He Said:
The glamour tie of this week's Uist and Barra League proceedings was the Benbecula v Southend derby held on the DI pitch on a warm midweek evening.
The playing surface was immaculate, and was to suit both teams' style of play during the match. Both teams were missing key players, as Southend were without brothers Norman John and Andrew MacIsaac with Benbecula missing midfielder Donald 'Don Dons' MacPherson.
The game began with Southend pressing forward looking for an early goal, but they were nearly undone when Colin MacPhail latched onto a through ball from the Benbecula midfield. The big striker coolly slotted it away, however the linesman had his flag up and the home side were denied a perfect start.
Southend on the other hand took this early sign as a wake-up call and began to settle into their rhythm with some neat passes in midfield.
She Said:
Benbecula kicked off the match and within a minute had the ball in the back of the net, but this was disallowed as one of the strikers was judged to be in an offside position.
The home side took confidence from their early chance and were looking comfortable in possession in the opening stages; however it was Southend who threatened next. Duncan MacQuarrie and Duncan Allan Steele combined down the left wing with the latter firing in a shot from a wide angle - which Ross Sutherland smothered. Benbecula then earned a free kick on 9 minutes, and Neil MacPhee was forced into a double save from Mathew MacRury and younger brother Donald.
The play raged on from end to end for the next fifteen minutes or so with Benbecula having most of the possession and Southend reduced to sporadic attacks, but they did come close to breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes. From the edge of the box, Duncan Allan Steele sent a low drive across the keeper, but Ross Sutherland stretched out his left leg at the last minute to steer the ball wide of goal.
Shonnie Steele then latched on to the loose ball and crossed to the back post but Sutherland recovered to thwart any danger.
He Said:
Southend's first chance of the game was to fall to the excellent Duncan Steele who managed to turn past his man on the left and fire a shot low at the goal - which was just saved.
Benbecula seemed to be very sluggish in the opening exchanges but managed to break the deadlock with a superb individual goal from Hector MacPhee on 27 minutes. The midfielder - who recently starred for the Lewis and Harris Select against Scottish Division Two Champions Ross County - broke away with the ball on the halfway line, and then managed to step past several Southend players before eventually firing his shot low past the on-rushing Neil MacPhee in the Southend goal: 1-0 to Benbecula.
She Said:
Midway through the half, Benbecula got the goal their play merited. Hector MacPhee picked the ball up 25 yards out and, unmarked, had time to fire an effort at the Southend goal. As Neil MacPhee dived to his right to make the save, the ball bounced awkwardly and skipped over him into the net. With Southend being overrun in midfield, players lost their place and composure and within five minutes conceded a further two goals.
He Said:
Two minutes later, Benbecula were to find themselves further ahead thanks to Colin MacPhail. Excellent play by Hector MacPhee allowed the big striker to find himself on the six-yard line with the ball at his feet. MacPhail calmly sent the keeper the wrong way - and also left question marks on Southend's defence as to how nobody picked up the striker.
Southend pushed forward, trying to get themselves back into the game and almost did it on the half hour mark through the talents of the lively Scott Matheson. Benbecula only half-cleared from a Duncan Steele corner; the ball landed at the young striker's feet, but his former Wanderers team-mate denied him with a point blank save.
The game was certainly end to end, as both teams have similar open attacking styles of play in addition to their solid backlines; but the home side were to find themselves in dreamland on 32 minutes as Colin MacPhail grabbed his brace, although the striker really had Neil MacPhee to thank as the goalkeeper practically handed him the chance. A hopeful punt forward by the Benbecula midfield looked an easy catch for MacPhee in goal but he dropped the ball onto MacPhail's foot - who tucked the ball away, sending his team mates into celebration.
This really was a disastrous first half display by Southend; however they are on of these teams that, no matter how far you are ahead, will keep pushing forward and try to get back into the game.
She Said:
Colin MacPhail slotted home on 29 mins after being played through on goal and three minutes later netted his second as he latched on to a ball which was misjudged by Neil MacPhee in the Southend goal. This proved to be a frenzied five-minute spell in which Southend also created two good chances through David Steele and Duncan MacQuarrie, but they failed to beat the young keeper and then had to come to terms with being 3-0 down.
He Said:
Scott Matheson was first to have a chance to get the South Uist team a goal as he managed to break the Benbecula offside trap; but Benbecula's goalkeeper managed to rush off his line.
