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Last Saturday, Red Star played their first competitive fixture for a month, as they hosted Rosehill Star. This was a must-win game for the home side as it would close the gap at the top to six points with Red Star still to play two games in hand. Manager Moore had a strong squad to choose from with nineteen players available for selection.
As the game kicked off it was clear it was going to be a tight game and would be decided on which team could take their chances. It was Star who came closest to breaking the deadlock as Asen rifled a free kick from 20 yards just over the bar. The away side did have the ball in the back of the net on 25 minutes as a free kick was floated to the back post. The winger's header was well saved by Mcculloch with the rebound being nodded in, but to Star’s relief the referee had adjudged the player to be in an offside position.
This seemed to give the home side a shock and, as they upped the tempo of the game, they grabbed the opener. A quick throw in by D. Campbell into the box went to Asen, who rolled his man with the defender leaving a leg out, bringing the Bulgarian down. The official was left with no option but to award a spot kick.
After a lengthy delay Russell stepped up to dink the ball over the dive of the keeper to score his eighth goal in Star’s nine league games this campaign. The game stayed at one-nil till the break. The Red Star coaching staff were pleased with the performance so far but emphasised the need to get tighter to the opposition and win more second balls.
Going into the second half, the Premier Dry Cleaning-sponsored side were up against it. In the opening ten minutes Rosehill fired long balls up to the front two in search of an equaliser, but the back three of MacDougall, Campbell and Houston were dealing with it well, denying them any shots at Mcculloch.
The home side did almost double their lead as a long ball up the pitch was brilliantly taken down by Asen. Russell fired a shot which the keeper somehow managed to tip round the post.
The Hire-a-Joiner-sponsored side would be made to rue that missed chance as the away side equalised from a free kick twenty-two yards out that was curled over the wall and past the outstretched arm of Mcculloch.
With only fifteen minutes remaining the next goal would be crucial as this would be looked upon as two massive points dropped.
On the 80-minute mark Star grabbed that crucial goal. A corner could only be cleared to Macdougall who fired a shot which the keeper could only parry to the onrushing Naisby who poked the ball into the bottom corner for his third of the season.
The home side saw out the last ten minutes despite a spirited comeback from Rosehill, to give them another three points.
This week Star are at home again as they face third-place King’s Park Rangers with a 2pm kick off.
Team: Mcculloch, MacDougall, C Campbell, I Houston, Naisby, D Campbell, Morrison, C Houston, Russell, Asen, Phillips. Subs: Baxter, S Crawford, Bruce, Broderick, Weir, Kowalski, MacFarlane.
