Camelon 2 – 3 Berwick Rangers: Match Report
Jamie Stevenson in action on Friday night! (Credit: Camelon Juniors FC Facebook)
Berwick held off a spirited second half comeback from Camelon to progress into the Quarter Final of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.
The Dream Team ran out 3-2 winners thanks to a brace from Graham Taylor and Lewis Barr’s strike in the first half, earning themselves a trip to Dunipace next.
Thomas Scobbie’s first game in charge saw two changes from the side that lost at Albion with Drew Cummings and Cammy Graham replacing Andrew Gaffney and Kyle Baker with Callum Mackay and Ben Lamont back available on the bench.
Despite being two tiers below Berwick, Gordon Wylde’s Camelon came racing out of the blocks, looking to press Berwick high and hit them with pace down the wings and almost had an early lead. A corner wasn’t properly cleared and a lovely pass round the corner set in James Finlay but Callum Antell was out quickly to smother his effort.
It was an early warning for Scobbie’s men and they got another one a couple of minutes later. A long ball from defence set the dangerous Rhys Walker scampering away down the left. The wideman had too much pace of Jamie McCormack and was through on goal but his attempted dink was really poor and way wide.
It was a difficult start for The Dream Team but they quickly started to find their rhythm and pin Camelon back in their own half, almost going ahead. Good football saw Alex Harris release Scott Bright down the left. His low cross wasn’t fully cleared by Steven Thicot and fell to Cammy Graham but his effort was well saved by Evan Collumbine.
However, the Berwick pressure would eventually tell. Jamie Stevenson drove into midfield and was completely wiped out by Sam Collumbine, winning a free kick. As the host expected a ball into the area, Stevenson played it short to Harris, who beat a man then slipped through McCormack on the left. The centre half showed great determination to reach the ball before the keeper and square it to Barr, who bundled it over the line to give Berwick a deserved lead.
Berwick continued to press with Graham twice forcing saves from Collumbine but just before halftime, they doubled their advantage. Declan Fitzpatrick hacked down Graham on the edge of the area and gave Stevenson a wonderful chance from a free kick. His effort was fantastic, drawing a brilliant save from the goalkeeper who had to tip it onto his crossbar but could only watch as it fell perfectly for Taylor who poked it into the empty net.
Within 90 seconds, Berwick were gifted a third. Fitzpatrick’s square ball on halfway was really poor and Taylor latched onto it. He knocked it past Ian Smith, sprinting clear of the full back and slotting it expertly past Collumbine to give Berwick a nice cushion before the break.
It had been an excellent first half performance but many expected a response from the hosts and, two minutes into the second half, Camelon provided one. They worked the ball left to the dangerous Walker who breezed past Joe Ellison and McCormack and wrapped an effort past Antell to give the hosts hope.
Berwick, though, remained dangerous going forward and had chances to extend their lead. First, a low ball from Cummings found Bayley Klimionek but his effort on the spin went just wide before a long ball down the left found Graham, who cut in and sent an effort just over the bar.
Camelon still felt they had a shot at pulling off a comeback and were starting to apply more pressure with striker Kieran Dolan in particular causing problems and with four minutes to go, he pulled one back. A simple ball found Walker in the middle of the park and he played a straight ball through for Dolan who kept his composure and fired past Antell to set up a grandstand finish.
That grandstand finish never really came though as Berwick defended resolutely and saw out the win to ensure progress into the last 8 and a win for new boss Scobbie in his first ever game in management.
Attention turns to the much anticipated return to Shielfield Park next Saturday when Tranent visit in Lowland League action.
