City leave Edinburgh out in the cold

Second half goals from Ian McGarland and Douglas Gair were enough to secure Edinburgh City a surprise victory at Peffermil which was inspired by an impressive display from Jordan Caddow, who tormented the University’s defence all afternoon.

The first half was something of a non-entity as both sides found it hard to get going in the near sub-zero temperatures and on the unforgiving playing surface. The game was scrappy initially as both sides looked to long balls from deep to provide the breakthrough; for the University this nearly paid off, Lee Deans turning and firing a volley past the post from a flick on in the 11th minute. Deans threatened again in the 19th minute when he closed down Duncan Montieth’s goal kick only to see it ricochet wide of the goal.

Aside from the occasional long ball, City had so far presented no attacking threat until the 38th minute, when Ian McGarland played a clever one-two with Jordan Caddow down the right wing before darting in to the penalty area. As McGarland looked up to pick someone out for an easy tap-in, Mark Tait, Edinburgh University goalkeeper, smothered the ball at his feet. This proved ominous for the University as the half time whistle blew.

A much needed change of pace was injected into the second half as the deadlock was broken in the 47th minute. Caddow supplied the cross; McGarland supplied the finish, driving a shot into the bottom left corner of the net from the right side of the box.

At 1-0 a University fight back was expected but failed to materialise. Instead, City supplied the attacking threat, Caddow surging up and down the right wing whilst Daniel Denholm dominated the left. The University back line defended admirably in the conditions but could do no nothing to prevent the second goal of the afternoon. A slick move saw a lofted one-two played through the University defence by Douglas Gair and Steven Clee before the former struck the ball over the keeper and into the net from outside the box, it was a clinical finish.

City pressed forward again in search of a third goal, this time Caddow latched on to a pass from Clee yet could only put his shot past the post from 25 yards. Caddow’s performance was worthy of this goal, and even deep into the final minutes he chased and harried every player on the pitch as he strove to put his side further ahead.

Edinburgh University refused to let the game peter out and for the last five minutes kept City penned back in their own half. Michael Hazeldine, on as a substitute for Lee Deans worked tirelessly across the front line until the final whistle, teeing Keer Dodds up for a rasping shot in the 92nd minute that was deflected past the post.

It was a result that left Edinburgh University frustrated but they certainly could not be faulted for a lack of effort and will be hoping that this was merely a one-off. City however will hope to build on this surprise victory and their second half football showed no reasons why they shouldn’t start moving up the league table.