Scalloway to host Delting and Whitedale face trip to Whalsay in football’s Fraser Cup semis

Scalloway will host Delting and Whitedale will travel to Whalsay for in the semi-finals of the Fraser Cup while in the Premier League Ness were unlucky to secure a home point against Spurs.

G&S Flooring Premier League

Ness Utd 1, Spurs 2

Ness were looking to turn their decent performances into points. Both teams were looking to attack and it wasn’t long before Spurs flashed a shot onto the post from a tight angle.
Spurs were zipping the ball around well but Ness worked themselves into the game more and more and were looking dangerous whenever they were in the in the Spurs half. Keeper Leslie was forced into two blocks before Peterson dived to his right to save a well hit shot.

The deadlock was broken by a moment of brilliance from James Johnston. He turned, made half a yard for himself in the box and smashed an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net with his left foot. Ness created a couple of half chances before half time but the score remained 1-0.

The second half continued in a similar vein but the home side were dealt a blow when Spurs were awarded a soft penalty. Johnston stepped up to take it but Peterson won this battle with a great save low to his right. Ness were more determined than ever now as they pushed for the equaliser but a slack pass resulted in a swift counter attack and Spurs scored a second against the run of play again through Johnston.

However minutes later Ness were back in it. Kevin Smith was brought down in the box and John Robert Burgess converted the resultant penalty. A nervy final seven minutes ensued for the visitors as Ness pushed for an equaliser but unfortunately they were not clinical enough with their chances and the visitors took the points. Best for Ness were Burgess and White while Johnston and Maver shone for Spurs.

Fraser Cup quarter-finals

Ness Utd 2, Scalloway 3

Ness United took to the field hoping to emulate their opponents in putting together a good cup run and started well when Grant Redfern scored early. The game was tight but Ness were coping with the Scalloway threat well and forced a fine save from Brian Johnson in the visitors’ goal after a good run and shot from Kevin Smith.

Scalloway got themselves back into the game when an unfortunate hand ball saw a free kick awarded in a dangerous position. Robert Garrick duly dispatched the ball into the top corner to equalise with 15 minutes left of the half. Ness pushed on and were having joy down the right from Grant Redfern but the half ended 1-1.

The second half followed a similar pattern with a very even battle in midfield. Chances fell to Martin and Redfern for the home side while Pearson tested Peterson in the Ness goal. Once again it was the home side that took the lead when good anticipation from Redfern saw him nip in behind the defence and slot the ball past the keeper.

Both teams then had spells of pressure before a quick attack saw Pearson smash a shot past Peterson to make it 2-2. Scalloway now had the tails up but Ness weathered the storm and were getting in behind the visitors’ defence on the counter attack and with 10 minutes remaining broke through again but Johnson saved.

Minutes later, with Ness pushing for the winner, a long clearance saw Steven Umphray in a foot race with Smith. While the defender matched the run he was unable to tackle and Umphay poked the ball past Peterson to seal a hard fought victory for the visitors.

Whitedale 2, Spurs 0

Spurs, missing a few first team players, included in their line up goalkeeper Tom Karlsson, over from Norway on holiday and not a shrewd piece of business by Jim Peterson while in Måløy last week. Grass length was the main topic of pre-match banter with the surface at Strom park a touch lush for quick flowing football, and it showed, with both sides finding it difficult to string passes together.

On 33 minutes, with the game badly needing a goal, Whitedale’s Jamie Wilson picked out a run from Duncan Anderson into the box and he rounded the keeper, placing the ball into the empty net. Spurs reacted immediately with a strong run from Connel Gresham and a well struck shot which brought out a fine save from keeper Martin Young with his right foot at full stretch.

Soon after Wilson found himself through on goal only to see his goal bound flick pushed away by Karlsson.

Spurs started the second half the more urgent with Gresham’s pace causing most of the problems but Whitedale’s centre back pairing of Duncan Fraser and Brian Duncan were dealing well with most of the threats. On 58 minutes Whitedale’s Richard Sinclair set off on a run from 30 yards out on the left and weaved his way past players and tucked away a well struck shot inside the keeper’s left post.

