Douglas 1 AHSFP's 3

Fp's travelled through to Claypotts in Dundee to play Douglas in a Midlands first division fixture. With all the teams fighting for promotion playing on the same night, three points was a must. Manager Smith rotated his starting eleven slightly due to fixture congestion and fatigue. Humphreys and Kidd were rested with Riddle and Lawson taking their place. Lees came in for the injured Gall. Lees started in midfield and Dall moved up front to form a new partnership with Ferrier.

 With the ground extremely hard and the low spring sunshine blinding both sets of players the opening exchanges in this tie were quite subdued with neither team taking control. However with the Fp's playing directly into the sun it was Douglas who began to impose themselves with the lions share of possession.

 Douglas opened the scoring from an attacking free kick from the Fp's. D.Smith picked out Dall in the box but his header went in the opposite direction of the goal. It fell to a Douglas midfielder who found his lone striker with a long pass. He easily beat Riddle before side footing past the helpless Saunderson in the Fp's goal.

 To their credit Fp's battled on and were rewarded with an equaliser before half time. A lung bursting run by G.Smith won his side a corner. D.Smiths corner kick was only half cleared and was pounced on by SEAN LEES who fired low into the net.

 Douglas were then reduced to ten men when their defender was sent off for abusive language.

Half Time:Douglas 1 AHSFP's 1

 After some stern words at half time between players and management due to a somewhat lack luster first half, the Fp's came out in a much more determined fashion. As a result they put this game to bed in the first five minutes. A long through ball by sweeper Riddell was latched onto by Ferrier but he was brought down twenty yards out just as he was about to shoot. Up stepped JAMIE MACINTOSH to fire an unstoppable free kick into the top left hand corner for his first goal of the season.

 Only minutes later Fp's got their third. Lawsons throw in was brilliantly dummied by D.Smith and Ferrier again was the provider as he played in KEVIN DALL who slid in to knock the ball passed the outcoming keeper.

 Fp's then brought on Mclaren for the tiring Lees. Saunderson was by now a mere spectator in goals but Fp's missed out on a couple of occasions to increase their lead. Twice Ferrier went through, the first time he picked out Mclaren but he fired wide with the goal gaping. On the second occasion he tried to pick out Dall who was marked instead of shooting himself and the chance was lost.

 Riddle and Macintosh were then replaced by Humphreys and Kidd respectively. Humphreys slotted in beside regular partner Fenwick and both centre halves dished out some fair bone crunching tackles before the final whistle to typify the growing determination to win that is shining through for the Fp's this season.

 The man of the match award went to captain Gordon Smith for his typical box to box performance.

Team:Saunderson, Riddle, Riddell, Fenwick, G.Smith(c), Lees, D.Smith, Lawson, Macintosh, Ferrier, Dall, Macintosh, Kidd & Mclaren