Bruce Hotel 5 Pheasant 2


Both teams started fast and a great saving tackle on the Bruce's Kennedy by Adams, after only 2 minutes, was the start of the action.
Mark Whalen, of Pheasant, should have shot his team into the lead on 10 minutes when Bob Widdowson put an inch-perfect pass in to him, but he mis-kicked and blew a great chance.
Graham Irvine, of the Bruce, then saw a shot saved by O'Connor. By now, the Bruce were having all the pressure and O'Connor came to the Dalbeattie side's rescue when he saved at the feet of Wassy Bell.
Keith Dingwall saved a certain goal when he headed clear off the line from a Porter corner.
Bruce should have had a penalty on 20 minutes when Hoodless was pulled down, but referee McKnight waved play on. Pheasant then saw a free-kick tipped over the bar by Bruce's new keeper Alex Green. But Green couldn't save his team a minute later when Jordan Paige scored direct from a free-kick, giving Pheasant a shock lead.
Graham Irvine had a soft shot saved easily by O'Connor, but he made up for it just after when a long throw was flicked on and Irvine equalised.
The Bruce took the lead on the half-hour when Wassy Bell took advantage of a keeping error and shot home from close range.
The Bruce extended their lead on 50 minutes when captain Russell launched a free-kick goalwards and a mix-up left Steven Hoodless to run clear and put it by the keeper, giving the Bruce a 3-1 lead.
Hoodless released Bell, who outstripped the Pheasant defence and as he was about to shoot player-manager Davie Berry got in a tackle to save a certain goal. The game seemed to quieten down for 10 minutes, then the Bruce had a free-kick on the halfway line.
As the defence was arguing, Hoodless took a quick free-kick to Bell and he chipped the ball over the advancing keeper to make it 4-1.
Pheasant pulled another back on 76 minutes when Peachy Simpson sent Jordan Paige clear and he also chipped the advancing keeper, but it was too late for this to make any difference and on the 85th minute, Wassy Bell got his hat-trick when he beat the offside trap and lobbed the keeper.
This was a well-deserved win for the Newton Stewart team and a good individual display by Man of the Match, Ian "Wassy" Bell.
The trophy was presented by Ferry Queen Abbie Rennie to Jamie Russell.
Manager Colin Campbell dedicated this win to Danny Meehan who sadly lost his life two weeks ago.