Despite incessant rain, a good crowd turned up at Millfield for the first Saturday match with spectators since March 2020. Haddington had enjoyed a 3 0 victory at Kirkcaldy in midweek, and manager Scott Bonar was able to bring back skipper Shaun Hill after injury.
Haddington attacked from the start but they found the young Dalkeith goalkeeper in excellent form, saving well from Auriemma and McGarry. It was mainly one way traffic but home goalkeeper Cornet had to be alert to divert a long range effort. Dalkeith were reduced to ten men around the half hour mark when the referee deemed a rash tackle on Auriemma worthy of a red card. Most felt it was a bit harsh. The Hi Hi’s broke the deadlock just before the interval when a corner from Auriemma on the right was turned into the net by a Thistle defender. There was no change in the pattern of play after the interval with Haddington trying to break down a stuffy defence. There were several close calls around the Thistle goal before another corner late in the game produced the second goal, and some breathing space for the home side. Seamus Russell met the corner at the far post and his header eluded the Thistle goalkeeper, leaving McGarry to nod in from point blank range. So three wins and a draw from their first four matches keeps Haddington in touch with the early pacesetters and new manager Bonar has kept his squad focussed despite the loss of influential player/manager Joe Hamill.
