Quickfire double strike earns Rob Roy win over Haddington
Chris Duff and Willie Sawyers got the goals which saw off the home side in an entertaining encounter as Stewart Maxwell’s side made it two wins out of two from their pre-season friendlies.
There was little between the sides in the early exchanges with Haddington preventing Rabs, 4-1 winners over Civil Service Strollers the previous week - from settling.
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Hide AdWith play mainly confined to midfield it took almost 20 minutes before a real scoring opportunity was made with home keeper Liam Amos making a smart save from a Jordan McGuire effort.
With Rob Roy now pushing forward Reece Pearson tested Amos following a David Sinclair free-kick.
The keeper was again in action pushing clear a Duff 25 yard free-kick then diving low to save Duff’s drive from distance. Sean Martin was then through on the Rabs goal but was ruled offside.
Rabs thought they had taken the lead in the 39th minute when Duff’s shot was parried by Amos into the path of Pearson who promptly fired it into the back of the net only for him to be judged offside.
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Hide AdIt took Athletic until the 45th minute to win their first corner with Chris Cairney’s header being cleared by Craig Buchanan.
The first chance of the second half fell to Haddington but substitute keeper Michael McKinven easily saved Martin’s header.
Rabs took the lead in the 49th minute when Gavin Mackie crossed a free-kick from the left into the home goalmouth where skipper for the day Duff sent a well-directed header past Amos.
Four minutes later Sawyers doubled Rob Roy’s lead when he latched on to a perfect Scott Walker defence splitting pass to drill a low shot into the Athletic net.
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Hide AdWith Rabs now playing neat inter passing football they began to dominate but poor finishing let them down.
The unmarked Shaun Fraser sent a header past the post from close range, Kevin Watt fired wide of the post from close range then from a Mackie free-kick Liam Crichton headed wide.
In the closing stages Haddington attacked the Rabs goal but were unable to break down a solid and well organised defence.
In the final minute Mackie was unlucky to see his tremendous 30 yard free-kick crash against the home crossbar.
In stoppage time, substitute Yousif Bernani should have given his side a consolation goal but skied over.