Ormiston 1
Hawick Royal Albert 0
EoS FIRST DIVISION
JOHN SLORANCE reports from Recreation Park
THIS was a game in which Hawick Royal Albert appeared to be in with a good chance of making their mark.
An opportunity to get some much-needed points on the board, gain their second win of the season and even a double triumph over Ormiston.
But it wasn’t to be and the Albert had no-one to blame but themselves. For Hawick blew it by squandering a barrowload of chances in a game they should have won.
It was indeed a bad day at the office for the Albert Park side and Hawick player/manager Lawrie Dunn told TheSouthern: “We played Ormiston off the park. With the wind behind us we dominated the first half completely and even when playing into the wind we were the better side.
“But we just couldn’t score. If we had managed to get a goal it would have given us a lift, but it didn’t happen. There was no hard luck story about getting beat today and the players know this. If you don’t score goals you don’t win games, it’s as simple as that.”
Wind-assisted Hawick had a chance to break the deadlock with just minutes gone. Ormiston were caught out at the back by a long clearance from Albert keeper Andy Jack and Kris O’Neil found himself in the clear.
There was to be no goal, however, for the Albert striker’s chip was tipped against the bar by Ormiston number one Scott Dowie. Hawick kept their foot on the gas and O’Neil fired wide on being fed by Kyle McCulloch.
The remainder of the first half followed a similar pattern. Royalists pushed forward, but got nowhere in their quest for goals through sheer poor finishing. O’Neil, however, did come extremely close to getting his name on the scoresheet with a well-struck drive that appeared netbound until being pushed away at full stretch by the diving Dowie.
Although facing the wind in the second half, Hawick made the early running and after good play by the impressive Martyn Patton, O’Neil was kept at bay by Dowie.
Albert created further chances which they failed to take, while at the other end the woodwork robbed Ormiston when a Craig Downie corner kick hit the upright after being caught by the wind. Within minutes of this, Jack thwarted the home side with an excellent save from Downie.
In the 74th minute, Ormiston notched what was to be the winner as well as the only goal of the match when Jason Young polished off a good build-up move, finding the net with a well-struck drive.
Hawick had opportunities to get on level terms after this, but again failed to produce the scoring touch.
Hawick Royal Albert: A. Jack, G. Burnett, P. McAllion, L. Dunn, T. Wyman, J. McGhie, K. McCulloch, C. Beattie, K. O’Neil (L. Rodgers), A. Noble, M. Patton (J. Wood).