Something had to give at Millfield last Saturday when the Hi Hi’s entertained in form Sauchie Juniors in the Premier League. The Clackmannanshire side were unbeaten in their last eleven league games, equalling the record set by Linlithgow earlier in the season. The Millfield side were also on a good run hoping to extend their unbeaten run of nine league matches.
A crowd of 250 were rewarded by what many reckoned was the ‘game of the season’. Sauchie started strongly but the home side took the lead with their first meaningful attack in the 6th minute. Ali Simpson picked out Zach Szemis with a pinpoint cross field pass and the full back sent in an inviting cross which Dylan Tait converted. The visitors stepped up the pace some indifferent defending saw them equalise from close range in the 20th minute. Sauchie took the lead ten minutes later when a corner was played to the edge of the box and was sweetly dispatched past an unsighted Cornet. Minutes later the lively visiting striker Ross Kavanagh blocked a clearance from Cornet and the ball rolled into the unguarded net. The Hi Hi’s looked down and out but within a minute a trademark forward run from Ethan Williams saw him hit a superb 20 yard shot into the Sauchie net and game on!
Haddington took the game to Sauchie from the start of the second half and the visitors rarely troubled home ‘keeper Cornet. Both Williams and McGarry had chances to equalise but the match entered the last ten minutes with the visitors still a goal to the good.
In the 83rd minute Guy McGarry got to a long ball first and headed it into the path of skipper Gabri Auriemma who found the net with a calm finish. Millfield erupted and the noise was even grater four minutes later. Simpson won an important challenge and the ball was moved from Russell to Auriemma to Williams. Williams was closed down by a Sauchie defender but showed great composure before playing a ball into the six yard area where Szemis was first to react and netted from point blank range.
So Haddington extend their unbeaten league run to 10 matches and can equal Sauchie and Linlithgow if they avoid defeat against Dundonald Bluebell at Millfield on Saturday.
