Spectators at New Beechwood Park were served up a cracker on Sunday, as Dryburgh Athletic welcomed local side Forfar Farmington to Dundee.
It was match day 4 in the Barclays SWF Championship and Dryburgh were looking to bounce back following back-to-back defeats.
Newly promoted Forfar had made a bright start to the season, with 2 wins and just a solitary defeat from their first 3 matches.
Dryburgh: Farquharson, Watt, Robbie, Irvine, Burns, Brady, Hopkins, Gauld, Gollan(C), Laing, Scobie. Subs: Paterson(GK), Hassett, Blyth, Lonie, Jones-Burns, Moffat.
Forfar: K. White, L. White, Cattanach(C), Paton, Young, Cairns, Dishington, McCagh, Garrigan, Patterson, Johansen. Subs: Grattan(GK), Bruce, Greig, Kilcoyne, McKeague, Milne.
The early stages were fairly even in what was a frantic start to the game. It was Dryburgh who slowly began to gain some control, with Scobie, Laing and Gauld looking a constant threat at the top end of the park.
The first real chance fell to Scobie, who did well to bring down a Gabby Watt cross on her chest, but some good defending seen the ball turned behind for a corner.
Scobie was involved again soon after, as the forward showed great feet to get away from two Forfar defenders. The Farmington captain, Cattanach, tugged back the Burgh forward with her clean through on goal and the referee blew for a free kick just outside the box. With the pair on the ground, Scobie retaliated and was shown a red card. The referee also booked Cattanach for the initial foul.
Dryburgh were a little shook by the loss of their top scorer and Forfar began to create a few opportunities, with Farqurharson making a good save down to her right to keep the scores level.
Just before the break however it was the 10-players of Dryburgh who went closest to taking a half time lead. A mix up at the back for Forfar let in Clara Laing, but the Burgh forward saw her shot go just agonisingly wide of the post.
Burgh brought on Katie Hassett for Aoife Gauld at the break, with Hassett adding experience and steel to the now back-3 of Dryburgh.
The change also saw full backs Burns and Watt get further forward to provide width, a move that would pay dividends just 3 minutes after the restart. Burgh defender Kiah Irvine stepped out from the back with the ball and picked an inch perfect pass between the Forfar defence for the now wing back Watt to latch on to. Watt took a touch before slotting the ball to the keepers left to give Dryburgh the lead.
Forfar had the majority of possession without creating any real clear cut chances, with Dryburgh now happy to soak up the pressure and hit the visitors on the counter.
The home side were looking fairly comfortable until a long ball wasn’t dealt with and Patterson was on hand to fire the ball home from close range to restore parity at 1-1.
As this pulsating encounter reached the latter stages it was looking like the spoils might be shared. Neither team however were settling for that and again Irvine found Watt on the right, this time she found herself one-on-one with left back White as she drove forward with the ball. As White backed off Watt seen her opportunity and unleashed a fine dipping effort from 25 yards over the Forfar keeper to regain the lead for Dryburgh at 2-1.
10-player-Burgh managed to see the game out for the remaining 6 minutes plus stoppage time to claim their second victory of the Championship season.
Dryburgh had to dig deep at times to gain the 3 points in what was an extremely competitive and entertaining game of football. It was fitting that the match was won by such a fine strike by Gabby Watt who was excellent throughout the game.
Final Score -
Dryburgh Athletic 2-1 Forfar Farmington
POTM - Gabby Watt - There were plenty of candidates for Dryburgh but Watt’s two vital goals and energy on the right saw her deservedly take the award.
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