Football: Broxburn lose out to nine-man Seton BC after explosive start

Published on Saturday 21 November 2009 10:20

THREE goals and two red cards brought this clash between Seton BC and Broxburn Athletic Colts to boiling point after just half an hour.

And, when the dust settled, Seton held on for a 2-1 win to progress in the City Financial Independent 16s South East Region Cup.

Seton midfielder Daniel O'Rourke, being tracked by a host of professional clubs, produced a 32-minute cameo before he earned an early bath for violent conduct.

It was an uncharacteristic display of indiscipline by O'Rourke, usually noted for his goalscoring, and followed the sending-off of goalkeeper Joshua McFarlane, which in itself was Seton's first red card of the season.

Billy Lauder, Seton's coach, was keen to concentrate on footballing matters after the fiery encounter at Meadowmill near Tranent.

He said: "The sendings-off were completely justified.

"Daniel knows he's let the lads down but, to be fair, he's won more than one game for us in his time here. We were in total control after going two up, and I'm pleased that we still tried to play football.

"I can't speak highly enough of the boys for their performance, and I'm absolutely over the moon that we held out for the result."

By the time they had been reduced to nine men, the hosts were 2-1 to the good.

Broxburn then offered very little resistance and failed to use their numerical advantage effectively.

The West Lothian visitors, expected to provide a stern test of newly-promoted Seton's credentials, will be disappointed that they seriously tested their opponents' replacement goalkeeper – defender Ben Millar – just once in almost an hour.

After a slightly delayed kick-off, Seton didn't slouch and shellshocked Colts with a brace in the opening seven minutes.

In the fourth minute, Calum McClure's cross from the right was met with a deft flick of Calvin Robertson's right boot at the near post and the ball flew past keeper Steven Fogwill into the far corner.

Almost immediately afterwards, Dean Riddell slung a ball into the box from the same right wing and, as Fogwill hesitated alongside Broxburn's central defenders, Scott McPherson stole in to convert from close range.

Seton goalkeeper McFarlane watched carefully as Williamson's long-range effort at the other end flew narrowly past his goal on 25 minutes, but the No.1 wasn't as watchful a minute later, misjudging the flight of the ball and subsequently felling Colts striker Blair Hepburn inside the box.

As the last man, the goalkeeper had to be shown a red card by referee Jim Sim, and Gareth Roberts scored from the spot.

Roberts was again in the thick of the action shortly after the half-hour, the ball coming between him and O'Rourke as both players leapt for a header. The latter, though, took issue with Roberts as the referee awarded a free-kick in Broxburn's favour, and, in the ensuing confrontation, earned his sending-off in an altercation with both Roberts and Callum Williamson.

With all their energy seemingly expended in a frantic first half, the teams – especially nine-man Seton – can be excused for providing significantly less entertainment in the second period.

Seton were camped in the Colts half for the first ten minutes after half-time and the visitors then attempted various methods to break down the hosts' back line.

But low-level through balls, over-the-top lumps forward and long-range shots on goal all failed to trouble the Seton defence.

The 11 men in red somehow failed to track the run of Fraser McKinnon on 67 minutes but the Seton attacker, one-on-one with goalkeeper Fogwill, skied his attempt wildly over. Five minutes later, the script was finalised when Broxburn's Liam McDonnell passed up the last chance of the game, shooting straight at sub goalie Millar who, like his team mates, had handled everything Colts could throw at him with relative ease.

Seton BC: Joshua McFarlane, Aaron Stenhouse, Jack Wheatley, David Lamond, Ben Millar, Thomas Stevenson, Fraser McKinnon, Daniel O'Rourke, Greg Lauder, Andrew McMillan, Dean Riddell, Scott McPherson, Calvin Robertson, Calum McClure.

Broxburn Athletic Colts: Steven Fogwill, Duncan Mair, Stuart Dillett, Gareth Roberts, Liam McDonnell, James Dunn, Mark Brown, Scott Hulme, Martin Dillett, Alastair Grieve, Cameron Raeburn, Blair Hepburn, Andrew Penman, Callum Williamson, Douglas Gunn, William McLean, Darren Edwards.

SEVERAL players from Edinburgh and the Lothians are included in an under-17 Scottish Youth FA select to play a representative match against a select side from Australia tomorrow at Toryglen Regional Football Centre, Glasgow, with a 4.00pm kick-off.

SYFA under-17 squad: Brodie Aitchison (Bayside), Danny Campbell (Blackburn Utd), Matthew Charles (Cumbernauld Hearts), Dale Cornet (Edinburgh City), Stuart Dodds (Edinburgh South), Murray Fraser (Hillfield Swifts), Shaun Gallagher (Redwood), Lewis Marshall (Cumbernauld Hearts), Ryan McNeill (St John's), Kenny O'Brien (Edinburgh City), Lewis O'Conner (Tynecastle), Scott O'Reilly (Leven), Ryan Robertson (St John's), Luke Sinclair-McPake (East Kilbride YC), Fraser Terras (St John's), Michael Travis (Edinburgh City), Kieran Watson (Tynecastle).