By Stuart Crawford
The last time these two sides met in the Steve Maskrey Cup, Haddington ran out shock winners, scoring two to Tynecastle’s nil. So this encounter in the semi-final of the SE Region Cup offered Tynecastle the opportunity to make amends for their earlier defeat.
The visitors started the game briskly and much of the first 15 minutes was played in Haddington’s half. An early fierce strike whistled past the Haddington keeper’s left post and it looked as if the home side was in for a rough afternoon.
Haddington then came into the match much more strongly, and it was they who broke the deadlock with a superb over-the-shoulder strike by one of their defenders after a well-struck corner from the right. Tynie’s goalie was left stranded and could only watch as the ball went in over his head. Haddington one up.
Find out about donating to The Caledonian Mercury
But the game had plenty of life in it still, and not that long after Tynecastle thought they had the ball in the net – but it seemed to ping off both crossbar and post of Haddington’s goal before going safely behind for a bye kick. If it had gone in, the game might well have had a different course thereafter. As it was, the hosts added a second when, from another corner from the right, the ball looped high in the air from a Tynecastle clearance out of the penalty box. The Haddington striker watched the ball as it completed its trajectory to earth and smashed it unstoppably through a crowded penalty box and past the hapless Tynie keeper. The teams went in at half-time with Haddington leading two to nil. Early play in the second half was pretty even, but Haddington then broke dangerously into the Tynecastle penalty box only for their midfielder to be fouled by the newly substituted opposition defender. Not a deliberate foul, but a clear penalty nonetheless, and no mistake was made with the spot-kick. Haddington 3 – 0 Tynecastle. From that point on the spirit seemed to drain from the visitors and it became pretty constant one-way traffic towards the Tynecastle goal. Haddington had numerous opportunities to score, and in the last 15 minutes they added two more. It could have been several more on another day. Haddington were clearly the better team on the day. They had pace and control, and their midfield dominated. Tynecastle tried constantly to get the ball to their fast and tricky right-winger, but the home side were equally fast at the back and hardly troubled in the second half. In fact, the home keeper had little to do as the match ebbed away with Haddington well on top. They now look forward to finding out who they will face in the final in May.Find out about donating to The Caledonian Mercury
Related posts: