Beacher bags Uni the points

Edinburgh UNIVERSITY maintained their winning form after a Jack Beacher strike ten minutes from time snatched all three points for the home side at Peffermill. It’s a result that gives the Students their fourth league win in five matches, and also sees them climb into the top half of the table for the first time this season – at the expense of Saturday’s opponents, Tynecastle.

“We’re on a good run at the moment,” said University head coach Douglas Samuel. “Between East of Scotland and University matches we’re now unbeaten in eight or nine games.”

“But Tynecastle were tough opponents on the day. You just felt that one goal was going to win it, and I was lucky enough to be able to bring a bit of class off the bench, which I think was the tipping point in the end.”

Samuel introduced Beacher and James Craigen into the action during the second half, and the pair combined to produce the winning goal.

But their efforts might have been irrelevant had Mark Tait not kept the scoreline blank at half time. The Uni goalkeeper was twice called into action in the early stages to deny the visitors an opener, and those crucial stops may have made all the difference in a tight game.

Tynecastle’s bright start was helped by a stiff wind at their back, with the forwards latching on to a number of penetrating balls through the centre of the park.

In the 11th minute Robbie Arthur set up Kevin Brown on the edge of the area and his drive was tipped athletically over the bar by Tait.

The Uni’s keeper was called into action again five minutes later when Brown released Josh Morris through the centre of the field and Tait came out of his box to make an important block with his body.

Morris was released a second time in the 19th minute but was sufficiently distracted by his marker to send the ball wide of target.

The Students played their way gradually into the match, helped in the second half by playing downwind, and also by the double substitution on the hour mark.

In the 79th minute, the lively Beacher was played down the left wing, and his cross found its way in to Cyrus Moosavi, who chipped the ball over the target from the back post.

But just a minute later, Beacher was played off down the wing again, this time tearing into the box, and after a one-two with Craigan placed the ball sweetly past the ’keeper into the far corner of the net. Tynecastle had the chance to hit back just a couple of minutes later after Aird was brought down right on the edge of the box but Arthur drove the resulting free kick straight into the wall, before Brown skied the follow up.

One final chance fell to Tynecastle two minutes into added time, with Williams heading over a dangerous cross by Morris.

“There weren’t many chances in the game,” said Tynecastle boss Tom Steven.

“I think they had two chances and scored one, and we had three chances and scored none. That was the difference on the day.”

Edinburgh University: Tait, Cathcart, Gair, Bain, Valkalla, Irvine (Craigen 61), Ward, Rawlinson, Moosavi, Murray (Beacher 61), Trialist. Subs: Woodhouse, Frain, Brownie.

Tynecastle: Vannet, Saounela, D McAleavey, Aird, Hastings, Williams, Caddow (Morrison70), C McAleavey, Morris, Brown, Arthur. Subs: Speed, Mearns, Wague, Gilbertson.