Southend make it two in a row with Haulage Cup win
Southend 2, Shiskine 1
Saturday saw the final of the Arran Haulage Cup take place at Lamlash between holders Southend and Shiskine.
The game turned out to be a scrappy encounter with the football not being easy on the eye for the crowd watching.
It was Shiskine that started the brighter of the two teams with the strong forward duo of Joel Small and John Murchie causing the Southend back three problems and creating some good early chances. Shiskine midfielder Willie Sillars was also delivering some pinpoint set pieces but his team mates were unable to convert.
However, it was Southend that made the breakthrough against the run of play. They were given a free kick on the edge of the box and Ryan Armstrong coolly curved the ball past the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.
In the second half it didn’t take long for the MBS boys to double their lead when Fraser Gilbert broke free on a mazy run and put the ball past Finlay Murchie at his near post.
Shiskine grabbed a goal with 20 minutes to go when John Murchie outpaced the Southend defence and rifled the ball beyond Stevie Judge to make it an edgy finish. But Southend held on though to win the first cup of the season.
Referee Iain ‘Loci’ McDonald gave the man of the match to Fraser Gilbert for his display in the midfield and what turned out to be the winning goal.
* League reports page 23.