Recap

Sunday 22nd November – Edinburgh Cup 1st Rd

Gotham City 2-5 Bathgate Thistle

Goals: Andrew Wood 2, Kenny Bates, Francis Mahon, Ross Steel

Subs: Corey McGill, Steffan Cassidy, Mohsin Raza, Brian Currie

Bathgate traveled to peffermill to play on 4G against Gotham City in the Edinburgh Cup 1st Rd. Bathgate had changed to a 3-5-2 formation for the first time and started nervously with Gotham having a couple of chances in the opening 5 minutes. As Bathgate began to settle they started to dominate the game and create chances in the wide areas. Bathgate went 1-0 up soon after with good exchange of passes which was then passed to Andrew Wood on the edge of the area with a good turn passed the defender into the area he then poked it in the bottom corner. Bathgate continued to dominate the game using the ball well and stretching the play. Bathgate then went 2-0 up after a good driving run from Andrew Wood down the left had side which was cut inside then the ball eventually being passed to Kenny Bates in to the box which he thunder bolted in the goals. Bathgate were in complete control of the game and were working hard on and off the ball using the wide areas well. Ryan Weir should then have had a penalty after he had beat one player in the box went to cut inside the second and was clearly wiped out but the referee didn’t give it. Recce McBain had a run and the Gotham defense then cut inside and was taken out for a Bathgate free kick. Francis Mahon took the free kick and aimed for the far post which looked like the keeper was getting till the last minute where it went over the top of him and in for 3-0. Keeper should have probably done better though. As the have started to close out Gotham pushed forward and got into some good areas but Bathgate defended well or the final ball just wasn’t there as Bathgate sat in a little and played on the counter.
HT 0-3
Bathgate started slow in the second half and Gotham really tried to come at Bathgate to get back into the game. Both teams had chances but not that clear cut however some good blocks by the Gotham defense probably stopped a couple of strikes most like heading for goal. An injury for Bathgate to Reece where he had to go off and Corey McGill replaced him was the cause of a goal for Gotham. As there had been a long break in play Bathgate seemed to stop and after Francis Gave the ball away in the Bathgate half one cutting ball through the defense allowed their striker in to score, 3-1 Bathgate. Bathgate were forced into another change which seemed to upset the play with two changes in quick succession. Gotham were pushing for goals and had a few chances more so through Bathgate mistakes but couldn’t find the net. Bathgate lifted there play and a cutting pass from Jojo Gibson through to Andrew Wood which put him in behind the defense which he put away easily, Bathgate 4-1 up. In an attack from Gotham which Bathgate had plenty back and seemed covered their winger drove into the box and was clipped from Mohsin Raza, although it looked like a soft one the referee gave it. Gotham put the penalty away to make it 4-2 Bathgate. Seemed a very harsh decision considering Ryan Weir’s was a worse tackle with nothing given. Bathgate made it five with a goal created by Andrew Wood who took it to the by-line then cut it across goal which Gotham failed to clear and Ross Steel tapped in. Substitute Corey McGill should have had a goal really as well with two good chances, one coming at the edge of the area which he miss hit, the second where he was through on goal and strangely tried to cut back. He still done well to get into the positions but should be putting these away.
FT 2-5
A good win in the cup and a good performance on the 4G which we have not played many games on. First half was excellent and if we had put away our chances we would have been five or six up at half time.
MOTM: Andrew Wood