Wind and Star defeat Tartan

PLAYING competitive football fixtures on the 3G pitch at Saughton ensured the Tartan v Tynecastle Star game went ahead when others on grass pitches were called off due to them being waterlogged.

Tartan have played on this new pitch since the start of the season, but it was Tynecastle Star in their first game at the new facility who looked the more comfortable side and they went on to win 3-2.

All the goals in this amateur clash were scored at the same end of the pitch. Star led 3-0 at the break after enjoying the advantage of a strong wind blowing from the west.

In the second half, Tartan got their first goal direct from a corner on the left and they reduced the deficit to 3-2 from a penalty.

Tynecastle dominated the first half and they had in No.8, Lampur, the best footballer on the park. This midfielder played great passes throughout the game and also got himself on the score sheet.

The game was stopped several times due to players getting hard knocks and the smallish pitch contributed to that as these adult players did not have much space to work in.

Steve Wright was denied an early goal for the home combine by a very good save by Tynecastle keeper, Kondstantinos Chryikos.

Star enjoyed the advantage of playing with a strong wind at their backs and that caused problems for Tartan keeper, Nicky Motion, when wind-assisted shots rained in on him throughout the first half.

The Tartan goal survived several very good attacks from the visitors and Motion lived up to his name as he was the busiest player in this game. The Tynecastle No.7 had an eventful start to the game, as he was flattened in three separate incidents and very good match referee, Malcolm Campbell, awarded free-kicks galore in an opening spell of play that resembled a cup tie.

The first of Tynecastle's three goals came when the impressive No.12, Marlon Bentley, slammed a well-hit shot past Motion from 18 yards out. Murdo Steven then went close to adding another goal for Star with a shot that zipped wide of the right-hand post.

Tartan caught the visitors several times in an offside trap but the football passing play of Tynecastle created several good chances, with Kevin Cornwall slamming in a shot that was punched over the crossbar by Motion in an aerial challenge with Burns.

After Chryikos had dealt with a shot at one end of the pitch, Tartan were let off the hook when Dario Valente elected to shoot from well out, instead of switching the ball to better placed colleagues on either flank.

Tartan won a corner on the left and it took a great double-handed block from Chryikos to stop the ball finding the back of the net.

Lampur's play in the centre of the park was outstanding and he made it 2-0 with a great opportunist goal following a good pass from Bentley. The home side were hard pressed as Star switched the ball about with excellent close passing and Tynecastle went into a 3-0 lead when Valente sent a lovely pass out to the flying Burns on the right and the big No.7 went past two defenders before sending a terrific low shot past Motion into the net at the far post.

In the last action of a very good first half, Motion produced the save of the game when he deflected a wonderful header from Valente away for a corner.

The home side were boosted at their half-time talk from their coach, who said: "If we manage to get a goal back in the second half, it will be a different ball game."

The start of the second half almost produced another goal for Tynecastle and it took another superb save from Motion to deny Valente, again, following a cross from the left, delivered by Manuel Ribeioro. Tartan No.9, Rudy Vallance, was then caught on the ball by Valente, but the hard-working Tynecastle centre-forward shot wide.

Jack White set up Bentley with a great pass, but the big No.12 blasted his shot over the bar.

Tartan continued to set up attacks and Neil Auld went down in the box but the penalty claims were turned down by Mr Campbell who was right up with play.

Players on both sides suffered knocks in this attack and the home side were lucky on two more occasions when shots from Tynecastle went wide of the target.

Then Tartan got the goal they needed to give themselves a chance to get back into the game and it came direct from a corner on the left, with Gerry Buchan sending his cross over the keeper and big Star defenders inside the far post to make it 3-1.

The home side now looked far more dangerous when they got going and they reduced the deficit to 3-2 when Scott Forsyth had the legs taken from him on the left-hand side of the 18-yard box. Richard Malcolm slammed the spot-kick past Chryikos to set the scene for an exciting last 12 minutes of play.

Still the Tynecastle Star strikers passed up good chances to extend their lead but Tartan were unable to add another goal in the closing minutes. The better team on the day emerged the winners but they changed from looking a great team in the first half to a team that lost their way to goal in the second stage of the game.

Tynecastle were the better passers of the ball, scored more goals than Tartan and had the best player on the pitch in Lampur. All things consider, they were the better football team and deserved their win.

Tartan: Nicky Motion, Camil, Mark Morris, Andy Young, Barry Young, Gerry Buchan, Neil Auld, John Chisholm, Rudy Callance, Richard Malcolm, David Gardiner, David Beason, Steven Craig, Jamie Burns, Scott Forsyth, Steve Wright.

Tynecastle Star: Konstantinos Chryikos, Kevin Cornwall, Jack White, Ian Laidlaw, Tam Wyman, Murdo Steven, Danny Burns, Lampur, Dario Valente, Marlon Bentley, Manuel Ribeioro, Oliver Li, Samuel Molubi, Max M'Souye.

Referee: Malcolm Campbell.