Attendance 300
Dalbeattie Star vs Broxburn Athletic Lowland League Playoff First Leg- Islecroft Stadium, Dalbeattie
We travel down south this Saturday to Dumfries and Galloway, in the battle for the right to play Lowland league football next season. We take on recently crowned South of Scotland League Champions Dalbeattie Star, in the first of two legs.
Dalbeattie Star cemented their 12th South of Scotland title with a 1-1. draw with challengers Creetown, on Wednesday the 8th of May. Overall, in the league, Star won 17, drew 3 and lost 2, with 54 points as their final tally. The club is managed Eddie Warwick, and he is assisted by Mark McMinn. Players to watch in the next two games are this season top goalscorer Dale Milligan who has scored 35 goals in 37 appearances this season. Defender Luke McMurtie & striker Ross Hunter were voted in the South of Scotland team of the season. Star also have experienced Ex Queen of the South and Hibernian winger Dan Carmichael in their squad.
DALBEATTIE STAR RECENT FORM
(1/5/24) Wigton & Blandoch (A) 7-0 (W)
(8/5/24) Creetown (A) 1-1 (D)
(10/5/24) Lochar Thistle (A) 0-1 (L)
(13/5/23) Creetown (H) 3-1 (W)
Dalbeattie are in and red and black shirts, black shorts and red socks. They start with a 4-3-3 formation. Broxburn Athletic are in their changed kits, gold and black shirts, black shorts and gold and black shorts and start with a 4-4-2 diamond formation. Broxburn make one change from the team that defeated Crossgates Primrose last weekend 3-2. Lewis Turner comes in replacing Callum Bremner.
It’s a beautiful day in Dalbeattie. The teams emerge from the tunnel to a good atmosphere, Broxburn supporters have travelled in numbers and are making a lot of noise, especially the young team in the main stand.
Broxburn start the better of the two teams. One minute in and Gary Brass brings the ball down and forces a corner of Dalbeattie’s Luke McMurtrie. Ross Nimmo’s corner is headed clear by Dalbeattie.
Five minutes in and Broxburn have another corner. Alassan Jones takes, and his cross is pushed over the bar by Dalbeattie Star keeper Konar Pietsch. GOAL! Ross Nimmo takes the resulting corner from the left, his cross finds Broxburn centre back Greg Page unmarked, who heads home at the back post for the opening goal of the game.
DALBEATTIE STAR 0
BROXBURN ATHLETIC 1 (Greg Page-6 Minutes)
On 13 minutes, Callum Heath takes the ball down the left before delivering a good cross that finds Errol Douglas, The Broxburn number 9 heads right at Dalbeattie keeper Konar Pietsch. On 18 minutes, Nick Locke plays in Errol Douglas who rounds keeper Pietsch, Douglas hits the side netting from a tight angle on the right.
On 23 minutes, Ross Nimmo finds Broxburn captain Nick Locke who is in on goal. His shot is well saved by Konar Pietsch. On 25 minutes, there is a stoppage in play for a water break.
Dalbeattie Star number 9 Ross Hunter is booked for a foul on Marky Munro on 26 minutes.
GOAL! Broxburn have a second. Errol Douglas plays a good ball through to Nick Locke wide right. Locke’s cross finds Gary Brass who scores from close range.
DALBEATTIE STAR 0
BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2 (Gary Brass-31 Minutes)
On 35 minutes, a good cross by Ross Nimmo finds Greg Page free again at the back post. His header is saved by Dalbeattie keeper Pietsch. Nick Locke fly’s forward from midfield and his shot is saved on 36 minutes.
GOAL! What a goal! Charlie Watson picks up after slack play by Broxburn. His 30-yard volley finds the top left corner.
DALBEATTIE STAR 1 (Watson-41 Minutes)
BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2
On 44 Minutes, Dalbeattie come close to a leveller. Captain Dale Milligan’s shot is just wide of the right-hand post.
HALF TIME (2-1 Broxburn)
Broxburn have had all the possession in the first 15 minutes of the second half. But there is not anything to write about. Only chance in this period was for the home side. Charlie Watson’s powerful cross from the left finds Dan Carmichael whose effort is way over.
GOAL! Broxburn have a third. Ross Nimmo’s cross is headed back by Errol Douglas. It finds Gary Brass whose bullet header finds the back of the net.
DALBEATTIE STAR 1
BROXBURN ATHLETIC 3 (Gary Brass-61 Minutes)
On 63 minutes, Errol Douglas shot is right at the Dalbeattie keeper.
GOAL! Its 4-1 at the Albyn. He takes a great touch and drives into the box. His shot finds the bottom corner, leaving Konar Pietsch no chance.
DALBEATTIE STAR 1
BROXBURN ATHLETIC 4 (Nick Locke-65 Minutes)
We have another stoppage in play for a water break on 70 minutes. On 72 minutes, A good delivery by Callum Heath finds Gary Brass whose header is over the bar.
BROXBURN SUBSTITUTIONS (74 Minutes)
ON-Downie, Mwangi & Thomson
OFF-Douglas, Jones & Nimmo
Bryan Mwangi’s corner finds Greg page whose header is over the bar on 77 minutes. On 82 minutes, another Mwangi corner finds Gary Brass who is stretching and heads over the bar.
On 90 minutes, Darren Downie nods on a long ball for captain Nick Locke whose shot is wide of target.
Dalbeattie’s Charlie Watson is booked on 91 minutes for a foul.
Broxburn defender Greg Page shoots wide of target in the 93rd minute.
A very professional performance by Broxburn gives them a three-goal lead going into next Fridays second leg at Albyn Park. The final whistle goes and there are huge celebrations round the ground.
FULL TIME
Dalbeattie Star 1
Broxburn Athletic 4 (Brass x2, Page, Locke)
Teams
DALBEATTIE STAR – Pietsch, McMurtrie, Jamieson, McConaghie, Summerbee, Taylor, Carmichael, Williamson, Hunter, Milligan ©, Watson
SUBS- Shaw, Minto (GK) Swan, Gourlay, McKeeman, Potts, Rogerson
BROXBURN ATHLETIC – Watt, Munro, Page, Moyles, Nimmo, Jones, Douglas, Heath, Brass, Turner, Locke
SUBS- Donoghue (GK), Downie, Thomson, Mwangi, Davidson, Bremner, Millar
Referee Mr A. Gamble
Assistants Mr R Anderson , Mr C. Haswell
Fourth Official Mr J. Hay
NEXT UP
Friday the 24th of May
Broxburn Athletic vs Dalbeattie Star
Albyn Park
19.45PM
