Friday 15 June 2007, 7:15pm
Annual Friendly

NORTH 3-2 SOUTH

A thrilling finale was the culmination of pulsating 90minutes of this year’s annual North v South select game, played at Carr-bridge last Friday evening. David Ritchie and Sons Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare association president Graeme Mackie later describing the game as the best North South match for many a year.

In a tight first half it was the North side which made the most of the early attempts on goal. Simpson shooting wide from 30 yards, was quickly followed by an effort from Forrest who fired into the side netting from a tight angle.

On ten minutes South mounted their best attack when Robertson and Smith swapped passed, but David Poupard in the North goal was alert to the danger and was first to the ball.

Despite North having the better of the early encounters, the South centre back pairing of Peters and Mochan were not looking troubled at all.

South were gradually getting a hold in midfield and good work by Smith, Scullion and Robertson, was only thwarted by a timely interception from Tulloch.

The North gained the upper hand on 28 mins when Tulloch’s persistence and determination won the ball, his short pass found Fraser in acres of space some 30 yards out, the bustling winger took a few paces forward before firing a low shot into the bottom corner to put the North 1-0 ahead.

The North were forced to make an early substitution when Forbes limped off to be replace by Donald Poupard. On 33 mins Ritchie’s snap shot was blocked, but he retrieved the situation and fed a great ball to Forrest, but Wallace was quick to react to snuff out any danger.

HT North 1-0 South

The South made two changes at half time: McMonagle replacing Robertson, and Hendry on for Peters. South were almost back in the game early on when Reison fed Smith through the inside right channel, his first time effort forcing Poupard to block with his legs. White, McMonagle and Reison combined down the right with the latter’s cross being collected by Poupard in goal. North responded when Donald Poupard’s shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner.

Wilkinson and Gray then both missed a long through ball allowing South’s Reison to strike his shot just wide. McMonagle was proving to a thorn in the North’s side as he put in a deep cross from the left, the ball was met with a flashing drive from Full back Wallace which was only inches wide.

Although the North had been on the back foot since the interval, they almost increased their lead on 60 minutes when Donald Poupard fired in a goal bound effort only for Wallace to hack the ball clear with the keeper beaten. From the resulting corner the same player headed just over.

Poupard was certainly the man of the moment when he skipped past two challenges out wide before finding Forrest, the youngster was unable to get his shot on target though. On 63 minutes Forrest fired just wide from 20 yards. With 20 minutes remaining Sellars replaced David Poupard in the North goal, McLaughlin replaced Forrest and MacDonald replaced Simpson.

North were now on top and keeper Cook was forced into a low save when Fraser fired a thumping drive from 30 yards. It was no real surprise when North went 2-0 up on 80 minutes. A long ball caught Mochan back peddling and although the youngster got a head to the ball it fell kindly for Murray who kept his composure to lob the ball over the keeper to put his side two goals ahead.

South responded almost immediately when McMonagle fired just wide. On 83 minutes Scullion showed great composure when racing onto a through ball before calmly steering the ball into the keeper’s top right hand corner to give the South a lifeline 2-1.

With only two minutes remaining South looked like they’d grabbed a draw when McMonagle dispossessed Cameron before stepping inside and lifting his shot over Sellars to make the score 2-2. Brown then fired straight at Sellars as South sensed an unlikely comeback.

As so often happens however it was North who claimed the bragging rights when McLoughlin knocked a quick free kick over the top to Murray who beat the keeper to the ball, however although his effort dropped just wide the Referee awarded a penalty as Cook had pole-axed Murray with a late challenge. Ritchie calmly slotted home the winning strike 3-2.

Sponsor’s representative Brian Ritchie thanked the Referee and his assistants and Carr-bridge FC for use of the pitch. Sponsor’s man of the match was South’s Andrew McInnis.

Teams

North

David Poupard, Cameron, Gray, Wilkinson, Tulloch, Murray, Simpson, Ritchie, Fraser, Forbes, Forrest.

Subs: Sellars, McLoughlin, MacDonald, Donald Poupard.

South

Cook, Wallace , Peters, Mochan, White, Brown, Reison, Robertson, McInnis, Scullion, Smith.

Subs: McMonagle, Hendry, Armstrong.

Report by Steve Purves