With only fourteen players, we will be looking for some extra players to boost the squad up to at least sixteen. If anyone is interested in joining the Diamonds please get in touch.

MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

From last season

26th June          Uphall Diamonds  2  Murieston White  1

A long season started with a Soccer Sevens friendly way back in August, Muri White were our opponents that day. Ten months later the season ended with an eleven a side game against the same team.

Murieston had the first attempt at goal, a shot that Michael saved without too much trouble. After that the Diamonds took control, playing some good football. Jack made a good goalwards run, but was closed down by some equally good defending. A Callum cross then deflected wide for a corner.

On three minutes the Diamonds took the lead, with a very good goal. Liam won possession at the back and played a pass to Jack, he held the ball up and knocked it wide to Callum. A quick one/two was exchanged with James before Callum threaded a pass through to Jack. He ran in and made no mistake, tucking a low shot into the net.

The home side continued to create chances. Liam made a foray into the Muri half, slipping a pass to Callum, the keeper intercepting before Callum could shoot. Craig then pulled a shot wide. Murieston were always dangerous on the break and came close when a free kick was headed over the bar. It was still however mostly Diamonds pressure.

Callum and Stephen were swinging in some tempting crosses, but the eager forwards were making their runs just a little too early, getting caught offside. Frustrating, but much better than what had happened earlier in the season when those kind of passes weren't being attacked. Some good tackling by Robbie set up another chance, Campbell and Craig combined, with Craig firing a shot wide.

Murieston then had a good spell of play, some quick passing carved open the Diamonds defence, a forward shooting wide. Michael then had to be quickly off his line to smother the ball after another good passing move. The half ended with a Craig free kick swinging just wide of the far post.  

Craig's free kick drifts just wide

The second half started with Aaron taking over in goals - his final appearance for the Diamonds as he is shortly moving away from West Lothian. Murieston weren't going to give him an easy send off and they came close when a shot was driven wide. Aaron had is covered though! The Diamonds keeper was helpless though on eight minutes when Murieston equalized. The ball wasn't cleared by a strangely hesitant defence; a Muri player picked up the loose ball and played a pass to one of his colleagues who ran through from a suspiciously offside position to score.

Three minutes later the Diamonds lead was restored. Jack received a pass, and to be honest looked to be yards offside. He did what all good strikers do; he played to the whistle, ran through and lofted a shot into the far corner of the net. The Diamonds very nearly scored again, Campbell played a quick and well executed free kick to Craig, through on goal, was denied a shot by the referee's offside whistle. It was a close decision, but I suppose we couldn't complain too much.

As the game drew to a close Murieston pushed harder and harder for an equalizer, pinning the Diamonds back, a series of corners were swung into the goalmouth and scrambled away. With the thirty minutes up, it looked as though the home side had survived, but still play raged on ...

Another corner was swung in and a shot blocked. Getting nervous the Diamonds found it hard to get the ball out of their own half. With four minutes of injury time played Murieston won another corner, a long ball was swung in, knocked goalwards and powerfully headed down - with the Murieston touchline acclaiming a goal, Aaron dived full length to claw the ball off the goal line. The ball spinning wide for yet another corner, that one was cleared and with six minutes of injury time played it seemed the Diamonds had survived, but still play raged on ...

The Diamonds cleared and made it into the Murieston half, for what seemed like the first time in a good ten minutes. Muri won the ball back and as the game entered its eighth minute of injury time they won yet another corner. A chance was created and saved by Aaron diving and hold onto the ball.

At last the final whistle blew! 

The Diamonds determindly defending as the game draws to a close.