Scone celebrate first league win

Oct 14 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

BLAIRGOWRIE, Kinnoull, Bankfoot and Luncarty all had their games called off on Saturday due to unplayable pitches which was most disappointing.

There were two games played. They were the Central League encounter at the RDM ground where Scone Thistle played hosts to Kirkcaldy YM and at Foxhall Park, with Coupar Angus taking on Kirrie Thistle in a North League game.

The Scone/Kirkcaldy YM game was a closely-contested encounter from start to finish.

Thistle were the eventual winners in this seesaw battle by the odd goal in five.

There was great euphoria in the Scone camp when the final whistle sounded and this was understandable as the Thistle had just registered their first win of the season and collected their first league point.

There was also another reason and that it avenged the penalty shoot out defeat they had suffered at the hands of the YM in the East of Scotland Cup just a couple of weeks previously.

The YM had the better of the opening exchanges and came near to taking an early lead when a close range shot from Jamie Gilfillan was blocked on the goal line by Scone keeper Dave Winton.

Five minutes later the keeper again came to his side’s rescue with another excellent blocking save.

The YM pressure paid off in 18 minutes when a cross from Chris Ireland found Jamie Gilfillan about 12 yards from the Scone goal and unmarked.

His powerful header simply flew into the back of the net.

This se back acted as a wake-up call for the Thistle as they responded immediately.

Within five minutes they had secured the game with a smartly taken goal from Callum McKinlay.

Thistle continued on the offensive and they had the ball in the back of the net twice only to have both goals disallowed.

Alan Cameron got the first of those goals when he latched on to a quickly taken free kick from Dave Routledge.

He slammed the ball past the keeper from about 12 yards.

But the referee deemed Cameron to be in an offside position and that goal was ruled out.

Just three minutes later Callum McKinlay, after a mazy solo run, laid the ball off to Keith Dewar who turned his marker, despite the latter trying to stop him with what looked to be a rather clumsy tackle Keith managed to keep control of the ball and proceeded to beat the keeper with a well struck hook shot for what seemed to be a well taken goal. Once again the referee signalled no goal and awarded a free kick to the YM which seemed to be a rather strange decision and certainly a disappointing one for the Thistle.

The YM retaliated to those near setbacks by mounting two attacks in the space of as many minutes on the Thistle goal and Dave Winton had to make saves from Ian Lally.

Thistle went on to take the lead in 61 minutes when Darren Gray crossed a great ball into Alan Cameron who was in the penalty box. Alan turned his market and was tripped up by him in the process.

The referee had no hesitation in awarding the Thistle a penalty. Cameron took the spot kick himself and fired it into the corner of the net.

The YM equalised in 72 minutes. A speculative lob from Ian Lally from about 22 yards came back off the bar and it was deflected off keeper Dave Winton and landed in the back of the net which was tough luck on both the keeper and the Thistle.

A couple of minutes later Thistle had regained their lead.

A really excellent piece of inter play between Darren Gray and Callum McKinlay which left a few opponents stranded in their wake saw McKinlay cross the ball into the penalty box where it was met by Craig Jack who knocked it past the keeper from about 15 yards.

This goal proved to be the winner despite spirited attacks from the YM to try an retrieve the situation and at least salvage a point.

Thistle boss Derek Adam was delighted with his players performance and he said: “We showed terrific spirit and I was particularly pleased at the way we responded almost immediately after losing goals by nullifying them in a matter of minutes on each occasion.”

Coupar Angus have been going along very well in the North League and had taken seven points from their last three games.

They were at home to Kirrie Thistle and were obviously the favourites to take the three points from this game as Kirrie were a few points and places behind them in the league table.

Coupar however had to be satisfied with a share of the points as the game finished all square at 1-1 and it really was a pretty fair result from what was a hard fought and closely contested encounter.

The first near thing in the game came after 10 minutes when Kirrie’s Scott Buist through.

Fortunately for Coupar his shot from 10 yards came rattling back off the bar and was cleared.

Coupar settled down after this near set back and in a flurry of attacks on the Kirrie goal they won a succession of corners but they brought them no joy.

Coupar however broke the deadlock in 39 minutes when Duncan Cocker broke up their right wing and hit a cross into the Kirrie penalty box which a defender failed to clear and Richard Wheeler was on the spot to pick up the loose ball and crack it into the back of the net.

Play swung from end to end after this Coupar goal which looked as if it would be good enough to give them an interval lead.

Then in a last ditch attack Kirrie grabbed an equaliser.

A cross from the Kirrie left win into the penalty box should have been cleared by the Coupar defence but it wasn’t and Steve Stewart pounced and hit the loose ball past keeper Arik from just outside the six yard box.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first but it produced no further goals.

Ali Scott came near to scoring from Kirrie in 65 minutes when he connected with a cross but his header from close range came back off the bar and was cleared.

Ten minutes later it was Coupar’s turn to pass up a chance. Duncan cut in from the right wing into the penalty box and got himself into a scoring position but in trying to make sure he took a touch too many and lost the ball to a defender.

Those were the best chances of the half until the 87th minute when Kirrie won a corner which was hit into the goalmouth and it caused a bit of a stramash.

Kirrie’s Bruce Rafaell finally managed to get the ball and he tried to touch the ball into the corner of the net but was thwarted by a great save from Coupar keeper Arik and the scoreline stayed at one all.

The draw for the second round of the Scottish Cup took place on Sunday and of the six remaining Perthshire teams only two were fortunate enough to get home draws. Kinnoull and Jeanfield Swifts were the two teams who are at home and they have what would appear to be lucrative ties.

Kinnoull play hosts to Shotts Bon Accord while Swifts’ guests are Cumbernauld. Both these teams play in the West of Scotland Leagues.

The draw as it affects the Perthshire teams: Kinnoull v Shotts Bon Accord; Jeanfield Swifts v Cumbernauld; Kilsyth v Bankfoot Athletic; Ellon v Coupar Angus; Haddington v Luncarty; Thornie Wood v Blairgowrie or Crossgates Primrose. These ties are scheduled to by played on November 1.

Perthshire Juniors

SATURDAY’S results: Central League – Scone Thistle 3, Kirkcaldy YM 2.

North League – Coupar Angus 1, Kirrie Thistle 1.

Matches off - Arniston R v Kinnoull; Bankfoot Athletic v Rosyth; Steeland Vics v Luncarty; Crossgates P v Blairgowrie.