Exit does Strollers disservice

Published on Monday 26 October 2009 10:23

Civil Service Strollers 1 Berwick Rangers 2

THEY could quite feasibly have been reading about one of the greatest results in the club's history, and that will be the most galling thing for everyone connected with Civil Service Strollers as they reflect on a match which saw them exit the Scottish Cup at the hands of an out-of-sorts Berwick Rangers.

The East of Scotland League side had talked up their chances in the build-up to their first meeting with an SFL side in over a decade and their optimism seemed well placed as they more than held their own at Marine Drive before taking the lead just after the half hour when Gerry Burgess's header looped over Mark Peat to spark scenes of delirium among the men in white. Were the Capital minnows about to upset the side who had caused arguably the greatest shock in the history of the competition against Rangers in 1967?

At that point, it seemed a genuine possibility as Berwick didn't look like they fancied it despite the fact conditions were ideal for football on a glorious autumnal afternoon in North Edinburgh. At half time, Strollers players and management talked about the likelihood that the Third Division side would come out a much-improved outfit after the break. It would therefore require the hosts to maintain, if not improve upon, the level of performance they had attained before the break.

Unfortunately they were unable to do so, and by the time they managed to regain their composure, they found themselves 2-1 down with their chances of an upset all but gone. Fraser McLaren was their tormentor in chief, the former Gretna forward stepping off the bench at the interval to provide the two goals that would ultimately spare the SFL side's blushes.

Granted, it was a couple of sublime finishes that did for Strollers but, as Burgess acknowledged, the ease with which McLaren was allowed in behind the Civil Service defence was the most frustrating aspect of a 20-minute period which saw the tie turn significantly in favour of Jimmy Crease's side. Berwick's first came on the hour when McLaren cushioned a long diagonal ball on the left angle of the penalty area before drilling a low left-foot shot beyond Gavin Ramsay.

The second, which came five minutes, later, was almost a carbon copy, but scored with McLaren's right foot from the opposite angle of the box. As they mobbed their two-goal saviour in the corner of the pitch, the relief of the Berwick players was all too evident. The visitors had further chances to kill the tie before Strollers staged a late rally which almost saw them force a replay. The best of their chances came two minutes from time, when sub Bobby Reid headed just wide from Russell Hogarth's cross.

Despite the fact their heads could remain high, there was an overriding sense of frustration in the Strollers camp.

"We're really disappointed," said Burgess. "We just never came out in the second half. We knew that they'd come at us, it was something we talked about at half time. But we just never defended well at all. In the last 20 minutes we had a couple of chances to get a replay but we didn't take them. At this level, if you don't take your chances and you defend sloppily like we did, a team like Berwick are always going to beat us. In the first half, we matched them, but the first 20 minutes of the second-half is the most disappointing thing.

"We gave a good account of ourselves. We can take a lot of pride from the fact we were 1-0 up at half time against a league side and looked pretty comfortable. But we're extremely disappointed that we couldn't hold on to the lead because we thought even before the game that we'd have a really good chance of causing an upset."

For the crowd of more than 300 who had converged on Marine Drive, there was no shortage of familiar faces in the Berwick ranks. Former Hearts youngsters Elliot Smith and Stuart Callaghan started, while Paul McMullan came on in the second half. Ex-Hibs youngsters Steve Notman and Jamie Ewart also started, while Ollie Russell was an unused sub, but there was no place for Damon Gray. Former Meadowbank Thistle player Ian Little, at 35, provided the experience in midfield, while they also had men who had represented the Capital's junior or senior sides in the past.

Even though Strollers ran them close, Burgess admitted that there was a gulf in quality. "The boys they've got have worked their way down the leagues to play at Berwick, while our players have worked their way up to play at Strollers, so you do notice the difference in quality," he said. "You see the difference with the way the boy took his two goals, excellent finishes with both feet."

Strollers co-manager Andy Raeburn said: "Berwick know they were in a game. We've not embarrassed ourselves and that's the main thing. We're disappointed that we couldn't hang on to our lead and cause an upset but proud at the progress the club has made since me and Keith Stewart have been here."

The extent to which Strollers had put the wind up their visitors could perhaps be gauged best by the words of Berwick manager Crease. "It's a massive relief to get through because it was a poor performance," he said. "All credit to Strollers, they made a real game of it. At half-time all sorts of things are going through your mind when you're losing 1-0 at a non-league side. No disrespect to Strollers, but it would have been a disaster for the club if we'd lost here. There are still a few minnows left in the competition, but after that I don't think I want to draw any more so-called minnows."

Civil Service Strollers: Ramsay, Burgess, Forbes, Barbirou, Jack, Hogarth, Dunn (Dwyer 65), Newby (Bain 67), Somerville (Reid 85), Campbell, Dickson. Unused subs: Dillon, Raeburn.

Berwick Rangers: Peat, Notman, Smith, Guy (McLean 77), Ewart, Callaghan, Little, Currie, Brazil, Radzinski (McLaren 46), Greenhill (McMullan 55). Unused subs: Ellison, Russell.

Referee: Thomas Robertson.