Match Report

Annan travelled to Berwick with a fair amount of optimism following their recent good run of form but within quarter an hour found themselves two goals down following some lacklustre play and poor defending.

On two mins Annan gave the ball was given away cheaply in midfield and Berwick’s O’Brien strode into the empty channel, his cross found Dalziel who dispatched a shot past Kenny Arthur with ease. The second goal saw Annan’s Peter Weatherson’s clearance charged down, O’Brien once again found himself in the clear and slotted home into the corner of the net. In the 23rd minute Annan clawed themselves back into the game after Berwick’s Janczyk gave the ball away in midfield, David Hopkirk drifted about twenty yards before unleashing a 30-yard scorcher into the net via the underside of the bar. The game reached 34 minutes when Berwick once again increased their lead, Dalziel again rose unchallenged to head a floated cross beyond Arthur. Annan bounced back and reduced the leeway to a single goal after Dalziel had blocked a shot with his arm. Ally Love converted the penalty with ease. On the stroke of half-time David Hopkirk saw his effort go wide of the post with the Berwick keeper beaten.

Annan dominated possession for long spells in the second half but it was Berwick who extended their lead when once again a Berwick player had a free header at goal, this time is was Lavery hitting the target. Berwick’s Grant pulled a fine save from the top corner bound shot of Hopkirk and then stopped a McNiff shot on the line with his outstretched foot. Hopkirk had a good chance to peg one back late in the game but his effort went over both the advancing Grant and the bar.The match stats paint a clear picture, Berwick had five attempts at goal and scored with four of them, Annan had 12 attempts at goal and scored two.

Teams: Berwick Rangers: P Grant, D Jacobs, D Hoskins, M Dunlop, S Tulloch, N Janczyk, L Currie, S Notman, S Dalziell (O Rowland 90+2 mins), D Lavery (D Gielty 90+3mins), K O’Brien ( J Morris 82mins). Substitutes not used: W Bald, B Miller, J Fairbairn.

Annan Athletic FC: K Arthur, I Chisholm, P Bradley (J Moffat 82mins), S Black (S Davidson 58mins), P Watson, M McNiff, K Mackay, M Flynn, P Weatherson, D Hopkirk, A Love (K Brannan 74mins). Subsitutes not used: A Mitchell, G Anderson, K McCrudden.

Ref: Nick Walsh, Assistant Referees: Graeme Leslie & David Doig