Berwick Rangers vs Hearts – Match Report 25-26

Berwick secured a deserved 2-0 win over Hearts B in the Lowland League at Shielfield Park.Jonny Devers’ calm finish opened the scoring for the Gers before Buchanan smashed in a second towards the end as Berwick grab their first league win since July.

The Dream Team had the first chance of the game, and it came from a free-kick. It was Ben McCrystal who stepped up roughly 25 yards out, but it went wide, but the ref blew for a foul in the box as well.

Hearts B almost took the lead a minute later with an audacious effort from near the halfway line. Liam Campbell had two poor attempts of a long kick that went straight to a Hearts B player. Dominic Plank looked to catch Campbell off his line and his mighty effort from range looped just over the bar to spare the Berwick keeper’s blushes.

Greg Binnie was given the nod to lead the line for Berwick, and he had his first chance on ten minutes. McCrystal’s dinked through ball fell to Binnie just inside the box. He swiped for a volley that flew wide of the post.

The Gers looked the more likely side to score the opening goal. Callum Pitt managed to pick out Scott-Taylor MacKenzie in space in the middle. He went for goal and had Hearts B keeper Lyndon Tas scrambling across his goal, but the ball went inches wide.

The best chance of the first half came ten minutes before the break. Kyle Somers had time in the middle of the park to feed McCrystal with a delicate through ball that sent him one-on-one with Tas. McCrystal managed to dink the ball over the keeper, but the ball bounced agonisingly wide as Berwick still couldn’t find the opening goal. The teams went in level at half-time.

Berwick flew out the traps at the start of the second half. McCrystal received the ball from the right before unleashing a shot that was blocked but fell nicely to Devers. His effort was also blocked as Hearts B scrambled the ball clear.

Just after the hour-mark and the deadlock was eventually broken. Substitute Taylor Hendry launched a long ball to the back post where Jonny Devers was waiting. He cushioned the ball first time, and the ball found its way through the crowd of players in the box and ended up in the bottom right corner of the goal to give the Dream Team the lead.

Berwick’s opener sparked streams of confidence in the players as they created chance after chance. MacKenzie was the pillar of creative passes in the final third as he picked out Binnie who flicked onto Harry Wright. Fresh off his hat-trick on Saturday he looked to continue his fine form as he burst through on goal. However, his shot was well saved by Tas.

Kevin Haynes brought on Liam Buchanan as the Gers looked for a second goal to see out the win. Callum Mackay was also brought on after his long injury lay-off, a nice sight for all Berwick supporters.

The visitors had a great chance to equalise as a counter-attack was led by Connor Dow down the right-hand side. His cross to the back post found Taylor Hogarth but as he stretched for the ball he could only guide it wide.

Buchanan was making an instant impact from the bench as he received the ball on the right-hand side. He managed to pick out Hendry who was unmarked in the middle of the box. However, Hendry fluffed his lines as his shot somehow rolled wide of the goal.

After a poor first half, the chances kept on coming as Berwick continued to impress with their attacking display. Buchanan showed great determination to keep hold of the ball on the right. His pass found Devers before he delivered a delightful through ball back to Buchanan in the box. Buchanan’s shot was a thunderous one as it flew past Tas and smashed the back of the net to double Berwick’s lead. A scoreline that the Dream Team well and truly deserved based on their second half performance.

Berwick nearly scored again just minutes later. Somers pounced on a Buchanan flick-on to find himself one-on-one. His shot was well saved by Tas, and he too prevented Buchanan’s rebound. Without Tas in goal the score may have looked ugly for the visitors.

Hearts B had a chance late on as Hogarth’s cross from the right was begging for a header and it got one through Callen Robb. His effort was brilliantly stopped by Campbell to preserve Berwick’s clean sheet.

The Dream Team secured a 2-0 win, their first league win since the opening day triumph over Cowdenbeath. Berwick are back at Shielfield Park this Saturday as they host Gala Fairydean in another Lowland League game.