Swifts Fly High and Hit Five

Seven days can be a long time in football and that’s how it felt in the build up to this match. A poor result from the prior week meant that this game couldn’t come around quick enough in the hope that the team would bounce back with a positive performance.

Fowler and top goalscorer Holt returned to the starting 11 in place of Smith and Dewar. Deans also made a welcome return to the squad and took his place amongst the substitutes.

Oakley came into this match off the back of two very impressive results to proceed in the Scottish Cup at the expense of Super League side St Andrews.

Jeanfield began the match in a pedestrian manner handing the advantage to Oakley. The visitors were looking dangerous, especially when the ball moved into the wider areas. The first goal came midway through the first half. The ball was switched out wide without much pressure on the ball, the wide man then took the ball in his stride before sliding a cross along the six yard line for an easy finish. Not the start that Jeanfield would have wanted.

It almost got worse for the home side with a carbon copy of the goal almost putting them two down, however Fleming managed to block the shot out for a corner.

Jeanfield then started to raise their game in an attempt to get back into this match with Dodd, Kelly and McLeish all starting to find pockets of space in advanced areas. McDermid and Anton started to play in more advanced positions which seemed to push the visitors back in an attempt to close of the spaces.

The pressure eventually told and the Swifts equalised through Dodd. The winger was played in expertly by the skipper Anton and he calmly slotted the ball past the keeper into the corner of the net.

Jeanfield were now on top and this pressure told once again with the home side going in front. McLeish bravely challenged for a header and nicked the ball away from the defender who sent him crashing to the ground, not the first time “Beako” has taken one for the team!
A free kick 20 yards from goal means only one thing – Holt. The Jeanfield legend has been in sparking form with the dead ball this season and once again he didn’t disappoint. With Anton and McLeish adding bodies to the poorly placed wall, Holt just passed the ball into the bottom corner of the goal – the keeper didn’t even move.

Shortly afterwards, Holt almost scored an exact copy of his first free kick. This time though the ball grazed the outside of the post as the goal keeper looked on in hope.

At this stage Swifts were in control and threatening the Oakley goal at will. Some excellent corners were put in by Dodd but the finishing touch just wasn’t there. Those missed chances came back to haunt the home side as Oakley equalised against the run of play. A long ball was controlled by Oakleys right midfielder who skipped away from a couple of half hearted challenges and slipped the ball through the back 4 for the striker to smash past the on rushing Mitchell.

Half Time 2-2.

Jeanfield came out in the second half with real intent and purpose. Fowler and Holt began to run the centre of midfield and that allowed the home team to have continuous spells of good pressure.

The home side took the lead from another well delivered Dodd corner. This time the cross found Gunnion at the back post who had the awareness to nod the ball down to Baker who smashed home for his first Jeanfield goal.

This appeared to open the floodgates and Jeanfield went two goals ahead shortly afterwards with Baker again through on goal. This time the goalkeeper did well to block his shot but Dodd was on hand the snap up the rebound to make it 4-2.

There was to be no repeat of the previous week when Jeanfield adding a third through a penalty to effectively seal the three points. Anton whipped the ball in from a wide freekick which would have met Gunnion’s run if the manager hadn’t been manhandled to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and that man Holt stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way.

A late consolation goal was scored by Oakley via a wide freekick and a free header but the three points were to stay in Perth and get Jeanfield back on the winning track.