Newburgh Juniors 1 vs 1 Pumpherston

After the high of Tuesday’s Cup win over Premier Division Sauchie, it was important to keep feet on the ground and return to League action against Pumpherston at East Shore Park.

It proved to be a far different encounter and offered a different sort of pressure, with the visitors determined to burst the Burgh bubble.

The game got off to a lively start with both sides exchanging goal attempts in the opening few minutes with Sankhour wrestling for possession with Cammy Taylor before firing a low shot at Ben Duffield’s near post that the keeper got down to save.

In the 2nd minute Taylor lofted a high ball towards the wing that saw Ryan Daly rob McGuigan and charge towards goal and firing a shot into the body of keeper Cody Thomson.

On 6 minutes Otonti found himself free at the far post as he received the ball, but Rhys Sneddon got back in with a last ditch block as the striker got his shot away to force a corner.

The action continued to swing from end to end in the early stages and Finn Bannerman did well to turn his man and fire a shot wide of goal in the 8th minute.

In the 18th minute Swanson launched a powerful free kick just wide of Duffield’s top right corner and thankfully past the post, whilst the Burgh keeper did well to get a hand to Kamwa’s driving run and low shot after a defensive mistake lost possession.

Burgh were dealt a blow losing influential Daly in the 31st minute as he was on the end of a crunching tackle from Sankhour as he ran towards goal, with the Pumpherston number 9 only picking up a yellow for his troubles and Daly hobbling off moments later.

From the resultant free kick, Finn McLaren’s floated ball into the penalty area was headed on by Pumpherston’s own defender, Duncan, headed towards his own goal with Thomson able to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Burgh nearly took the lead in the 44th minute following McLaren’s free kick that found the head of Lyall Brown at the back post with his header crashing against the post and the danger was eventually cleared.

Brown had gone close, but in first half stoppage time he made it count when he opened his Burgh account (for the second time) with the helping hand of his keeper, Duffield, whose huge clearance was only flicked on by defender McGuigan for Brown to react quickest and run on and bury his chance past Thomson for 1-0.

As with the midweek game, the visitors were starting to crank up the pressure and their forwards Sankhour and Kamwa were posing a more physical, aerial threat than Sauchie had managed and causing difficulties in the Burgh defence with Kamwa challenging with Duffield to loft an effort just off target on the hour mark.

Burgh’s own grit and determination led to another good chance for Brown after the ball fell on the left to McLaren who floated a cross over Pumpherston heads for Brown to chest down and unleash a powerful effort destined for the roof of the net if it was not for the cat-like reflexes of visiting keeper Thomson who thrust up his diving hand to push away for a corner in the 64th minute.

Pumpherston were cranking up the pressure looking for the equaliser and Kieran Twaddell did well to get back to get a foot to deflect a Alexander shot just over for a corner on 78 minutes.

The pressure finally told on 82 minutes when a big kick forward by Thomson caused problems in the Burgh defence and Wilbert’s shot into the ground from the edge of the area bounced awkwardly in front of Duffield and Nathan Thomson responded to the loose ball quickest to roll home from close range to make it 1-1.

Newburgh were hanging on as the game went into stoppage time but there was still chances for Pumperston to turn defeat into victory with Wilbert scuffing a good chance wide as the clock hit 90, whilst Thomson had two efforts in a matter of seconds; the first blocked by a defender and the rebound appearing to be met by the fingertips of Duffield.

The whistle blew for full time with Burgh hanging on towards the end, but still a positive display from the defence with Callum Roughead edging the Committee Man of the Match votes.