Blair share points with Carnoustie

Nov 18 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

BLAIRGOWRIE turned in what was undoubtedly their best league performance of the season when they held championship chasing Carnoustie to a 1–1 draw in their premier league game at Davie Park.

Blair were ahead at the interval but the Gowfers came back in the second half to square the game and preserve their undefeated league record.

Alan Cruickshanks put Blair ahead in the 38th minute when he met with a cross from Jamie Duncan to head the ball past the keeper from about 12 yards.

The second half had only been in operation a few minutes when firstly Alan Cruickshanks was put through and had a great chance to put his side further ahead but shot straight at the keeper from just outside the six yard box.

The Gowfers swept up to the other end after this let off and their striker John Voigt was left with an almost identical chance but he too squandered it as he blasted the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score.

Carnoustie had most of the attacking play after this and in 65 minutes they got back on level terms.

A ball from their right wing was into the Blair goalmouth which should have been cleared but wasn’t and this sloppy piece of defending left John Voigt with an easy chance which he took to make it 1–1 and atone for his earlier miss.

There were reasonable chances at either end after this but no further goals.

Kinnoull were at home to Arniston Rangers in the premier league and despite having the lions share of the attacking play they lost to the Rangers by 1–0.

This was a travesty as far as Kinnoull were concerned but it was of their own making.

The goal that won the Rangers the points was scored in 15 minutes and it summed up Kinnoull’s day as it was a cruel own goal. Rangers striker Ubong Umatang who had evaded his marker cut down the byline and hit a cross into the crowded goalmouth where it struck Kinnoull defender Sandy Ross on the shoulder and spun high into the top corner of the net, which was tough luck on Sandy.

The second half saw Kinnoull attack almost incessantly and they put together a string of great moves that had the Rangers on the back foot for most of the half, but they failed to produce goals.

In the final minute of the game there was further misfortune for Sandy Ross as he was red carded for a foul on an opponent and the referee considered him to be the last man and gave him a red card.

Jeanfield Swifts, Scone Thistle, Bankfoot and Luncarty were all away from home in the central league. The Swifts were the only team to take anything from those games, they drew 3–3 with St Andrews.

Jeanfield have been on a roll in recent games and have moved up into the fourth top place in the league table.

Swifts however went into their away game against St Andrews as the second favourites which is fair enough considering the fact that the Saints were second from the top of the table and were nursing a 100% record. They are considered by many of the pundits to be the favourites for the championship.

Swifts were undeterred by their opponents reputation and showed great spirit in coming from behind, once by two goals, to earn a share of the points and take the first point off St Andrews.

St Andrews drew first blood in this game after eight minutes. A free kick taken by Paul Farquharson hit a Swifts player in their defensive wall and it wrong footed keeper Andy Mackie and the ball landed in the back of the net.

Swifts struck back and within a couple of minutes they were back on level terms.

It was Swifts turn to win a free kick which was taken by Tony Holt. Tony fired it into the heart of the Saints penalty box where it was snapped up by Mike Waring. Mike slotted the ball into the back of the net from about 12 yards to make it 1–1 and that’s how the score stood at the interval.

St Andrews surged into the attack from the restart and by midway through the half they were 3–1 ahead Ricky Patrick and James Herkes were their goal scorers.

Swifts after those setbacks went into an all out attacking mode and it didn’t take them long to reduce the leeway with what was a well taken goal from David Thornton.

Swifts continued to attack the Saints goal but despite intensive pressure the equaliser wasn’t forthcoming.

There were just three minutes of the game remaining when Swifts produced yet another attack and it won them a corner which was taken by Tony Holt who flighted it perfectly into the heart of the goalmouth and John Anderson rose to connect and bullet a header past the keeper to make it 3–3 and earn the Swifts a well deserved point.

Bankfoot were away to Thornton Hibs and they came close to taking the lead after just eight minutes.

Bankies striker Barry Ward intercepted a pass between two defenders that was rather short. This left Barry in a one to one situation with the keeper who came off his goalline. Barry hit the ball past the wrong side of the post.

Ten minutes later Alan Stewart had the ball in the back of the net but the referee considered the Bankies striker to be offside.

Thornton, who had been doing most of the pressing finally broke the deadlock in 34 minutes when their striker Andy Napier burst through and slotted the ball past keeper Darren McGarry to make it 1–0. Thornton in a last ditch attack before the break went further ahead with a rather fortunate goal. A Bankies defender in trying to clear the ball unfortunately sliced his clearance and the ball landed in the back of the net and it was 2–0.

The second half was only five minutes old when Thornton made it 3–0 with another goal from Andy Napier, his second of the game.

Barry Ward brought Bankies back into the game when he connected with a pass from Alan Stewart to beat the Thornton keeper from close range to make it 3–1.

Bankies strived hard to further reduce the leeway and they came close to doing so but it didn’t happen for them and they came away from Memorial Park empty handed.

Scone Thistle were guests of Newburgh at East Shore Park and while the Thistle went down by a 4–2 margin it was two very late goals that lost them at least a share of the points.

The first goal of the game saw Newburgh take the lead in the final minute of the half. An attempted clearance from Dave Routledge was picked up by Scott Bisset who rifled the ball past Thistle keeper Dave Winton from 18 yards.

The Thistle got a deserved equaliser in 59 minutes. Scott McManus was the scorer with a terrific 25 yard strike from a free kick.

Thistle’s joy was short lived as Kevin Masson restored the Fifers lead in 63 minutes. Thistle shrugged off this setback and they battled back to square the game once again with a close range goal from Keith Dewar.

Kevin Masson took advantage of a piece of slip shod defending from the Thistle to put his team 3–2 ahead in 86 minutes.

The Fifers were awarded a controversial penalty in stoppage time which Kevin Maison scored from to give him his hat trick and make the scoreline 4–2. This was a real battling performance from the Thistle who really deserved to take something from the game.

Luncarty were away to Lochore Welfare and they turned in a stuffy performance against the Fifers although they lost 2–0. The first of those goals came on the half hour mark and it was from the penalty spot and it was an award that the Bleachers were none to happy about. Kevin Goodwin was the scorer.

Luncarty strived hard to get back on level terms and Alan Bailly, Ewan Murray and Chris Dudek all came close with efforts.

In 75 minutes a lapse in concentration in the Bleachers defence allowed John Ferguson to pick up the ball at the back post and knock it into the back of the net to make it 2–0 and this goal clinched the points for the Fifers.

The Bleachers manager Barry Malcolm, while he was obviously disappointed with the result, felt there was a lot of positives to take from the game and they were unfortunate not to take something from it.

Coupar Angus’ run of successes in recent weeks was brought to a halt by Montrose Roselea at Foxhall Park. The Roselea, who are favourites for their league championship, certainly justified the pundits forecasts as they went on to thrash Coupar to the tune of 5–1.

Calum Watson was the Roselea player who caused Coupar much of their grief in this game. The striker netted a hat trick. Colin Kennedy and Paul Whyte were Roselea’s other scorers.

Derek Lomas scored for Coupar in 39 minutes to reduce the leeway to 2–1 and it looked for a short spell as if Coupar might turn the game round but it was a false hope as they were pretty much swept aside by their opponents.

Steve Kerrigan of Roselea was red carded in the 42nd minute which meant that his team played with 10 men for 48 minutes which didn’t help Coupar’s cause.