No Saturday Stroll for Edinburgh

This match had everything except for the goals: on another day either team could have scored at least three. Unfortunately, the finishing was just not quite clinical enough.

The crucial point in the game came five minutes before half-time. The Strollers were awarded a soft penalty when Bobby Reid collided with Edinburgh midfielder James Brownie inside the box. Peter Newby took the penalty but Edinburgh keeper Mark Tait guessed the right way and made a great save low to his right.

The start of the game was fairly even. Edinburgh, however, playing with a lone-striker, lacked attacking options and the Strollers looked more likely to go in front.

Edinburgh struggled to keep their width on the left hand side and this was exploited by the Strollers. Well-constructed passing moves from Gerri Burgess, Chris Bain and Peter Newby were a constant threat and resulted in countless corner kicks from the right.

Russell Hogarth swung in one of these corners and picked out Liam Jack at the far post. Jack's powerful effort was heading straight for the top right corner, but was cleared off the line by an acrobatic Sam Davison.

Half-time came and the Strollers went in to the dressing room the happier of the two sides. The match was still open however, and a goalless draw seemed very unlikely.

Edinburgh were forced into a substitution at half time due to a Gordon Milne ankle injury, but apart from that, nothing changed after the break. The Strollers kept the pressure on with a superb volley by Craig Dickson from 25 yards, which was bundled out for a corner by Tait, as Edinburgh's lone-striker Beacher continued to look alienated up front.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Edinburgh made the tactical changes they desperately needed. Jack Beesley joined Beacher up front to provide Edinburgh with more strength going forward. The change made an immediate impact and Edinburgh nearly went one up with their first decent chance of the game. Some slick passing between the front men resulted in James Brownie having a clear view at goal but unfortunately miss hitting his shot.

Edinburgh dominated the game up to the eighty-minute mark, but in the last ten minutes, the result could have gone either way. Both teams were going for the win and it was end-to-end football. The Strollers had the best chance of the final stages when seven minutes from time Ross Millar put a free header over the bar from four yards. It was not a difficult chance and the Strollers should have taken all three points.

Edinburgh can count themselves lucky to have ended up with a point. Although there were numerous missed chances from both sides, the Strollers did not convert their controversial penalty and hence could not take the initiative in the game.