Match report

Match report

When your correspondent was a kid the BBC 1 coverage of the Saturday afternoon football used to start around 4.25pm, covering the last 20 minutes or so of that afternoon’s matches. The full-time show consisted of phoned-in match reports, studio discussion and a text-based system called the videprinter that used to update match scores in a tortuous letter-by-letter style. Of course, the real thrill was when they abruptly switched to cover an event at your ground, with immortal words such as “It’s over now to Dougie Donnelly at Tannadice where Mixu Paatelinen has just completed his hat-trick…”. The whole magical thing was concluded by a BBC announcer reading out the final scores from every professional league in the land, and then it was time for tea.

This match report is similarly brief, as your reporter is getting on a plane to answer a critical call to provide close support for Dundee United in their hour of need, and see his family and friends too.

It would almost be wrong to single out any of the kids in this report because they all did so well, holding probably the strongest team in the league for so long, but we absolutely have to mention Evan Nunn’s goal, her first for this team coming from a beautifully struck shot from about 12 yards that evaded a couple of defenders and hits the back of the net before the keeper knew what was coming. We also must mention a stellar first half in goal from Charlie Hartas who kept Woodside in the game with his shot stopping. Probably also Jock Mills and Tommy Garden then, because they defended so well with blocks, goal line clearances and some free-kick antics straight out of the Premier League. And Elliot Stewart and Logan Bridge for stepping into play for our team once again. But that’s it, no more player mentions, if only because naming any of the others would destroy the neatly-curated balance of mentions in match reports that your correspondent has monitored, manipulated, and sometimes contrived over the course of the season.

Anyway, an absolutely killer first half performance from Woodside saw the teams level-pegging at half time and with real belief that they could get a result. Sadly it wasn’t to be, but Woodside need to remember that they matched and on numerous occasions out-fought Barker over the course of this game, and were only really second best for a few minutes in the second half.

This is it for match reports for our normal season – although there might be a special carnival edition to come so the trilby hat and typewriter and not yet stowed for another year – enjoy the football.