’Dale defeat the Dookers in a pre-season friendly
Pre-season friendly Tarbert 1 Carradale 4
THE UNRELENTING midges were the only sting in the tale for Carradale when they travelled to Tarbert for a return friendly fixture.
With six goals produced in the first game, there was a lot of anticipation ahead of this match, and it did not disappoint.
The visitors started off on the front foot, putting the home defence under pressure, and after nine minutes they took the lead.
A casual corner was cleared as far as Lewis Norris and his first time shot from 25 yards beat the keeper hands down. Unfortunately the came off the underside of the bar, and Stuart MacBrayne was first to react, to blast it high into the net from close range.
Both teams cranked up the pace and at- tacked each other, and the lively Nikki MacDougall for Tarbert was always a handful for ’Dale.
After 20 minutes, MacDougall’s first time flick sent the ball to Finn Scott who ran through one-onone on the Carradale goal. Neil McMillan
chipped the advancing keeper but unfortunately it was too hard, and the ball went over the bar.
The Dookers regretted the miss because three minutes later the visitors doubled their lead from the penal- ty spot after Stuart Macphail was brought down in the box. He dusted himself down and slotted the ball into the keeper’s right hand corner.
With 38 minutes on the clock ’Dale made it 3-0, when Lewis Norris gathered the ball. It didn’t look like he’d have much chance of scoring, but he hit a tremendous hook shot just outside the lefthand side of the box that sailed past the helpless keeper.
Carradale was in full flight and had two great chances to increase their lead but both Johnny McCormick and Gregor Croll were denied by the keeper in one-on-one situations.
The Andrew Smith & Son sponsored Carradale increased their lead soon into the second half, scoring their fourth goal in the 49th minute, when Dean McCallum’s through ball got to Gregor Croll.
The speedy striker ran through to the goal and his low shot found the net past the advancing keeper. Two minutes later, Tarbert reduced the leeway when they gained a free kick in the central position, 22 yards from the goal. Scott sent a delightful shot over Carradale’s defensive wall into the net, giving the keeper no chance. There was no further scoring but Carradale had a number of chances, through Craig Robertson and David Johnstone.
Tarbert never gave up and McMillan had to make a fine one-handed stop from a David Ronald shot.
Carradale’s man of the match, Daniel Docherty, who moved back into the defence because of an injury to David Conley, had an outstanding match in three positions.
It was a competitive match and both teams enjoyed the friendly, getting rid of some cobwebs before the season’s kick off on August 12.