By Stuart Crawford
At home again for Haddington this weekend, on the smaller of the two pitches at Millfield. The visitors have been propping up the bottom of the league table for most of the season, but there had been recent signs of improvement. So it was not a game for the hosts to take lightly.
The first half started off as a fairly evenly contested affair. After an early flurry of activity around the Loanhead goal which came to nothing, the home side found themselves with some defending to do against a physically bigger side playing a robust, but mainly clean, game. And it was the visitors who went ahead, scoring from a free header from a cross whist Haddington stood and watched as if rooted to the ground.
The game ebbed a flowed and Haddington had more than one chance to equalise or even go ahead but could not find the final ball. At half time it was Haddington 0 – 1 Loanhead.
The second half saw Haddington beginning to turn the tide, as they played slick, passing football. Loanhead continued with their long ball game, but were being outplayed in midfield where so many games are decided. Slowly but surely the home side gained the upper hand and began to dominate. But it was Loanhead who brought about their own downfall, with a foul needlessly given away in the penalty box as the Haddington forward was being ushered towards the corner.
No mistake was made with the penalty, placed firmly midway in the left hand corner of the net with the keeper rooted to the spot. Haddington 1 – 1 Loanhead.
The home side were now in control and added three more goals in fairly rapid succession, and would have had at least one more had it not been for a brilliant reflex save by the Loanhead goalie and the resilience of their wall when a direct free kick looked net-bound.
By this point, however, Loanhead’s discipline had disintegrated, and they were arguing and swearing loudly at each other and increasingly at the referee. The ref showed boundless tolerance and forgiveness for their players’ behaviour, which with another individual would have seen at least one player sent off. Loanhead were not helped by the shouting and swearing from parents and supporters on the touchline, and again the referee had to stop play and speak to their touchline on two occasions.
In the dying moments, when the game was well and truly lost to them, Loanhead scored again against the run of play, and it ended 4-2 to the hosts.
It was sad to note that Loanhead’s attitude did not get any better, and a few of their players walked off without shaking hands with their opponents, which at this level is unforgivable. Such behaviour does them, their club, and their supporters no favours. Maybe if they sorted this aspect out they would be more successful on the park.
As for Haddington, this was one of their better displays against stubborn opponents. With a bit more luck, and different choices, in front of goal they could have wrapped this game up early in the second half, if not before half time.
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