NAPIER UNIVERSITY made a winning debut in their first season in the Universities Leagues with a very good 4-0 win against Glasgow University 2nd XI on the 3G pitch at Saughton.
The home team consisted mostly of players who play for Napier in the Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur Leagues and they certainly were much more aware, better organised and skilful than the Glasgow team in this game.
Glasgow had the advantage of the
wind in the first half, but it was Napier who created the better chances. Roope Reinakenien in the Glasgow goal was in spectacular form as he threw himself about to stop shots flying in at him from all angles.
Chris Crookes was prominent in many of the Napier attacks early on and Keith Malsteed was another player who looked to be in top form for the Edinburgh students.
Paul Henderson and Jon Reid had good shots blocked by the fully-stretched Glasgow outfit and Malsteed had a header well saved by Reinakenien.
The very quick pace continued unabated with Napier playing exceptional football, while Glasgow were very good in defending their goal.
Glenn McVea was spoken to be the referee for a very heavy tackle on a Glasgow player on the left, but the resultant free-kick was cleared by home goalie, Gary Strachan. Napier won corners galore in the first half but none of them produced a goal. Malsteed went on a great run up the left then delivered a very good pass to Gavin Malin, but the Napier No.12 shot wide of the target.
Devin Chetty, one of the few small players on the pitch was excellent in the heart of the Glasgow defence and his organisational skills helped thwart the Napier attacks. But it was Chetty who presented Napier with a great chance to open the scoring with a very slack pass back and Reid got to the loose ball first only to see his shot blocked again by Reinakenien.
In the 31st minute it was Napier that were let off the hook when a free-kick from the right managed to go through the home defence to Pacitti at the back post, but the Glasgow No.11 fired the ball straight at Strachan, who managed to hold on to it and clear.
Malsteed fluffed another shot from a good position while Paul Griffin was off target at the other end and most of the danger in the Glasgow attacks came from Moniz, but it was still 0-0 at the end of a first half.
On the restart, Napier stepped up the pace but the Glasgow defence held out, until Reinakenien could only block a shot from Henderson and the rebound landed perfectly for Malsteed to score with a superb left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
After waiting to long for the first goal, along came another in the 58th minute when Reid was flattened in the box and Crookes made an immaculate job from the resultant spot-kick
Reid had another good attempt well saved by the Glasgow keeper and Napier carved open the visiting defence time and time again with their slick, accurate passing. Orin Parkinson had the ball in the Glasgow net, but the whistle had already gone for offside against the disbelieving Henderson.
Reid sent a wonderful crossball from the left in behind the Glasgow defence but Billy Wilson was just unable to get a foot to the ball and it went behind for a goal-kick. Wilson then sent a cross over from the left and the wind lifted the ball on to the top of the Glasgow crossbar and behind, again.
In the 82nd minute a brilliant effort from Crookes from a position on the bye-line to the right of the Glasgow goal went in to the net just inside the far post to make it 3-0 for Napier. On the restart, it was the turn of the Napier defence to survive a good run and shot from Shaun Buchan. Then Chris Benwell sent a rebound off an indirect free-kick given against Napier just wide of Strachan's left-hand post.
In the last minute of the game, Crookes made it 4-0 when he managed to get a foot to the ball before Reinakenien to prod it over the line.
Napier coach Gary Cardle expressed his delight at his side's first win in the Universities Leagues. "We played lovely passing football in the first half without it being translated in to goals. I am pleased with the way Napier played and I thought we were well worth our 4-0 win. We were the better team on the day."
Napier University: Gary Strachan, Glenn McVea, Craig Magee, Wayne Murdo, Kirk McMillan, Keith Malsteed, Chris Malsteed, Chris Crookes, Gavin Malin, Paul Henderson, Jon Reid, John Stewart, Vito Volta, Orin Parkinson, Billy Wilson.
Glasgow University 2nd Xl: Roope Reinakenien, Chris Benwell, Jamie McQueen, Paul Griffin, Devin Chetty, Dominic Ritchie, Dominic Moniz, Shaun Buchan, Edwin Taylor, Maek Gobal, Paolo Pacitti, Richard Brown, Bartolomeo Silverstre, Neil Buchan.
Referee: Brian Latto.
