Yell run Delting close in cup but lose heavily to Thistle in league

Yell had a mixed week in senior football circles, although they lost both matches. On Friday the islanders ran Delting very close in the Manson Cup preliminary round, eventually losing 3-1, but on Monday they were thumped 6-0 by Thistle in the G&S Flooring Premier League. Delting bounced back from defeat in Unst by defeating Whitedale in the league, while there was also a victory for the much-improved Ness United at Scalloway.

Manson Cup
(preliminary round)

Delting 3, Yell 1
A strong wind was blowing which made it difficult for both teams to play good football. Yell chose to play with the wind in the first half but soon found themselves trailing, after a fiercely struck shot from Leighton Flaws.

Yell got back into the game when the Delting keeper could only parry a free kick into the path of Lee Jamieson and he tapped in the equaliser.

Delting had the wind advantage in the second half but were finding it hard to penetrate a resolute Yell defence. Eventually Flaws made the breakthrough when he sped through the middle and placed his shot passed the stranded keeper. Bruce Bennett wrapped things up with a header from a corner.

Unst v Celtic
Unst were unable to fufil the fixture so Celtic progress to the quarter finals.

G&S Flooring
Premier League

Scalloway 2, Ness United 3
Scalloway slumped to a disappointing defeat against an understrength Ness United at the Fraser Park.

The visitors opened the scoring in the opening minutes as Scalloway failed to defend a corner kick and the ball was headed into the net by Tomas Smith.

Ness almost added to their tally when a John Robert Burgess effort hit the post then a Kyle Malcolmson shot from distance skimmed the cross bar.

Scalloway levelled the score when Steven Umphray broke from midfield and his pass was deflected into the path of Alan Davidson and the striker finished in style by calmly placing the ball into the far corner.

Early in the second half Ness regained the lead when Scalloway once again failed to deal with a corner and the ball broke to Alwyn Flaws who blasted the ball into the goal through a ruck of players.

A Kieran Malcomson shot from distance looked destined for the top corner but keeper Bryan Johnson dived full length to tip the ball on to the crossbar.

Any thoughts of a Scalloway comeback were short-lived as man of the match Craig Leslie rose unchallenged to head home another corner kick.

The introduction of Robert Garrick gave the home team a lift and they pulled a goal back in the closing stages when David Sjoberg’s cross was headed in by Magnus Henry.

With time almost up Alwyn Flaws received a second yellow card to take the shine off what had been an otherwise excellent night for Ness.

On the night only a handful of Scalloway players could hold their heads high with Steven Umphray battling hard in midfield while David Bisset and Magnus Henry did well in defence. The visitors fully deserved their win with Kieran Malcolmson impressing in midfield and Craig Leslie outstanding at sweeper.

Delting 5, Whitedale 2
A strong second-half performance by Delting made sure of the points against an improved Whitedale side.

It was Whitedale who opened the scoring when Kevin Nicolson rose to head the ball home after Delting had failed to clear a corner. Leighton Flaws almost equalised but saw his left foot shot rebound of the post.

Peter Peterson was tormenting the Whitedale defence with good wing play on the left and this resulted in the equaliser when his cross was turned into goal by Ross MacDougal.

Whitedale came right back into it when a short pass back was pounced on by Jamie Wilson and although keeper Craig Dinwoodie got his frame in the way he could not prevent Wilson from scoring.

Just before half time Delting got back on level terms when Fraser Hall put MacDougal through and he calmly placed his shot pass the keeper.

Delting dominated the second half and MacDougal completed his hat trick from close range before Bruce Bennett scored two goals from crosses to wrap up a solid display by the home side.

Thistle 6, Yell 0
The Jags opened brightly with good possession but it was Yell who created the first real chance when Steven Henry had to be quick off his line to save at the feet of the Yell striker.

Moments later Neil Riddell hit the bar but the same player was on hand to tap in the opening goal after Calvin Leask beat Yell goalkeeper Matthew Saunders to the ball in the six-yard box.

Thistle were on top and only a combination of poor finishing and some superb saves from Saunders kept the vistors in the game. Midway through the half Tommy Walterson released Scott Morrison who sped away from the Yell defence to slot the ball into the corner.

With half time approaching Yell had their best spell of the game, forcing several corners, but they failed to create the clear opening that would have brought them back into the game.

Just before the interval Thistle sealed the game with two quick goals. First Morrison played in Craig Gerty whose shot went in off the post and then the impressive Leask produced an excellently measured angled through pass to allow Riddell to score low in the corner.

Early in the second half Morrison accelerated down the right wing and his cross was met by Gerty, cleverly heading the ball back across the keeper for number five. The same two players combined to allow Gerty to complete his hat trick from close range which completed the scoring.

There were further chances mainly near the Yell goal and the miss of the match, if not the season, must go to substitute Craig Leask who contrived to slice the ball horribly wide when facing an open goal, after a wonderful passing move from the home side. Perhaps he had been watching Gary Teale too closely as the big defender also managed two point blank misses, although these were from driven corners rather than a weighted pass.