Valiant Edinburgh City lose out to Motherwell Colts

Dean Cummings' goal was no more than a consolation for Edinburgh City. Pic: TSPL

Goals either side of half time from Dylan Macklin and Thomas Fry meant Dean Cummings’ late goal was rendered a consolation.

The hosts almost took the lead on six minutes when Ross MacLean and Mackin played neat one-two to give the former a sight of goal, but the winger slid his effort just wide of  Calum Antell’s left-hand post.

Jack Hastie managed to test Antell midway through the first half, but the City keeper was equal to his dipping volley.

A moment of real quality from Cummings fashioned City’s first chance soon after, but he dragged his own volley wide after skilfully flicking the ball over his own head and spinning.

Antell was worked hard at the other end when he threw up a right hand to keep out Mackin’s first-time strike.

The big striker went one better moments later and in some style when he turned and curled the ball high past Antell in to the top corner.

Stephen Craigan’s young team doubled their lead on the hour, but City can count themselves desperately unlucky to have conceded. Antell initially blocked from Thomas Fry, with the midfielder’s follow up header also being blocked, before he managed to force the ball home off the sliding Chris McKee.

Just as the game was hitting a lull, City pulled one back with a well worked move. McConnell knocked down Ian McFarland’s angled delivery to Cummings, who smashed the ball emphatically past Peter Morrison.

City could smell an equaliser and it took strong wrists from Morrison to prevent one from Donaldson. The same player saw what seemed a fair shout for a penalty turned with two minutes remaining.

“We’re disappointed but we wouldn’t have had it any other way,” said City boss Gary Jardine. “We’ve had really hard games and we’re missing some of our important players, but that’s not to take anything away from Motherwell.

“The five competitive games have been against clubs that are of a higher standard and we’re delighted with that preparation. We need to take that in to  Saturday in the league.”

Motherwell Colts: Morrison,  McMillan, Armstrong, Maguire, Watt, Campbell, MacLean (Falconer 75), Turnbull, Mackin (Scott 79), Hastie (Livingstone 89), Fry.

Edinburgh City: Antell, MacDonald, Gibson (Muhsin 55), Harrison,  Martynuik, McKee, McFarland, Dunn (McConnell 66), Guthrie (Caddow 77), Cummings, Donaldson.