Spurs pushed Shane Jamieson into the middle of the park and this gave his side the best spell of the game, but their finishing touch was missing and they failed to take their chances in front of goal. Whitedale were also guilty of poor finishing as they failed to wrap up the game with golden opportunities falling to their strikers. Credit to keeper Karlsson who pulled off some fine saves to keep Spurs in the game.

It was an easy game for referee Michael Grant with not a bad tackle in sight.

Best for Whitedale were youngsters Richard Sinclair and Allan Johnston with Spurs being well served by Karlsson and Gresham.

Celtic 0, Whalsay 2

In a tight and fast flowing cup tie either team could well have progressed to the semi-finals but Whalsay did so by virtue of scoring at a crucial juncture and finishing things off as Celtic pushed for a late equaliser.

The early exchanges were frantic and even with neither side imposing themselves. However, as early as the third minute Whalsay stopper John Montgomery wildly hacked down James Aitken on the edge of the box. Somewhat bizarrely he escaped the referee’s cards which would have been deserved and left him on a shaky peg for the rest of the tie.

Keith Pearson crossed from the left in to Geordie Irvine, whose point blank header was held well by Paul Grant between the Celtic sticks.

On the 14th minute mark Celtic carved a great opening. Sam Wood, wide right, broke up Whalsay play and slipped the ball in to Justin Watson who dinked past a man before releasing James Aitken. Aitken’s effort glanced past the far post.

Four minutes later at the other end Grant had to look lively again, tipping a Geordie Irvine shot from the edge of the box over the bar.

Ten minutes later Grant again did sterling work. Gary Jamieson at right back had time to lift a cross to the near post and Ian Simpson was first into the ball but the keeper was equal to it.

With a half an hour gone Robert Smith launched a free kick from right back into the box and the ball was partially cleared, dropping to Joe Leask whose effort was deflected past for a corner kick. Smith’s header from the set piece just rose over the bar as he was challenged.

On the 33rd minute mark Watson again won the ball and played it into the inside right channel where Connor Regan had sprinted into; his strike from the edge of the box was good but missed the target by inches.

Just as the first half drew to a close Regan should have been a little more selfish. Released again on the right he had the opening and the angle for a shot at Grant Thomson but chose to square the ball to James Aitken who was central but being closed down and his effort was smothered by Thomson.

Celtic had two good chances during the first seven minutes of the second period. The first fell to Regan after Tom Moncrieff played in his teammate but his shot was held by Thomson.

The keeper then pulled off a great save from Aitken. Leask showed good reactions to toe-poke the ball past the Whalsay defence, outstripping them and squaring to Aitken who, centrally, found Thomson in good form.

Two minutes later and Leask beat Montgomery after being played through by Smith. He turned and shot but his effort didn’t carry enough power to beat the in-form Thomson. Sam Wood then outstripped Montgomery but had his cut-back cut out by Thomson.

Play swung to the other end as Whalsay asserted themselves. Keith Pearson saw his great free kick effort just miss the top corner by a whisker and Grant Wood almost single handedly headed Celtic clear during a concerted period of Whalsay forward play.

On the 70th minute mark came a moment of controversy. Some good inter-passing down the left released Connor Regan. He was fouled on the line of the penalty area by Jamieson. The foul looked soft but on the line is in the box. The award was a free kick, however, and it came to nothing.

Five minutes later and Celtic’s luck was summed up for the night as the impressive Leask cracked a shot off the bar from a quickly taken free kick.

Celtic then paid the price for lying off Ian Simpson as he dropped deeper. He turned and played in Stuart Shearer who made no mistake from four yards out.

Celtic didn’t crumble and Sam Wood did more good work on the right, crossing into the danger area where Justin Watson’s header landed on the roof of the net.

As Celtic pressed for the equaliser the door opened at the other end. Whalsay broke down the left. The ball found Shearer again and the substitute was calm as he placed the ball past a helpless Paul Grant.

Whalsay advance thanks to those crucial goals and good performances from Thomson between the sticks, Joe Pottinger and Stuart Shearer. Celtic were unfortunate and Joe Leask, Joel Bradley and Paul Grant didn’t deserved to finish on a losing side.

Delting 4, Thistle 1

No report received. Scorer for Thistle was Garry Teale.