Swifts lose three goal advantage

Oct 28 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

SATURDAY’S horrendous weather played havoc with the fixtures as the majority of games were called off.

Jeanfield Swifts, Scone Thistle and Coupar Angus were among the few teams that managed to brave the conditions for 90 minutes.

Blairgowrie had been given the go-ahead to travel for their game with Newtongrange Star as their own Davie Park pitch was playable.

The Blair bus was diverted via Stirling as the Forth Bridge was closed to buses and it was there that they received a message that the New Victoria Park pitch had also become unplayable and they had to head for home.

A player exchange deal that has been on going for some time was finally concluded on Friday when Kinnoull midfield player Craig Milne joined Jeanfield Swifts with centre-half Iain Wilkie moving in the other direction.

Swifts’ boss Eddie O’Connor said: “Craig is the type of midfield player I have wanted to get on board and I am highly delighted that he has agreed to join us.”

Kinnoull’s Scott Brown was equally delighted that Wilkie has joined his squad. Scott said: “Iain has a wealth of experience and has all the attributes required.”

Milne played his first game for Swifts in their game against Kirkcaldy YM and turned in a very effective performance.

Wilkie joined his new team-mates at Coronation Park for a training session after their game at Dundonald was called off and he was expected to make his debut last night when Kinnoull met Bro’ty in a friendly at all-weather pitch in Auchterarder.

Jeanfield were away to Kirkcaldy YM and the teams shared six goals and the points.

This looked at first glance to be a reasonably good result for Swifts as the YM are in the forefront of the championship race, but Swifts threw away a three-goal lead.

Swifts were brought back to earth when the YM found their scoring touch and went on to reduce the leeway to 3-2 before equalising in the final minute of stoppage time.

Swifts swept into the attack from kick-off and after only four minutes Scott Lafferty blasted in a shot that the YM keeper somehow managed to get a hand to and tip it over the bar.

The subsequent corner fell again to Lafferty but his shot flew over.

YM retaliated and with five minutes later Faraly crashed a shot from the edge of the penalty box just past the post and a few minutes later he had a shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andy Mackie.

Swifts passed up a great chance to go ahead in 25 minutes. A pass from Tony Holt to Kevin Fowler on the right wing saw him cross the ball into John Anderson who was on the edge of the six yard box, but the big striker sliced his shot over the bar.

Swifts had another chance on the half hour mark when Graham Nicol laid on a chance for Lafferty but he somehow contrived to hit the ball over the bar from close range.

Swifts finally broke the deadlock in 40 minutes. A cross from Fowler into the YM goalmouth found Anderson at the back post and the striker headed over the keeper into the net.

Fowler then made it 2–0 on the stroke of half-time when he connected with a cross from Lafferty and headed past the keeper from close range.

Three minutes into the second half a defender brought down Anderson in the penalty box and Tony Holt made it 3–0 from the spot.

Two minutes later Grant Mackay came off the bench for the YM and he proved to be a super sub as he went on to score twice with goals from headers in the 58th and 64th minutes and the YM were right back in the game.

In the closing minutes Mark Caldow missed a sitter and then had the ball in the back of the net but he was ruled to be offside.

The game was in stoppage time when a free-kick for the YM evaded a defender and landed with Robert Sellar who cracked the ball past the onrushing Mackie for the equaliser.

Scone Thistle were at home to Thornton Hibs and in the first half were paying into the teeth of the wind and were finding it difficult.

A couple of early forays took them within striking distance of the Hibs goal and Alan Cameron had a shot blocked, then a Darren Gray effort was saved by the keeper.

Scone suffered an expensive 10 minutes going two goals behind and it could have been worse but for a brilliant penalty save by Thistle keeper David Winton. It was taken by Andy Adam in the 28th minute.

The Hibs goal scorers were Gordon Bryce in 22 minutes and Alan McAllister in 24 minutes.

Scone returned to the offensive for a spell and were buzzing round the Hibs penalty box but the only shot on goal that tested the keeper came from Keith Dewar in 33 minutes.

There was more woe for Thistle in the opening minutes of the second half when their full back and skipper Andy Smith was injured in a tackle and couldn’t continue. His place was taken by team boss Derek Adam.

A couple of minutes later Lee Wotherspoon made it 3–0 for Hibs. Adam atoned for his penalty miss when he made it 4–0 in 53 minutes.

Thistle although faced with an uphill task strived hard to get something out of the game but they suffered a further setback when they were reduced to 10 men in 65 minutes when Dewar picked up a second caution.

McAllister with his second goal of the game increased the Hibs lead to 5–0 in 74 minutes. Gary Braid completed the scoring with goal number six in 89 minutes from what looked to be an offside position but the referee didn’t see it that way.

Coupar Angus and Arbroath Vics served up an excellent encounter at Foxhall Park with play swinging from end to end.

Coupar opened the scoring in 14 minutes. Jim Hendry played the ball wide to Duncan Cocker who hit a low cross into the Vics penalty box and Stephen Williamson fired the ball past the keeper from 12 yards.

Vics shrugged off this setback and within two minutes they were back on level terms. A corner taken by Garry Warren was partially cleared out to Robert Urquhart who fired it back into the penalty box and Scott Pearson got a touch to the ball and it glanced off him into the back of the net.

Vics went ahead on the stroke of half time when Lee Jones came running in to connect with a cross from Pearson to head the ball into the back of the net.

A few minutes into the second half and Coupar were back on level terms. A ball was flighted into the Vics penalty box and their defender Kevin Laing in trying to clear the danger had the misfortune to head the ball into the back of his own net.

There were near things at either end and in 65 minutes the Vics scored what proved to be the winner. Craig Watson hooked a knock down from Lee Jones into the back of the net from close range to make it 3–2 and that’s how the game ended.

Luncarty are away to Haddington in the Scottish Cup on Saturday. Anyone wishing to travel on the official bus, free of charge, should report to the social club at 10.40am. The bus leaves at 11am.

SATURDAY’S results: North League – Coupar Angus 2, Arbroath Vics 3.

Central League – Scone Thistle 0, Thornton Hibs 6; Kirkcaldy YM 3, Jeanfield Swifts 3. All other games off.

Homecoming SFA Cup second round – Lochee United 3, Buckie Rovers 0; Inverurie Locos 5, Banks o’ Dee 1.

REDWOOD Leisure Cup preliminary and first round draws (for Perthshire clubs): Preliminary Round – East Craigie v Luncarty; Downfield v Bankfoot Athletic; Scone Thistle v Kirrie Thistle; Forfar Albion v Coupar Angus.

First round – Jeanfield Swifts v Kelty Hearts; Crossgates P v Blairgowrie; Kinnoull v Hill o’ Beath; Lochore Welfare v Forfar Albion or Coupar Angus; St Andrews v Scone Thistle or Kirrie Thistle; Oakley United v East Craigie or Luncarty; Downfield or Bankfoot v Steelend Vics. Dates to be arranged.