The pressure eventually paid off as Southend grabbed a goal before half-time. Duncan Steele's free kick was saved, but Duncan MacQuarrie reacted fastest to head home as the Benbecula defence failed to track his run. It was 3-1 half time, with both managers having plenty to say to their teams during the interval.
She Said:
On 33 mins Benbecula's Mathew MacRury curled an effort over the bar and Scott Matheson of Southend found himself clean through on 35 minutes, but shot straight at the keeper. Southend, to their credit, rallied for the remainder of the half and pulled a goal back on 37 minutes through Duncan MacQuarrie.
DA Lindsay acted promptly to set up Duncan Allan Steele from a free kick, and as his effort was only parried out by Ross Sutherland, MacQuarrie was on hand to head home from close range.
DA Lindsay had a chance to reduce the deficit to one goal before half time, but he curled a 20 yard free kick over the bar and so a frenzied first half ended with Benbecula in front by three goals to one.
He Said:
The second half began as the first ended, with Southend trying to get their feet back into the match. Benbecula were holding their own at the back with Matthew 'Dobes' MacRury, Ali MacAulay, David 'Ginge' MacInnes and Martin Sloss playing exceptionally.
But it is always the same old story with Southend - no matter how well you defend against them they some how manage to back into the game. Archie Steele connected to a through ball from midfield on the edge of the Benbecula box, and bent his shot high into the top corner.
They then pushed further and further up the park to try and find the equaliser, leaving gaps at the back - and were punished on 55 minutes when Hector MacPhee got his second of the game. A through ball from Benbecula captain Don 'Butch' Morrison reached the unmarked MacPhee who ran through beating the keeper with a carbon copy of his first goal. 4-2 to Benbecula, who looked good money for the win now.
She Said:
On 49 minutes Colin MacPhail found himself through on goal; but he failed to beat Neil MacPhee, who saved well. From the goal kick Shonnie Steele controlled the ball and lofted a pass into Scott Matheson; his neat lay off was latched onto by Archie Steele who sent a looping left foot shot over Ross Sutherland reducing the deficit to 3-2 with 50 minutes gone.
Southend were looking strong at this stage and were beginning to play better football, but a mix-up between David and Cailean Steele on 55 minutes allowed Benbecula to reclaim their two-goal advantage. Hector MacPhee pounced on the mistake, drove into the box and drilled the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net, 4-2. As Southend's frustration grew, Ruairidh and Duncan Allan Steele saw yellow for dissent.
He Said:
Benbecula managed to hold on for 20 minutes before Southend grabbed their third of the match.
Benbecula were defending a corner from the right-hand side, but only half-cleared for the second time of the match. A shot was fired from the edge by Shonnie Steele which took a wicked deflection of Ali MacAulay that wrong footed the goalkeeper, resulting in the ball nestling in the back of the net.
Benbecula knew that they had to defend exceptionally for the last 20 minutes, as they could not afford to give Southend any more chances; but Southend did get more chances, forcing Sutherland to tip a DA Lindsey free kick over the bar and then rush off his line to prevent Archie Steele getting his second.
More drama was to come in the last minutes, when Duncan MacQuarrie managed to get himself sent off after he lunged in on Hector MacPhee. This was the final blow for Southend, and they never really created any more chances after the 80-minute mark. She Said:
The next phase of the match saw Southend eager to get back into the game and Benbecula try and increase their lead. As Southend pushed forward, Benbecula forced a couple of half chances on 63 and 64 minutes which never truly tested the keeper.
Southend's pressure then paid off at 72 mins, when Benbecula failed to clear from a corner. Ruairidh Steele fired the ball back across goal were Shonnie Steele was free to slam the ball into the back of the net, 4-3.
Three minutes later, and Southend had a great chance to level the match. Duncan Allan Steele sent a pinpoint cross onto the foot of Duncan MacQuarrie, but from 6 yards out but he blazed over.
The same player sent an effort wide on 77 minutes and Duncan Allan Steele, who on occasions in the second half showed some exceptional skill, hit a free kick into the danger area only to be palmed out for a corner. The resulting corner was taken short, but was too high for contact to be made by any player and sailed over for a goal kick.
This proved to be Southend's last chance; and although it was a spirited performance they were always chasing the game and ran out of steam in the end. Benbecula look determined to have a successful 2008 season and their superior fitness levels showed on the night, as they held out to take all three points.