Burra go level top in works league race after breaking Banks with 14-goal riot

The Northwards Shetland Works League sees the top group fairly close after a flurry of games.

Burra remain top after comp­rehensively beating Banks while Services beat Tizers then drop­ped their first points of the season when they drew with Chern­obyl.

Improving Wastside Rebels beat Malakoff, Wrultizers leapt up to fourth spot courtesy of victory over Lerwick PL, while Mossbank slipped into third spot after beating Malakoff and then drawing against in-form Wast Linga Ramblers.

The big game coming up this week is undoubtedly the clash between unbeaten teams Burra and Services, with the prize of mid-season top spot.

Northwards Shetland Works League

Mossbank 7, Malakoff 2

Mossbank started the better of the teams creating and spurring several chances. However, it was Malakoff who broke the deadlock with an excellent finish. A throw-in on the right hand side and with the ball making its way to James Manson he excellently brought the ball down on his chest and while looking away from goal he volleyed it right foot in off the post to give Ben Fulton no chance in the Mossbank goal.

This was the wake up call Mossbank needed as minutes later John Hutchison managed to break the offside trap and coolly round the keeper to eq­ualise.

One soon became two when after a quick throw in on the left hand side Craig Sneddon managed to muscle his way through the Malakoff defence and finshed at the near post to give Mossbank a 2-1 lead.

The second half started with Mossbank added two more to the score with Sneddon adding a second to his total and Connel Richardson getting his first of the season by clinically chipping the keeper.

With Mossbank looking at a victory it was Malakoff who pulled one back when Derek Moar managed to scramble the ball in from a good cut back.

Mossbank added a fifth when that man Hutchison scored again after beating three players and calmly slotted the ball past on the onrushing keeper. Sneddon ot his hat trick when he superbly sidefooted the ball home from a Richardson cross.

Hutchison should have got his own treble but team mate Michael Owers cost him that accolade. With the ball rolling into the net from a Hutchison shot, Owers from an offside position kicked the ball into the net. To his “surprise” he was called offside with Hutchison looking on in bewilderment.

Hutchison did manage to com­plete his hat trick when he hammered in right-footed past the unfortunate Derek Duncan in the Malakoff goal.

It was an excellent team performance from Mossbank with slick passing throughout which showed that on their day they can be a match for anyone. Best for Malakoff where James Manson and Derek Duncan.

Services 2, Wrultizers 0

No report was received.

Wastside Rebels 3, Malakoff 2

An almost full strength Rebels side took to the pristine Aith pitch to face a Malakoff team missing several key players.

Malakoff started brightly and went ahead in the ninth minute through a Steven Leckie tap- in from a good ball in from the right.

That sparked the Rebels into life and on the half hour a sublime through ball from Carl Leask dissected the boatbuilders’ rear­guard and found Mark Simmons who touched the ball past the keeper only to be brought down for a penalty. Midfielder Lewis Duncan only just beat his namesake Derek in the Malakoff goal, who got a hand to the ball.

The euphoria on “Rebel Hill” was short-lived as it was Malakoff who would retake the lead two minutes later when Alan Baptie turned well just inside the box and placed his shot into the top corner.

The score remained 2-1 until half time with Duncan making some excellent saves from the ever-dangerous Jordan Leask.

The Rebels came out after half time with more urgency and in the 67th minutes the game turned. Baptie, now playing at centre back, was adjudged to have taken down Neil Tindall in the box and Lewis Duncan dispatched the penalty with much more authority than his first.

With nine minutes to go new signing Iain Macleod’s throw-in was flicked on to Guy Tindall whose firm header cannoned off the bar. Fortunately the midfield man was following in on his own effort and managed to poke the ball in from eight yards to scenes of jubilation from the home side’s support.

Best for Malakoff were goalkeeper Derek Duncan and veteran utility man Alan Baptie, while for the home side it was Lewis Duncan, and the hard-working duo of Neil Tindall and Mark Simmons.

Burra 14, Banks 1

Banks were missing several players which did not help their cause and Burra had new signing Ersin Senturk making his debut and Bobby Duncan playing his first game for Burra in three years.

Iain Black gave the home side a two-goal lead and Danny Pirie made it three with a good shot from distance. Banks pulled one back through Craig Spowart but from that point on it was all Burra with Senturk tapping in from close range and following up with a drive from all of 30 yards to give Burra a comfortable lead at half time.

Two minutes after the restart John William Halcrow fed in Black to notch his third and Senturk thundered in another from 20 yards to complete his hat trick. A flurry of substitutes from both teams didn’t halt the goals for the home side as Halcrow scored from 25 yards with 15 minutes left, Pirie vollied home for his second and young Joshua Fraser notched his first goal for Burra.

Pirie then scored two more with a chip and a low drive to bring his tally to four. Maurice Fraser, not to be outdone by his son, then scored with a diving header (probably the first father and son scoring duet for Burra in the same game) and Ian Hannah completed the rout.

