Blair duo ready for testimonial

Aug 5 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

TONIGHT, Blairgowrie and Dundee United will meet at Davie Park in a testimonial game that the Blairgowrie committee decided to stage to honour two long serving players – Mark Brash and Andy Murray.

Mark and Andy have played with the club for more than a decade each.

Brash is the team skipper and this season will be his eighth in this role.

Manager Billy Mackay said of Mark: “He is the ideal man for the job as he is an inspirational type of player and has an indomitable spirit which rubs off on his team mates.”

Commenting on Andy Murray’s role as a striker, the Blair boss said: “Andy has a real penchant for scoring goals. He reached his century a couple of season’s ago and since then Andy has added a further 38 goals to his tally.”

Billy Mackay went on to comment that Mark and Andy are outstanding clubmen and this honour is thoroughly deserved.

He is confident that the supporters will show their appreciation by attending the game.

There will be two gates open from 6.30pm.

Blairgowrie expect to have their full squad available.

The Dundee United squad is expected to be a mixture of youth and reserve team players.

Blairgowrie met Ashfield at Davie Park on Saturday and they had a disappointing result as they lost to the Glasgow side by 4–0.

The first half of this game was fairly evenly contested and looked as if it would finish all square and goalless, until the 42nd minute when Ashfield broke the deadlock.

A cross into the Blair goalmouth caused a bit of a stramash and in attempting to make a clearance Craig Ferguson put the ball past his own keeper.

Ashfield had the lions share of the attacking play in the second half and went on to score three times without a reply from Blair.

The first of those goals came in the 67th minute when Martin Tolan ran on to a through ball that had deceived the Blair defence and cracked the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards.

Ashfield looked set to increase their lead when they were awarded a penalty in 75 minutes but they were thwarted when the Blair keeper brilliantly saved Darren O’Donnell’s spot kick.

The Glasgow side shrugged off this disappointment and returned to attack the Blair goal and with just another five minutes on the clock they made it 3–0, Craig Smith was their scorer.

Then with two minutes of the game remaining along came goal number four which was the result of a solo run from Martin Gauld who finished it off with a well hit shot into the corner of the net.

Scone Thistle also had a disappointing Saturday, they were at home to St John’s Amateurs, losing 3–2.

Kevin Don the St John’s striker scored all three goals.

The first goal came after only eight minutes when he knocked the ball past Thistle keeper Steve McKinnie from close range.

Steve McKinnie was playing in his first game for over a year and he showed that he hadn’t lost any of his ability as a goalkeeper as two minutes later he stopped St John’s from going further ahead when he made a terrific double save.

Scone gradually came more into the game and they pushed their opponents back on the defensive and in 42 minutes they were back on level terms.

A run down the left by Callum McKinlay saw him leave a few opponents in his wake and his cross into the penalty box could have been cleared by a defender but it wasn’t and Scott Ballingall was presented with an easy chance.

After the celebrations, the Thistle players found themselves in arrears once again when Kevin Don took full advantage of a bit of a mix up in the Thistle defence to whack the ball past keeper McKinnie for his second goal of the game and give his team the lead at the interval.

The second half had only been in operation for six minutes when Kevin Don completed his hat trick with a well taken goal from 12 yards.

This setback roused the Thistle and they were doing most of the attacking but failed with the finishing touch until the 79th minute.

They were awarded a free kick and the ball was pushed out by the keeper and their trialist striker was on the spot to knock it over the goal line to make it 3–2.

Thistle strived hard for the equaliser but despite having numerous chances they failed to score and paid the penalty.

Coupar Angus were at home to Lochgelly Albert and they did well to come from being two goals behind to win this game 3–2.

The Fifers opened the scoring in 23 minutes when a free kick into the Coupar penalty box was headed home by their centre half.

Coupar pretty much remained on the defensive and went 2–0 behind in 38 minutes when the Fifers striker scored from close range.

Coupar looked well out of the game at this point in time.

But they were given a boost a few minutes before the break when Steve Williamson rifled a free from the edge of the penalty box into the back of the Fifers net to make it 2–1.

Coupar were a revitalised side in the second half and had most of the attacking play and they squared the game in the 70th minute.

Steve Williamson was impeded in the Fifers penalty box.

The resultant spot kick was taken by Jim Hendrie and safely dispatched into the corner of the net.

Five minutes later Ian Petrie crowned this Coupar fightback when he collected a great pass from Jim Hendrie to hit the ball past the keeper to score the winner which was well deserved.

Jeanfield Swifts had two home games over the weekend.

Friday night they took on Bro’ty and they went on to win this game 3–1.

Swifts were two gaols ahead a the interval. John Anderson got the first goal when he fired home a free kick from all of 25 yards.

Mike Gow made it 2–0 with a well struck volley from about 12 yards. John Anderson was on the mark again when he scored Swifts’ third goal. Jamie Russell scored for Bro’ty.

Swifts took on a Dundee XI as part of the community’s Festival of Football on Sunday.

Swifts were severely understrength for this game as they had quite a number of their squad unavailable.

They had a number of trialists and they acquitted themselves well.

This was an entertaining game which saw a smart Dundee side go on to win by 4–0.

Despite the scoreline Swifts were always in the game and had they been as adept at taking chances as their opponents they wouldn’t have lost by such a wide margin.

The Dundee goals were shared by Kevin Milne and Grant Manzie, each netting a double.

Luncarty were at home to Carnoustie on Sunday and the Bleachers held their own against the strong going Gowfers up until the interval as the score sheet was still blank.

The second half however was a different story as the Gowfers took an early lead with a goal from Sean Muhsin. John Voigt and John Conway then went on to score two goals apiece to make the final score 5–0.

Kinnoull players Violet on Thursday night and they won this game 2–1 after going a goal behind. Their scorers were a trialist with a penalty and Mark Gordon.