Match Report

Edinburgh City are still looking for that elusive victory after failing to put Annan to bed, the City slickers were a goal down at half time but they made it a very difficult afternoon for Annan with a dominant second half performance which had Annan on the back foot for long periods and had it not been for the brilliance of keeper Blair Currie who’s last line of defence was a bridge that City could not penetrate, the visitors would have succeeded.

The Annan starting eleven saw only one change from that which ground out a point up at Arbroath with the suspended Rabin Omar’s position being given to Willie Robertson who was started in the centre of midfield with Ryan Finnie given the wide right berth.

City started brightly with ex Scotland star Craig Beattie setting up Mark Laird who shot straight into the mid-rift of keeper Currie. Annan responded with their one and only corner in the entire match in the 11th minute which ended with Darren Ramsay sending a shot over the bar. Blair Currie who was a thorn in the side to the visitors all afternoon then averted a potentially dangerous situation when he denied Laird who had been set up by Beattie.

Annan went ahead in the 29th minute when their top scorer David McKenna collected a penetrating through ball from Barry Cuddihy and McKenna finished exquisitely with a low shot from 15 yards across the keeper and into net. The home support were anticipating more of the same but they were disappointed as Annan struggled to build on this success.

Edinburgh City finished the half looking for an opening and it was Beattie who once again tested Currie in the 39th minute with a 30 yard effort and in the final minute of the half City contrived one of their best moves of the match down the right, finished with an excellent cross to the centre of the Annan defence which City failed to make the most of.

Annan’s slender goal advantage was wiped out in the 50th minute and for all their second half pressure it took an own goal by Annan’s Steven Swinglehurst to beat Currie when he got a touch to ball played into the heart of the Annan defence and the header drifted over the arms of Currie and into the top corner of the net. It was a disappointing goal for Annan to concede which eminated from a free kick wide on the left but it signalled the visitors intention to win the match.

Beattie was a handful all afternoon was once again unlucky when his header missed the target in the 57th minute following another free kick from almost an identical position from where Annan lost the goal and this was followed up minutes later when the player tried his luck with a shot which Currie easily saved.

The Annan fans were having to endure an uncomfortable afternoon and in the 71st minute Currie pulled off an important save to deny Ousman See pushing his effort past the post for a corner kick. City continued to take the game to Annan and in the final minutes Currie pulled off an important save to McKee and in the last minute Annan almost stole the match when keeper Andrew Stobie bravely intercepted a through ball aimed at Aiden Smith.

It was a match Annan will want to put behind them, for the visitors there was enough to show they will be able to cope with the intensity of SPFL2 but they must start to pull together the victories which will take them away from the foot of the table.

ANNAN ATHLETIC : Blair Currie, Steven Black, Steven Swinglehurst, Raffi Krissian, Peter Watson, Barry Cuddihy, Willie Robertson, Ryan Finnie, David McKenna ( Liam Park 71 min), Max Wright ( Aiden Smith 57 min), Darren Ramsay ( Premyslaw Dachnowicz 85 min) .Substitute’s not used Alex Mitchell, Adam Ashgar, Tony Ribeiro, Jean Guy Lucas.

Annan Goals: McKenna (29)

EDINBURGH CITY : Andew Stobie, Aaron Dunsmore, Joseph Mbu, Shaun Harrison, Sean Musin, Christopher McKee, Ousmen See( Jordan Caddow 90min), Douglas Gair, Craig Beattie John Dunn, Mark Laird ( Ross Allum 80 min),.Substitutes not used – Callum Antell GK, Ian McFarland, Gordon Donaldson, Dean Cummings, Ross Guthrie.

Edinburgh Goals: Swinglehurst (48 og)

REFEREE: Mike Roncone.

Attendance 351