Burgh travelled down to Berwick-Upon-Tweed for a long trek to face in-form Tweedmouth on a mild Saturday afternoon.
Calum Anderson made his bid to get the quickest booking in the Guinness Book of Records as he went into a tackle in only the 12th SECOND and the referee duly obliged with the yellow card after Ando tried to recover from a heavy first touch.
The visitors suffered a first blow when defender Struan Grieve hobbled off with a knee injury in only the 10th minute after a brief spell of treatment, to be replaced by Josh Doyle.
It was a first half of few chances but Newburgh took the lead in the 17th minute when a pin-point free kick deep into the Tweedmouth penalty area was met by Michael Perrie who slotted home from about 8 yards out.
The home side won possession in the middle of the park and with a swift move created a chance, shot wide, in the 24th minute. Whilst at the other end Anderson was unlucky not to find a stretching Perrie in the penalty area moments later.
On 29 minutes, Rory Marshall sent a defence-splitting pass from the middle of the Burgh area which sent Cai Macdonald racing through. Fortunately for the hosts, a last-ditch tackle managed to stop Macdonald with a chance to strike with the ball passed back to the keeper. The danger wasn’t over as the keeper’s poor clearance cannoned off O’Rourke’s back and rebounded to Macdonald again who turned and shot with the keeper diving to his right to save.
The home side had a great chance in the 32nd minute with a slick move down the right wing, and played across the area which found 2 attackers at the far post with all the time in the world before Mark Robertson came to the rescue with a brilliant save for a corner.
Moments later a long throw from the right was flicked across the Burgh penalty area and again there was space at the far post for a low shot that Robertson was again equal to.
Newburgh’s troubles continued to mount when they lost sub Doyle to a serious-looking knee injury after a crunching 50-50 ball as both Doyle and striker appeared to kick the ball at the same time. Doyle won the tackle, played the ball away and immediately fell to the ground and his game was over.
Tweedmouth missed two great chances to equalise inside five minutes. First the striker beat Robertson to the ball but his effort looped and came back off the crossbar and the keeper pounced on the loose ball. A similar long-ball deep into the Burgh half again saw the striker narrowly beat Robertson to the ball, round the keeper but the ball bounced badly and the chance with the goal at his mercy was missed.
The warning signs weren’t heeded and in the 62nd minute the equaliser did come when a great cross from the left was met by Robinson’s thigh and flew into the top corner.
Burgh nearly restored their lead in the 66th minute when a slide ball from Jamie Gay put Macdonald through on the left side of the area, but the keeper made a great save to deny the Burgh striker. Moments later Marshall played another slide ball through to O’Rourke who controlled well, took his time to escape a defender and send a shot goalwards. With the ball beating the keeper and heading into the net, a retreating defender managed to get a knee to it to deflect over the bar.
The home side, instead, took the lead in the 78th minute with a passing move led to another penetrating cross from the left that fell on a plate to Robinson in the Burgh area and he volleyed home past Robertson with a great finish.
Sub Andrew Reade had a great chance in the 82nd minute which brought an excellent fingertip save from the home keeper as Burgh chased an equaliser, whilst Gay had an effort straight into the keeper’s body from the edge of the area moments later.
It was a disappointing result and a long journey home after a costly defeat with nasty-looking injuries to a number of players, including Grieve and Doyle. Hopefully they aren’t too serious.
Best wishes to Tweedmouth for the rest of the season and we thank them for their excellent hospitality.
