4-1: M1s vs Monarchs (Scottish Premiership) - 22/10/22
Hillhead welcomed Monarchs for their 6th match of the 22/23 season, keen to put their previous 9-0 defeat at the hands of Edinburgh University behind them.
Yan Adams’ team knew the importance of this game as they continue to push for a top 6 spot before the mid-season split and were keen to test the newly promoted Monarchs. Well drilled in what to expect from the visitors, plenty of aerials and longballs, Hillhead looked to take all 3 points from this game.
The match began as expected with Monarchs centre back Callum Boag providing most of the distribution from the back, but the Hillhead defensive setup kept the visitors from getting any meaningful possession.
The Glasgow side found the first goal with a Matt “Bulldog” Carder deflection following a short corner breakdown that was so clean it should become a standard routine.
Hillhead were keen to continue applying pressure and soon after Jude Boslem had worked himself into a dangerous position at the top of the Monarch’s circle. Under good pressure from the defenders, he was forced around the edge of the circle as he looked to release a reverse stick shot, the ball leaving the D in the process. He checked his swing, brought the ball back onto the line and unleashed a rocket off his reverse that flew past the Monarch’s keeper, thundering off the backboard. Pleas from the visitors were heard and the goal was disallowed for being outside the circle, the score remained 1-0 going into the half-time break.
Hillhead came out strong in the 3rd quarter and their play was rewarded as player/coach Yan Adams stepped n front of his defender to catch a sweet deflection on an inviting ball, 2-0.
Monarchs were far from finished with this game however, their long ball and aerial potential not allowing the Hillhead defence to switch off for a second. They eventually found joy in the Hillhead half and won a penalty corner which was initially saved high as the ball seemed to hang in the air. It couldn’t stay there forever and fell back to the ground, carrying with it a frantic and unpredictable spin which directed it tantalisingly along the goal line. Hillhead’s man on the line found the ball just out of his reach as the Monarch’s forward poked the ball home to make the score 2-1, which it would remain until the final quarter.
Yan had got a taste for goal and was hungry for more, which he soon found with a spectacular reverse strike after some cute play to beat the defender. While his teammates celebrated enthusiastically Adams merely jogged back to the halfway line, nary a fist pump in sight. 3-1
There would be more cause for celebration as he looked to complete his hattrick, rounding the keeper and shooting across goal, again on his reverse, but the 3rd was cruelly stolen in desperate striker form by JLS for his first goal of the season. JLS seemed guaranteed to double his tally after Jude receives the ball wide, drives into the circle along the baseline and squares past the keeper for a simple tap in… which is duly bounced straight back, past the far post leaving the striker with his head in his hands and his goal tally remaining embarrassingly single. In fact, the stolen goal was the highlight of an otherwise bleak game for JLS with mistraps aplenty.
The clock ran down before any more chances could be squandered and the game finished 4-1. Hillhead now look ahead to a crucial string of matched against Inverleith, ESM and Uddingston, from which points are vital if they wish to challenge for a top half finish.
MotM: Sean Horgan
DotD: JLS, fair enough.