For the winners the whole team deserve a mention, especially Senturk, Black and Pirie up front, while for the Banks only Stephen Clark earned pass marks.

Wrultizers 4, Lerwick PL 1

Wrultizers took the head after 30 seconds when Matthew Bleakley backheeled the ball to the ever-predatory Danny Carter who sped clear to clinically dis­patch the opening goal.

Moments later the Poles were spared from going further behind when Carter curled in a long-range effort only for the referee to disallow it as a Wrultizer player in an offside position was deemed to be interfering with play. Carter soon made up for his disap­pointment, however, by claiming the second goal of the game.

Aiden Bennett released Michael Manson who played in Carter and he fired in a shot from the edge of the box.

At two goals down Lerwick PL seemed to completely lose their shape as they threw men forward in an attempt to get back into the game. At times they seemed to have five up front which left both their defence very open to counter attacks.

Despite their unusual formation the Poles seemed to be coming back into the game with Gregory Majekowski’s dribbling skills causing the Tizers defence prob­lems with debutant keeper John Masterman saving bravely at the feet of attackers on two occasions.

With almost the last kick of the first half the Poles pulled a goal back after a excellent passing move the ball was crossed in for Michael Skindzier to bundle home, albeit after using his hand for assistance in con­trolling it.

The second half saw Carter complete his hat trick. Racing clear it initially looked as thought the PL keeper had thwarted him but he remained cool to turn back on himself before rolling the ball into the goal.

The Tizers were trying to kill the game off and Adam Doull sent a glorious through ball over the PL defence which winger Duane Nicolson meet on the half volley, only to be denied by an excellent save by the keeper. Moments later Dan Stone bamboozled his marker before showing a blistering turn of past before knocking the ball past the keeper only to see a covering defender clear of the line.

With Nicolson and Stone being denied their wonder goals it was up to Niall O’Rourke to show them how it was done as he picked up the ball in and dribbled past three defenders before lifting the ball over the keeper into the top corner to make a spectacular ending to a spectacular match.

Best for Lerwick PL were Majekowski and their keeper while Tizers were well served by the clinical Carter, industrious Boyd and the centre half pairing of Doull and Bennett.

Chernobyl 4, Services 4

After a couple of poor per­formances Chernobyl were hoping to get their league challenge back on track. Those hopes appeared forlorn as a typically sluggish start saw them fall two behind within the opening 10 minutes.

A deep corner saw Graham McNally head the opener before a defensive slip let Duncan Leask drive home the second.

Services were on easy street soon after when Scott Uren broke down the right to unleash a daisy cutter which hit a divot leaving the prostrate Colin Fraser clutching at air.

As the half progressed the hoops came more into the contest with Sammy Sjoberg tormenting Martin Gibbs down the right flank.

The Services defence were looking impenetrable until they were undone five minutes from the interval. Robbie Goudie controlled a long ball from Peter Smith then slipped past his marker and fired the ball over the advancing keeper. Goudie had another opportunity on the stroke of half time but he dragged his shot wide when clean through on goal.

Scenting a comeback Chernobyl attacked from the restart. They gained their reward when a period of sustained pressure saw Services concede a penalty for handball. David Smith stepped up to net with nonchalant ease.

With Magnus Malcolmson and David Smith now dominating midfield the equaliser duly arrived on the hour mark. Goudie racing clear to steer the ball into the bottom corner after Malcolmson had sliced open the opposition rearguard.

Instead of pressing home their advantage the hoops sat back, allowing Services to regain the initiative and the lead. The aerial power of McNally again proved decisive as he headed home another inch-perfect corner.

With play now raging from end to end it was Chernobyl who levelled matters 10 minutes from time. A swift passing move saw Goudie receive the ball on the edge of the area. Goudie held off his marker evading a couple of desperate lunges as he cut across the box to rifle home his hat trick.

More chances came and went before the final whistle but in the end the match ended in a deserved draw.

Best for Services were Gary Wiseman and the towering Mc­Nally. For Chernobyl the tire­less Jason Shaw was only pipped to the man of the match title by hat trick hero Goudie.

Mossbank 3, Wast Linga Ramblers 3

No report was received.

Fixtures (kick-offs 6.00pm weekend, 6.30pm midweek, unless otherwise stated)
Tomorrow – Northwards Shet­land Works League: Banks v Chernobyl at Clickimin (Ivan Sinclair), Services v Wast Linga Ramblers at Gilbertson Park (Sarah Couper), Lerwick PL v Wastside Rebels at Seafield (Derrick Brad­ley) Wednesday – Northwards Shet­land Works League: Burra v Services at Burra (referee to be arranged).

Thursday – Northwards Shet­land Works League: Lerwick PL v Banks at Clickimin South (Robbie Leask).