McBookie.com South Division

Saturday 18 February

Fauldhouse United 7-1 (HT: 2-1) Whitburn Juniors

Fauldhouse : Stewart, Fairley, Nicholson(Dickov 45), Cruickshank, Gallagher, Scott, Shanks(Greig 68), Deans(Wilkins 77), Easton, Martin, Bannon, Subs: Campbell, Cooper, Paterek
Whitburn : Ritchie, Gordon, McDonald, Woodhouse, Mooney, Spence(Swan 85), Scott, Browne, Craig(Taylor 78), King, Meldrum(Young 71), Subs: Bucknell, Sharp, Carlin

This was the proverbial game of two halves as Whitburn, despite going in 2-1 down, dominated the first and Fauldhouse steam rollered the second with 5 goals. In the 6th minute Barry Graig headed a Craig Scott corner against the bar. 3 minutes later Kenny Martin got the first of what would become his hattrick when he took advantage of uncertainty in the Whitburn defence and touched the ball over the line. A poor clearance by Scott Ritchie straight to him a little later almost gave him his second goal but the keeper made the save. On the quarter hour another Scott corner found Gregor McDonald at the back post but his shot went wide. On the half hour Barry Nicholson doubled the lead as he beat two men and from a very tight angle beat Ritchie at his near post, the keeper no doubt expecting a cross. Apart from a decent strike a minute from halftime which was saved, that would be it for the home side as Whitburn piled on the pressure. In the 32nd minute McDonald went wide from another corner, this time with his head. Then Jamie Gallagher headed a corner off the top of his own bar. Scott then had a decent 20 yard shot well saved before setting up what would turn out to be Whitburn’s sole consolation. This time his place kick was headed on at the near post by Bryan King and hammered home at the back by Barry Craig. Just before the half Scott Meldrum had a shot go just wide and two crosses were missed by a fraction by the visiting forwards.

Fauldhouse must have been given a rollicking at half time as they came out for the second like men possessed. Within minutes they had forced a trio of saves from Ritchie as Whitburn couldn’t clear their lines. The pressure paid off 6 minutes in when Jason Deans headed a corner in at the back post. Whitburn seemed to have weathered the storm and had a couple of good chances around the hour mark – a King free kick that clipped the outside of the post and a Scott shot that was saved. Then the roof truly fell in…. Following this pressure Fauldhouse broke out with a great diagonal ball to Gary Shanks whose cross was tapped in at the back post by Martin. Shanks then netted from 30 yards with a shot that found the top corner, though Ritchie could perhaps have done a little better. With 15 minutes to go Martin completed his hattrick when he got free at the front post and headed a Deans free kick into the net. Fauldhouse were in seventh heaven with 10 to go when substitute Mark Wilkins scored.