the ball broke to Bradshaw who lashed it home from 4 yards to make it 1-1.

After 67 minutes, Sean Heaver sped inside before curling a cross towards the back post. Paul Statter did well to angle a header towards the near post but the keeper dived to his left to block.

Doune established a 2-1 lead after 74 minutes.

Kenny Feaks powered a deep ball high into the box from a wide position. Niall McClure rose above everyone and flicked a neat backward header from 10 yards that looped high over the Dalziel keeper and dropped into the net.

Dalziel battled back and, after 78 minutes, they came close with another lobbed effort from 16 yards.

After 84 minutes, Sean Heaver sped down the left flank and turned the fullback with a drop of his shoulders. Heaver tried to dink a cross towards the unmarked Chris Ogilvie at the back post. The keeper did well to palm the ball onto the face of the bar, the deflection doing just enough to divert the ball to safety.

With two minutes remaining, Dalziel spurned a great chanced for an equaliser. They attacked down the Castle right and drilled a low ball into the box. A midfielder raced in but hurried his shot on the run from 12 yards and the ball flashed well over.

Dalziel clearly felt they could take something from the game and sent everyone forward in the closing minutes. On 89 minutes, Niall McClure came to the Castle’s rescue with a well-timed block when Bradshaw seemed certain to equalise. The away side still had time for one more surge forward.

Yet again they wasted the opening they had worked hard to create by rifling well over.

At the end of the match, Iain Cowden, Caledonian League Secretary presented the Caledonian League Premier Division Trophy to Castle skipper, Alan More.

Doune Castle: Scott, Innes (Feaks), More, Burns, Duncanson (Smith), Statter (McClymont), Duszynski, McClure, McGowan (Heaver), Burke (Holmes), Ogilvie

Doune Castle AFC

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