Recap

27^th Nov 16

Bathgate Thistle vs AC Midlothian

Goals: OG, Wood, McIlwraith, Cruckshank

Bathgate returned to action after a free week and looked to build on the win a fortnight previous. The park was wet and had plenty of bobbles so good football was not going be on show. Bathgate started well and created a couple of chances early on. Midlothian had a couple of chances and from a long throw that no one cleared was tapped in. The goal didn’t dent Bathgate’s confidence and soon Bathgate equalised from a corner that bounced off several players from both side before going over the line with the final touch from a Midlothian player. Bathgate continued to look for a second and after a great turn and run into the box by Ryan weir he was then wiped out, stone wall penalty. Andrew wood stepped up and put it away to give Bathgate the lead. The game was very open and Midlothian had a spell with the most risk coming from corners and long throws into the box. Bathgate continued to defend poorly from these set plays and were punished again from a long throw when Marcus Havern tipped one onto the bar which then dropped and the Midlothian player reacted quickest to tap in. Midlothian had their best spell in the last 15 of the half but the scores remained level.

HT 2-2

Bathgate came out second half looking to win but Midlothian had the early chances. Bathgate began to dominate more of the game and the Midlothian goal keeper made a couple of good saves. Bathgate finally got the break through from a corner which was poorly cleared and then dropped to Aaron McIlwraith which he fired in the net. This made the game tenser and Midlothian made some changes looking to get back into the game. Midlothian had a few chances, a couple of corners caused problems and Bathgate continued to be under pressure from long throw ins into the box. As Midlothian had a corner Bathgate counter attacked from the clearance with john Duncan playing it the left wing to Michael Cruckshank who linked up with Ryan weir with Michael getting into the box and tucking the ball past the keeper. Bathgate looked to hold their lead and see out the game on a park which had cut badly by this point. Midlothian put pressure on and a sitter from the opposition striker when Dane Kapila miss placed a back pass to the keeper which he slid in and missed completely. Marcus Havern then pulled of a good save when a curling shot going in the top corner was tipped round the post. There was then several corners which Midlothian managed to score when the ball came through the defence and was hit in from an unmarked Midlothian player. With the game now 4-3 to Bathgate and about 5 mins to play Bathgate looked to see out the rest of the game. There were chances at both ends but nothing clear cut and Bathgate held on to secure two wins on the bounce.

FT 4-3

A dug-out victory that was made difficult from poorly given away goals. With the pitch, not great was always going to be a battle and stopped Bathgate from playing good football. However, three points were deserved.

MOTM Aaron McIlwraith – Another hard shift today, broke up a lot of play and got his reward with a goal.