Match report: Squires Gate 6 Barnton 4

After ten goals,  two red cards and a hat-trick for Gary Pett, Gate came out on top in this feisty Hallmark Security Premier Division premier division game.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Dec 2017, 16:29 BST
Updated 10th Dec 2017, 16:45 BST
Gary Pett scores the second of his three goals against BarntonGary Pett scores the second of his three goals against Barnton
Gary Pett scores the second of his three goals against Barnton

Manager Andy Clarkson handed a debut to new loan signing Matthew Lawlor, who joined on the morning of the game from Bamber Bridge.The goal-fest began after only eight minutes, when striker Christopher Bandell lifted the ball over Gate keeper Ben Fletcher to give the visitors the lead. Tarren Moxon had chances to equalise to Gate, first firing over from Mark Buchan’s cross to the far post and then latching on to new man Lawlor’s superb crossfield ball only to fire wide. Moxon would make no mistake with his next chance on 25 minutes, running through to beat the keeper after the ball was missed by a Barnton defender. Nine minutes later they were ahead as impressive teenager Dan Gray timed his pass perfectly to find the run of striker Pett, who beat the offside trap to score his first. The bottom club were level on 38 minutes, when Chris Smith was allowed a free header from a corner. A goal of the season contender put Gate back in front on the stroke of half-time. From a corner, Dean Ing found Mike Hall outside the box and the midfielder fired his first goal for the club into the top corner. Gate were fired up for the second half and made it 4-2 barely a minute in, Ing firing home when the ball fell to him in the box. Goals by Pett on 64 and 68 minutes, the second of these following a fine run and cross by winger Moxon, completed his hat-trick and looked to have wrapped up the game at 6-2But then Barnton scored a quickfire double of their own. Striker Houghton did very well to control the ball and fire home on 72 minutes, then a minute later Gate defender Paul Carroll couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough and put the ball past his own keeper.But any hopes Barnton had of going on to claim only their second win of the season were dashed when some heavy tackles saw them end the game with nine men. Gate held on to climb to 12th. Gate: Fletcher, Richards, Higham, Lawlor, Carroll, Gray, Hall, Ing, Moxon, Buchan, Pett. Subs: O’Mahoney, Thornber, Charnley, Mullen, Colquhoun