First-half adventure leads to full-time deadlock in uni derby

First half goals from Edinburgh’s Struan Scott-Woodhouse and Watt’s Eric Thompson ensured that there would be no reward for either side in this fiercely competitive match.

The first half was dominated by a midfield battle, with neither team able to take a hold of the game or carve out any clear chances. Watt were the first to pose any meaningful threat: Aaron James’s free kick from 30 yards appeared destined for the top corner before it was tipped over the bar to safety. The following corner also saw Dom Samuel push a header past the near post in the 15th minute.

After weathering some early pressure, Edinburgh began to find a foothold in the game. Their one-touch attacking football was as impressive as it was effective. A neat interchange on the left allowed David Oswald to strike a venomous shot which the keeper could only parry to Scott-Woodhouse, who lashed the ball into the net on the 19th minute.

Watt created few clear-cut chances, but were by no means overwhelmed by a spirited Edinburgh team. They could even count themselves unlucky after Lars Berger headed past the keeper only to see it come back off the bar.

Edinburgh continued to press forward however, and should have doubled their lead. First, Andrew Nations drove over the bar from outside the area before Oswald drilled a half volley at the keeper’s legs from 10 yards out.

It seemed that Edinburgh were set to take a slender 1-0 advantage into the second half. Eric Thompson had other ideas, and in the 45th minute an inswinging corner from Aaron James was flicked on by Lars Berger and then nodded past the keeper at the far post by Thompson. It was a scrappy goal, but one that changed the face of the game completely.

Watt started the second half with an assault on the Edinburgh goal, with Lars Berger their most dangerous prospect. He came close with a header in the 48th minute before powering a shot past the far post in the 63rd. These were the only clear cut chances of the half for Watt as the game descended once again into a midfield battle.

It was left to Edinburgh to try and nick the three points at the death, but Nations was only able to shoot over the bar in the 90th minute when he found some space outside the box. Given the number of goal-mouth incidents at both ends, Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt will see this derby as two points dropped rather than one point gained.